Asahi Kasei and Furuya Metal test digital passports for recycled iridium

Asahi Kasei, Furuya Metal and Dutch software company Circularise have launched a demonstration project in Japan to trace recycled iridium and ruthenium from chlor-alkali electrodes and test the issuance of digital product passports.

The companies announced the project on November 12. They will connect records covering the recovery, refining and reuse of iridium and ruthenium from end-of-life electrodes, according to Asahi Kasei's announcement. The goal is to make each metal's origin and circulation history visible while limiting access to commercially sensitive information.

Why iridium and ruthenium?

Both metals are used in chlor-alkali electrolysis electrodes, electronics and semiconductor materials. They are also expected to see growing applications in proton-exchange-membrane water electrolysis for hydrogen production.

Supply is tight. Asahi Kasei cited International Precious Metals Institute estimates that annual primary iridium production runs at roughly seven metric tons, while annual ruthenium supply is about 30 metric tons. Production of both metals is concentrated in a small number of locations. The company flagged these figures as estimates supplied through its announcement.

What did the earlier trial prove?

Asahi Kasei and Circularise ran a simulated proof of concept between February and September 2025. They tested whether Circularise's platform could record metal recovered from used electrodes and the amount reused in new electrodes.

The companies said that exercise confirmed key elements of feasibility. But it stopped short of the real thing — it did not involve the full physical recovery and recycling chain now being tested.

How will the new trial work?

The current project adds Furuya Metal, a refiner, processor and recycler of platinum-group metals. The trial runs in two phases:

• Phase one: the partners will test how traceability information is captured and managed, from the collection of used electrodes through metal extraction and refining into reusable bullion.
• Phase two: they will evaluate information sharing from recycled metal through the manufacture of new electrodes, and assess whether a digital product passport can be issued.

Circularise's system is designed to let participating companies disclose selected supply-chain information without exposing all underlying confidential data. Asahi Kasei backed the Dutch company in 2022 through its corporate venture capital unit.

What happens after the pilot?

The companies will use the findings to consider practical implementation, according to an English-language release distributed by JCN Newswire. The partners also said they may later evaluate similar traceability mechanisms for water-electrolysis equipment used in hydrogen production.

The announcement disclosed no investment amount, no commercial deployment date, no customer commitments and no measured recycling improvement. For now, the project's value lies in proving that a passport for metals produced seven tons a year can work in a physical recycling chain — a question the 2025 simulation alone couldn't answer.