Comstock Metals Expands Recycling Network – Launches End-of-Life Solar Facility in Ohio
Rhea-AI Summary
Comstock (NYSE: LODE) secured an additional Ohio site to expand Comstock Metals’ national end-of-life solar panel recycling network. The Ohio location will serve as a centralized hub for collection, preparation, storage and aggregation of decommissioned PV panels, and is expandable into an industry-scale processing facility to serve Ohio and the broader Midwest. The site aims to recover materials such as aluminum, silver, copper and gallium under the company's certified zero-landfill recycling model. Comstock is also finalizing permit applications for a second integrated Nevada location with a site selection expected later this year.
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News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, LODE gained 5.45%, reflecting a notable positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
LODE gained 5.19% while peers showed mixed moves: PLG -4.48%, PLL -9.6%, VOXR +1.81%, LGO +6.3%, USGO +4.61%, indicating a stock-specific reaction.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 12 | Network expansion | Positive | +1.1% | California facility expanded storage and prepping for western U.S. PV panels. |
| Jan 09 | Facility permitting | Positive | +2.2% | Final permits received for Nevada industry-scale solar recycling facility. |
| Jan 07 | Air permit granted | Positive | +3.7% | Nevada Air Quality Permit for solar panel processing facility secured. |
| Dec 09 | Recognition award | Positive | +3.5% | Regional authorities recognized Comstock Metals for growth and innovation. |
| Dec 08 | Hexas acquisition | Positive | -6.5% | Bioleum completed ~$6.5M Hexas Biomass acquisition via stock, cash and debt. |
Recent company-positive news (permits, network expansion, recognition) has typically been followed by modest price gains, with one acquisition headline showing a negative divergence.
Over the last months, Comstock reported multiple milestones, including Nevada permits enabling processing of more than 3 million panels and up to 100,000 tons/year, and recognition from Nevada economic authorities on Dec. 9, 2025. Network expansions in California and today’s Ohio site continue building a national solar-panel recycling footprint. Most prior positive updates saw shares rise mildly in the following 24 hours, while an acquisition-related headline on Dec. 8, 2025 drew a negative reaction, highlighting some sensitivity to deal news.
Regulatory & Risk Context
An effective S-3 shelf filed on 2025-11-21 allows Comstock to offer up to $200,000,000 of securities, including up to $100,000,000 of common stock via an at-the-market program, to fund Comstock Metals facilities, acquisitions, and growth initiatives. A 424B5 filing on 2025-12-10 reflects active use of this capacity.
Market Pulse Summary
The stock moved +5.5% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction aligns with Comstock’s pattern of gains following operational milestones, such as recent Nevada permits and network expansions. The Ohio end-of-life solar facility extends its integrated recycling footprint, reinforcing this theme. However, the existing $200,000,000 shelf and active $100,000,000 ATM program create ongoing equity issuance capacity that could weigh on longer-term returns if heavily utilized.
Key Terms
photovoltaic (pv) technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
VIRGINIA CITY, Nev., Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” or the “Company”) and its subsidiary, Comstock Metals LLC (“Comstock Metals”), a leader in the responsible recycling of end-of-life solar panels and the only certified, zero-landfill solar recycling solution in North America, today announced that it has secured an additional site for storage that is expandable into an industry-scale recycling and processing facility.
This Ohio location strengthens Comstock Metals’ growing national recycling network and is strategically positioned to serve customers throughout Ohio and the broader Midwest—one of the larger and centrally located solar markets in the country. The site will function as a centralized hub for the collection, preparation, storage, and aggregation of decommissioned photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that will ultimately expand into processing as the market grows.
As solar deployment continues to expand across Ohio and neighboring states, the demand for compliant, environmentally responsible end-of-life solutions is accelerating. The central Ohio facility is designed to directly support solar manufacturers, developers, utilities, engineering and construction firms (EPCs), installers, decommissioners and asset owners by providing a local, reliable solution for managing retired solar panels, where valuable materials, including aluminum, silver, copper, gallium, and other metals are recovered and repurposed.
“Establishing a facility in central Ohio allows us to directly support the Midwest region’s growing end-of-life panel disposal needs while providing a logistically-efficient solution that keeps costs low for our customers,” said Dr. Fortunato Villamagna, President of Comstock Metals. “Our mission is to close the loop on solar energy by ensuring panels at the end of their useful life are managed responsibly and their critical materials are fully repurposed.”
By enabling timely, efficient, and compliant decommissioning, transport, and recycling, Comstock’s zero-landfill solution reduces landfill waste, conserves natural resources and supports the industry’s long-term sustainability. The Company is also finalizing the permit application and subsequent submission plans for its second, integrated, industry-scale Nevada location, with final selection of a location to take place later this year.
