Lawyer for company that owns a battery recycling plant discusses recovery from major fire

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. (KFVS) – The attorney for a battery recycling plant discussed recovery efforts after a major fire.

The fire at Critical Mineral Recovery was reported on Wednesday, October 30 around 1:37 p.m. About 26 fire departments from across the region responded to the fire, according to the highway patrol.

The facility opened in the fall of 2023, according to Al Watkins, attorney for Critical Mineral Recovery. Production started in early 2024.

He said CMR employs 75 people and had plans to hire another 75 people before the end of the year.

Currently, all operations at the facility are paused.

Watkins described the damage as a “significant loss” and said the facility cannot be used for the foreseeable future.

He said CMR hopes to resume operations in Fredericktown at some point in the future.

“The good news is not one person was injured,” he said. “The company’s priority is the people who worked there and the people who are part of the community around CMR.”

Watkins said the 75 people who work at CMR will remain on the payroll.