Iondrive's IONSolv delivers 85%+ silver recovery in lab, boosting solar recycling; advances with Livium toward end-of-life PV materials.
Key points
IONSolv: >85% silver recovered in bench tests
Move to end-of-life PV feedstock with Livium
Target Ag & polysilicon recovery as waste grows
Iondrive (ASX: ION) has reported encouraging early laboratory results from its solar panel recycling initiative, with its proprietary IONSolv platform achieving greater than 85% silver extraction efficiency under controlled bench-scale conditions.
The results establish a preliminary performance baseline for the technology and support progression of the company’s collaboration with Livium to apply the process to end-of-life photovoltaic materials.
Initial laboratory testing was conducted as an early-stage screening and optimisation program designed to assess the performance of the IONSolv formulation, utilising discrete batch experiments under controlled conditions to establish an extraction benchmark.
Iondrive stated that the results bolster confidence in advancing the solar recycling collaboration and extending testing beyond pure metal samples.
The next stage of the program will focus on applying the IONSolv platform to mechanically prepared end-of-life photovoltaic materials.
Livium is providing feedstock preparation and panel dismantling capability to support testing on representative solar panel waste.
This phase of work will assess how feedstock preparation, mechanical separation, and chemical recovery interact within an integrated recycling workflow.
Planned activities include further laboratory optimisation, preliminary techno-economic assessment, and evaluation of recovery performance as the program advances toward larger-scale testing.
Iondrive highlighted that increasing volumes of end-of-life solar panels are entering the Australian waste stream as early installations approach the end of their typical 25–30 year design life.
Research indicates that a significant proportion of valuable materials contained in photovoltaic panels – including silver and silicon – are not recovered in typical recycling practices, which are often limited to aluminium framing and junction boxes, with much of the remaining material down-cycled or disposed of due to technical and economic constraints.
The company views this gap as both an environmental challenge and an opportunity for improved resource recovery through targeted processing innovation.
The solar recycling program will now prioritise development of recovery pathways for both silver and polysilicon –  considered among the most economically attractive commodity streams within photovoltaic waste and central to improving overall recycling outcomes – using the IONSolv platform.
Iondrive’s ongoing work will focus on laboratory optimisation, scalability assessment and, integration into mechanical preparation processes, with further updates to be provided as the program progresses.
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