August 26, 2026 – Moses Lake, WA – Moses Lake Industries (MLI) has successfully demonstrated a new proof-of-concept process that advances the recovery and purification of copper for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, marking an important step toward more sustainable and resilient material supply chains.
The Challenge
Copper is a critical material in semiconductor manufacturing, used extensively as interconnects in damascene and advanced packaging applications. The worldwide growth of semiconductor production, fueled by the increasing prevalence of AI technologies, makes the efficient management of copper increasingly important.
Semiconductor manufacturing processes require constant replenishment of electroplating baths to maintain optimal performance, with approximately 98% of the copper input exiting as a spent stream. While some Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs) recover this copper through electrowinning and other processes, the recovered material rarely meets the purity requirements for advanced semiconductor applications. As a result, it is typically diverted to lower-value uses, representing a significant loss of critical and increasingly valuable material. This gap between recovery and reuse highlights an important opportunity for innovation.
MLI’s Approach
With over 40 years of experience developing ultra-high-purity chemistry for semiconductor manufacturing, MLI is applying its expertise in precision chemistry and advanced purification processes to develop new solutions for material recovery and reuse.
The recent proof-of-concept demonstrated the technical feasibility of recovering copper from IDM processes and refining it to meet the purity standards required for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, creating the potential to turn a waste stream into a valuable manufacturing resource. MLI will continue to optimize the process as development progresses. Successful commercial implementation represents an important step toward a renewable copper economy in the semiconductor industry.
“This initiative reflects how we continue applying scientific rigor and innovation to solve complex material challenges within semiconductor manufacturing,” said Hiro Era, CEO of MLI. “By creating new pathways for material recovery and reuse, we are supporting more sustainable, long-term progress for both our customers and the industry.”
How the Initiative Is Taking Shape
The initiative brings together cross-functional teams across research, engineering, operations, and environmental safety as MLI develops scalable solutions that can support both internal manufacturing processes and future customer-facing applications.
As development continues, MLI is evaluating how recycled copper can be reintroduced into internal manufacturing operations and identifying opportunities to extend the model to IDM partners, creating new pathways for recovered materials to re-enter semiconductor manufacturing. IDM partners include both those with existing copper recovery systems and those without.
Why It Matters
For an industry that depends on a stable supply of high-purity materials, developing closed-loop models for critical inputs like copper helps address both practical and strategic priorities. Enabling recovered copper to re-enter high-value semiconductor manufacturing applications improves supply stability, reduces material waste, and supports the consistent purity standards required for advanced device performance. This circular approach will play an increasingly important role, balancing performance, supply security, and environmental responsibility as the industry continues to grow.
Looking Ahead
MLI’s successful proof-of-concept is a meaningful, early milestone reached in partnership with IDMs. As MLI continues to refine the purification methods and evaluate opportunities to scale, this collaborative effort points to a broader possibility: that recovered copper can become a reliable input for advanced semiconductor manufacturing rather than a byproduct diverted elsewhere.
For MLI and our partners, the next step is transforming proof-of-concept into a scalable solution that supports the future of semiconductor manufacturing.
To learn more about the project , Katie Lingscheit, R&D Manager at MLI, will present “Closing the Loop: A Circular Pathway for High-Quality Electrolytes” at SEMICON Taiwan 2026.
Date: September 3, 2026
Time: 3:50–4:10 p.m.
Location: 701AB (Future Stage), 7F, TaiNEX 2
Attendees are invited to join the session to learn more about the technology, the development process, and its potential applications.