A method of preparing metal hydroxides from industrial wastes or alkaline rocks is provided. The method comprise subjecting a mixture comprising a solvent and a solid substrate to a stimulus in order to leach a metal cation from the solid substrate into the solvent, thereby forming a solution comprising the metal cation in the solvent; and contacting the solution of comprising the metal cation with a cathode, thereby electrolytically precipitating the metal hydroxide from the solution. The stimulus may be chemical, mechanical, or both.

A process for nickel concentration and extraction from non-sulfidic iron-bearing nickeliferous resources is disclosed. The process includes an atmospheric acid-based leaching treatment of the non-sulfidic iron-bearing nickeliferous resources by oxalic acid to produce a nickel concentrate comprising distinct nickel oxalate particles. The nickel concentrate is technically amenable to further chemical and physical processing to obtain various high-grade nickel products.

A process for nickel concentration and extraction from non-sulfidic iron-bearing nickeliferous resources is disclosed. The process includes an atmospheric acid-based leaching treatment of the non-sulfidic iron-bearing nickeliferous resources by oxalic acid to produce a nickel concentrate comprising distinct nickel oxalate particles. The nickel concentrate is technically amenable to further chemical and physical processing to obtain various high-grade nickel products.

The present disclosure concerns an aluminosilicate having a Blaine fineness of about 500 m.sup.2/kg to about 3000 m.sup.2/kg and/or a specific surface area of about 4 m.sup.2/g to about 20 m.sup.2/g, as well as the uses thereof. The present disclosure also comprises a dry cementing composition and a mortar or concrete composition, the compositions comprising said aluminosilicate. The present disclosure also comprises a process for the manufacture of aluminosilicate. The process comprises: roasting a spodumene concentrate in an acid medium; leaching the acidic roast spodumene concentrate so as to obtain a mixture comprising a solid comprising the aluminosilicate and a leachate; and separating the aluminosilicate from the leachate in an acid medium, wherein said aluminosilicate contains a calcium concentration of less than about 5%.

Lithium recycling from expended Li-Ion batteries occurs thought selective recovery of lithium charge materials from a recycling stream including transition metals used for the charge material. Li recovery includes dissolving the lithium based charge material in an organic acid having a resistance or lack of affinity to dissolution of transition metals, and distilling a leach solution formed from the dissolved charge material for generating a powder including lithium and trace impurities of the transition metals. Sintering of the generated powder forms lithium carbonate and carbonates of the trace impurities that eluded the selective leach, however, since the trace impurities are insoluble in water, the lithium carbonate is recoverable by water washing.

Lithium recycling from expended Li-Ion batteries occurs thought selective recovery of lithium charge materials from a recycling stream including transition metals used for the charge material. Li recovery includes dissolving the lithium based charge material in an organic acid having a resistance or lack of affinity to dissolution of transition metals, and distilling a leach solution formed from the dissolved charge material for generating a powder including lithium and trace impurities of the transition metals. Sintering of the generated powder forms lithium carbonate and carbonates of the trace impurities that eluded the selective leach, however, since the trace impurities are insoluble in water, the lithium carbonate is recoverable by water washing.

Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

In a method for regenerating a lithium precursor, a cathode active material mixture that includes an active material powder including lithium composite oxide particles and dust particles is prepared. The dust particles are separated from the cathode active material mixture using a classifier to collect the active material powder. The active material powder is reduced to form a preliminary precursor mixture. A lithium precursor is recovered from the preliminary precursor mixture. The lithium precursor can be obtained with high purity and high yield.

In a method for regenerating a lithium precursor, a cathode active material mixture that includes an active material powder including lithium composite oxide particles and dust particles is prepared. The dust particles are separated from the cathode active material mixture using a classifier to collect the active material powder. The active material powder is reduced to form a preliminary precursor mixture. A lithium precursor is recovered from the preliminary precursor mixture. The lithium precursor can be obtained with high purity and high yield.

A system for processing a waste lithium-ion battery includes: a first aqueous solution generator that includes a first elution tank storing water, and that immerses an active material taken out from the waste lithium-ion battery in the water in the first elution tank and subjects the active material to carbon dioxide bubbling in the first elution tank to generate an aqueous solution of pH 5.5 to 8.5, in which lithium contained in the active material is eluted; a first solid-liquid separator that removes a solid component from the aqueous solution generated by the first aqueous solution generator; a first crystallizer that causes lithium carbonate to be deposited from the aqueous solution, from which the solid component has been removed by the first solid-liquid separator; and a second solid-liquid separator that performs solid-liquid separation on slurry containing the lithium carbonate deposited in the first crystallizer to take out the lithium carbonate.