[Supply Chain] ABTC Receives BIS Approval for Export Sales of Up to $100 Million of Black Mass, Under the 100% Domestic Sales Requirement

American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) announced on October 1, 2026 that it had obtained approval, described as a DPAS license, from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to sell up to $100 million of its recycled black mass for export. The approval relates to a temporary final rule (a Directive Allocation Order under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System, or DPAS) that BIS published in the Federal Register on August 6, 2026. From August 27, 2026, the rule requires sellers of black mass to allocate 100% of their monthly sales to U.S. persons, and the material may not be exported without BIS authorization. The rule is a temporary measure through August 27, 2027, and BIS may extend or adjust it. ABTC operates a commercial-scale recycling facility near Reno, Nevada, which began commercial operations in 2023 and recovers copper, aluminum, steel, lithium-containing intermediates, black mass and other materials from end-of-life batteries and battery manufacturing scrap. ABTC's announcement does not describe the approval's validity period, buyers or other detailed terms. The rule also states that a DPAS approval is neither equivalent to nor a replacement for an export license or other authorization under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).