Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.

A method for processing fines bearing iron or other metals, such as manganese, bauxite, boron, chromium, iron-nickel and/or ferrous slags, from various possible sources, possibly with the addition of self-reducing agents and other minerals for chemical adjustment, with particle size up to 6.3 mm (through ¼ inch sieve), directly into the intense mixer, with a set of binders in specific proportions, aiming to optimize physical and metallurgical properties of the briquettes with minimal binder addition, thus not compromising the quality of steel or other metal products. The binders are starch, sodium silicate and a base such as sodium hydroxide. The mixture with adjusted moisture content goes through a conventional briquetting roller press. The green briquettes then undergo drying with forced air at around 150° C. for a short time, or at ambient temperature for a longer time. The briquettes obtained have excellent metallurgical properties, and sufficient physical resistance for handling and transport, without the high and undesirable economic and environmental costs of the hot briquetting process.

A smelting method capable of obtaining an iron-nickel alloy having a high nickel grade of 4% or higher by effectively facilitating a reduction reaction of pellets formed using a nickel oxide ore as a raw material. The present invention is a method for smelting a nickel oxide ore, by which an iron-nickel alloy is obtained by forming pellets from a nickel oxide ore and reducing and heating the pellets. In the pellet production step S1, a mixture is obtained by mixing raw materials that contain at least a nickel oxide ore and a carbonaceous reducing agent. In the reduction step S2, a furnace floor carbonaceous reducing agent is laid on the floor of the smelting furnace in advance when placing the obtained pellets in the smelting furnace and the pellets are placed on the furnace floor carbonaceous reducing agent and then reduced and heated.

A smelting method capable of obtaining an iron-nickel alloy having a high nickel grade of 4% or higher by effectively facilitating a reduction reaction of pellets formed using a nickel oxide ore as a raw material. The present invention is a method for smelting a nickel oxide ore, by which an iron-nickel alloy is obtained by forming pellets from a nickel oxide ore and reducing and heating the pellets. In the pellet production step S1, a mixture is obtained by mixing raw materials that contain at least a nickel oxide ore and a carbonaceous reducing agent. In the reduction step S2, a furnace floor carbonaceous reducing agent is laid on the floor of the smelting furnace in advance when placing the obtained pellets in the smelting furnace and the pellets are placed on the furnace floor carbonaceous reducing agent and then reduced and heated.

A method is provided for recycling lithium-ion batteries containing plastics, electrolyte, carbon, metals, and lithium. The method includes: Lithium-ion batteries are ground to form ground battery material which is then pyrolyzed at a temperature between about 100° C. and 700° C. for a time sufficient to vaporize about 80 wt % to 100 wt % of electrolytes present in the ground battery material. The resulting material is further ground and screen classified to produce a screen oversize and a screen undersize. The screen oversize comprises metals and plastics, while the screen undersize comprises a black mass material. Lithium dissolution, triboelectric charging and electrostatic separation of the black mass material (not necessarily in that order) produces a liquid comprising dissolved lithium, a graphite product, and a concentrated metal fines product. Lithium is precipitated from the liquid comprising dissolved lithium, and the concentrated metal fines can be further treated by hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy processes.

A method is provided for recycling lithium-ion batteries containing plastics, electrolyte, carbon, metals, and lithium. The method includes: Lithium-ion batteries are ground to form ground battery material which is then pyrolyzed at a temperature between about 100° C. and 700° C. for a time sufficient to vaporize about 80 wt % to 100 wt % of electrolytes present in the ground battery material. The resulting material is further ground and screen classified to produce a screen oversize and a screen undersize. The screen oversize comprises metals and plastics, while the screen undersize comprises a black mass material. Lithium dissolution, triboelectric charging and electrostatic separation of the black mass material (not necessarily in that order) produces a liquid comprising dissolved lithium, a graphite product, and a concentrated metal fines product. Lithium is precipitated from the liquid comprising dissolved lithium, and the concentrated metal fines can be further treated by hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy processes.

The present invention concerns the use of a magnesium-including compound as binder for producing metallic ore fluxed pellets, in particular iron ore fluxed pellets, said magnesium-including compound comprising semi-hydrated dolime fitting the general formula aCa(OH).sub.2.Math.bMg(OH).sub.2.Math.cMgO, a, b, and c being weight fractions wherein the weight fraction b of Mg(OH).sub.2 is between 0.5 and 19.5 % by weight with respect to the total weight of said semi-hydrated dolime.

A method is provided for leaching the metals while granulating molten matte, comprising the steps of feeding a molten matte as a falling stream into a granulation chamber, spraying a liquid jet on the stream of molten matte to atomize the matte, and cooling the matte particles thus formed. The liquid jet comprises an acid solution containing water and sulfuric acid so that the acid solution starts leaching metals from the molten matte when the liquid jet contacts the molten matte. Part of product solution from granulation can be circulated to liquid jets to increase the metal content in the solution and to reduce its acid con-tent.

A method is provided for leaching the metals while granulating molten matte, comprising the steps of feeding a molten matte as a falling stream into a granulation chamber, spraying a liquid jet on the stream of molten matte to atomize the matte, and cooling the matte particles thus formed. The liquid jet comprises an acid solution containing water and sulfuric acid so that the acid solution starts leaching metals from the molten matte when the liquid jet contacts the molten matte. Part of product solution from granulation can be circulated to liquid jets to increase the metal content in the solution and to reduce its acid con-tent.

A method for preparing a high-purity metal lithium by a vacuum thermal reduction method includes the following steps: obtaining Li.sub.2O.(2-x)CaO by carrying a vacuum thermal decomposition process on a lithium-containing raw material in the presence of a refractory agent and a catalyst; mixing the obtained oxide with the fluxing agent, the catalyst and a reducing agent according to a certain ratio, and then briquetting; carrying out vacuum thermal reduction in a vacuum reduction furnace, and performing centrifugal sedimentation and micron ceramic dust removal on lithium vapor obtained by the thermal reduction to obtain a high-purity metal gas; and removing metal impurities from the gas by controlling a condensation temperature and a condensation speed of the gas so as to purify the lithium vapor, and obtaining a high-purity metal lithium with a rapid cooling technology.