It is provided a process for recycling lithium ion batteries comprising shredding the lithium-ion batteries and immersing residues in an organic solvent; feeding the shredded batteries residues in a dryer producing a gaseous organic phase and dried batteries residues; feeding the dried batteries residues to a magnetic separator removing magnetic particles; grinding the non-magnetic batteries residues; mixing the fine particles and an acid producing a metal oxides slurry and leaching said metal oxides slurry; filtering the leachate removing the non-leachable metals; feeding the leachate into a sulfide precipitation tank; neutralizing the leachate; mixing the leachate with an organic extraction solvent; separating cobalt and manganese from the leachate using solvent extraction and electrolysis; crystallizing sodium sulfate from the aqueous phase; adding sodium carbonate to the liquor and heating up the sodium carbonate and the liquor producing a precipitate of lithium carbonate; and drying and recuperating the lithium carbonate.

It is provided a process for recycling lithium ion batteries comprising shredding the lithium-ion batteries and immersing residues in an organic solvent; feeding the shredded batteries residues in a dryer producing a gaseous organic phase and dried batteries residues; feeding the dried batteries residues to a magnetic separator removing magnetic particles; grinding the non-magnetic batteries residues; mixing the fine particles and an acid producing a metal oxides slurry and leaching said metal oxides slurry; filtering the leachate removing the non-leachable metals; feeding the leachate into a sulfide precipitation tank; neutralizing the leachate; mixing the leachate with an organic extraction solvent; separating cobalt and manganese from the leachate using solvent extraction and electrolysis; crystallizing sodium sulfate from the aqueous phase; adding sodium carbonate to the liquor and heating up the sodium carbonate and the liquor producing a precipitate of lithium carbonate; and drying and recuperating the lithium carbonate.

A method for extracting a rare earth metal from a mixture of one or more rare earth metals, said method comprising contacting an acidic solution of the rare earth metal with a composition which comprises an ionic liquid to form an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase into which the rare earth metal has been selectively extracted.

A method for extracting a rare earth metal from a mixture of one or more rare earth metals, said method comprising contacting an acidic solution of the rare earth metal with a composition which comprises an ionic liquid to form an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase into which the rare earth metal has been selectively extracted.

The present disclosure relates to a metal recovery process comprising a solvent extraction process. In an exemplary embodiment, the solution extraction system comprises a plant with a first and second circuit. A high-grade pregnant leach solution (“HGPLS”) is provided to the first and second circuit, and a low-grade pregnant leach solution (“LGPLS”) is provided to the second circuit. The first circuit produces a rich electrolyte, which can be forwarded to a primary metal recovery, and a low-grade raffinate, which can be forwarded to a secondary metal recovery process. The second circuit produces a rich electrolyte, which can also be forwarded to the primary metal recovery process. The first and second circuits are in fluid communication with each other.

The present disclosure relates to a metal recovery process comprising a solvent extraction process. In an exemplary embodiment, the solution extraction system comprises a plant with a first and second circuit. A high-grade pregnant leach solution (“HGPLS”) is provided to the first and second circuit, and a low-grade pregnant leach solution (“LGPLS”) is provided to the second circuit. The first circuit produces a rich electrolyte, which can be forwarded to a primary metal recovery, and a low-grade raffinate, which can be forwarded to a secondary metal recovery process. The second circuit produces a rich electrolyte, which can also be forwarded to the primary metal recovery process. The first and second circuits are in fluid communication with each other.

An integrated pressure leaching, heap leaching process for recovering copper from sulphidic feed containing iron, arsenic, and copper. Aqueous feed slurry of the sulphidic feed is pressure oxidized to form a liquid phase containing free sulphuric acid and aqueous copper sulphate, and to precipitate arsenic as solid iron arsenic compounds. Treated slurry is withdrawn from the pressure vessel and the liquid phase is separated from the solids. Copper is recovered from the separated liquid phase and generates a solution enriched in acid and depleted in copper. At least a portion of this solution is neutralized in a copper heap leach to produce a PLS containing copper and reduced in acid. At least a portion of the heap leach PLS is neutralized to produce a solution further reduced in acid, and solids containing copper precipitates, followed by a liquid solid separation.

The present invention refers to an improved process for recovering zinc from primary and secondary raw materials, said process comprising a first leaching step wherein the ratio between the zinc weight contained in the raw material and the volume of the leaching solution is at least 20 kg zinc per m.sup.3 of acid aqueous solution; a neutralization step; and a solvent extraction stage in the presence of organic extractant, wherein the temperature is maintained from 47 to 52° C.

The invention relates to a method for recovering precious metals from electronic waste utilising biometallurgical techniques. In one aspect, a method of recovering one or more target metals from electronic waste, includes (a) removing at least a portion of non-target material from the electronic waste or grinding to a preselected size particle to give pre-processed electronic waste; (b) contacting the pre-processed electronic waste with a lixiviant such that at least a portion of the target metal(s) dissolve into the lixiviant to produce a pregnant solution; (c) contacting a microorganism with the pregnant solution such that at least a portion of the target metal(s) ions biosorb to the microorganism wherein the microorganism becomes metal laden and the pregnant solution becomes barren; (d) substantially separating the metal laden microorganism from the barren solution; and (e) recovery of the target metal(s) from the metal laden microorganism.

The use of carbamides as extractants for fully or partially separating uranium(VI) from plutonium(IV) in an aqueous solution obtained by dissolving a spent nuclear fuel in nitric acid, by method of liquid-liquid extraction, without carrying out any reduction of the plutonium(IV) to plutonium(III). The invention also relates to new carbamides. Uses are the processing of spent nuclear fuels based on uranium (especially uranium oxides—UOX) or uranium and plutonium (especially mixed uranium and plutonium oxides—MOX).