“As the volume of end-of-life solar panels expands across the country and grows into the tens and hundreds of millions, our ability to scale responsibly and efficiently across the country, delivers real sustainability—and peace of mind—to our customers and partners,” said Corrado De Gasperis, Executive Chairman and CEO of Comstock. “Our team is setting the standard for solar panel recycling across an expanding, fully integrated national network.”
About Comstock Inc.
Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) innovates and commercializes technologies, systems and supply chains that enable, support and sustain clean energy systems by efficiently, effectively, and expediently extracting and converting under-utilized natural resources into reusable metals, like silver, aluminum, gold, and other critical minerals, primarily from end-of-life photovoltaics. To learn more, please visit www.comstock.inc.
Comstock Social Media Policy
Comstock Inc. has used, and intends to continue using, its investor relations link and main website at www.comstock.inc in addition to its X.com, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts, as means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.
Contacts
For investor inquiries:
Judd B. Merrill, Chief Financial Officer
Tel (775) 413-6222
ir@comstockinc.com
For media inquiries:
Zach Spencer, Director of External Relations
Tel (775) 847-7573
media@comstockinc.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any related calls or discussions may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of doing so. Forward-looking statements include statements about matters such as: future market conditions; future explorations or acquisitions; divestitures, spin-offs or similar distribution transactions, future changes in our research, development and exploration activities; future financial, natural, and social gains; future prices and sales of, and demand for, our products and services; land entitlements and uses; permits; production capacity and operations; operating and overhead costs; future capital expenditures and their impact on us; operational and management changes (including changes in the Board of Directors); changes in business strategies, planning and tactics; future employment and contributions of personnel, including consultants; future land and asset sales; investments, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs or similar distribution transactions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, operational, tax, financial and restructuring initiatives, including the nature, timing and accounting for restructuring charges, derivative assets and liabilities and the impact thereof; contingencies; litigation, administrative or arbitration proceedings; environmental compliance and changes in the regulatory environment; offerings, limitations on sales or offering of equity or debt securities, including asset sales and associated costs; business opportunities, growth rates, future working capital, needs, revenues, variable costs, throughput rates, operating expenses, debt levels, cash flows, margins, taxes and earnings. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical and current trends, current conditions, possible future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, representations or warranties and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control and could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Some of those risks and uncertainties include the risk factors set forth in our filings with the SEC and the following: adverse effects of climate changes or natural disasters; adverse effects of global or regional pandemic disease spread or other crises; global economic and capital market uncertainties; the speculative nature of gold or mineral exploration, and lithium, nickel and cobalt recycling, including risks of diminishing quantities or grades of qualified resources; operational or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, metal recycling, processing or mining activities; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with precious and other metal based activities, including environmentally friendly and economically enhancing clean mining and processing technologies, precious metal exploration, resource development, economic feasibility assessment and cash generating mineral production; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with metal recycling, processing or mining activities; contests over our title to properties; potential dilution to our stockholders from our stock issuances, recapitalization and balance sheet restructuring activities; potential inability to comply with applicable government regulations or law; adoption of or changes in legislation or regulations adversely affecting our businesses; permitting constraints or delays; challenges to, or potential inability to, achieve the benefits of business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, us, including those involving battery technology and efficacy, quantum computing and generative artificial intelligence supported advanced materials development, development of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and related material production; commercialization of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and generative artificial intelligence development services; ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions, spin-offs or similar distribution transactions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, asset sales, and investments that we may be party to in the future; changes in the United States or other monetary or fiscal policies or regulations; interruptions in our production capabilities due to capital constraints; equipment failures; fluctuation of prices for gold or certain other commodities (such as silver, zinc, lithium, nickel, cobalt, cyanide, water, diesel, gasoline and alternative fuels and electricity); changes in generally accepted accounting principles; adverse effects of war, mass shooting, terrorism and geopolitical events; potential inability to implement our business strategies; potential inability to grow revenues; potential inability to attract and retain key personnel; interruptions in delivery of critical supplies, equipment and raw materials due to credit or other limitations imposed by vendors; assertion of claims, lawsuits and proceedings against us; potential inability to satisfy debt and lease obligations; potential inability to maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting; potential inability or failure to timely file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission; potential inability to list our securities on any securities exchange or market or maintain the listing of our securities; and work stoppages or other labor difficulties. Occurrence of such events or circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, or the market price of our securities. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements by or attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Except as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither this press release nor any related calls or discussions constitutes an offer to sell, the solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation with respect to any securities of the Company, the fund, or any other issuer.
FAQ
What did Comstock (LODE) announce about a new Ohio solar recycling site on January 15, 2026?
How will the Ohio facility support solar panel recycling for LODE customers in the Midwest?
Does Comstock (LODE) claim the Ohio site will landfill solar panels?
What is the timeline for additional Comstock (LODE) facilities after the Ohio announcement?
Which customers will the Comstock Ohio facility serve according to the announcement?
Will the Ohio site immediately perform full-scale panel processing for LODE?
