Provided are processes for extracting nickel and lithium from a Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution. The process for extracting nickel and lithium includes providing a Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution comprising an amount of lithium and an amount of nickel, treating the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution with an alkaline agent to adjust the pH of the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution to between about 1.0 to about 10.0, and treating the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution with a nickel selective extractant, the nickel selective extractant suitable to extract nickel from the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution at said pH to thereby produce a Li.sup.+ solution with less than 1000 parts per million Ni.sup.2+. Once complete, the process provides for recoverable nickel and/or lithium that may be recycled into batteries or sold for other uses.

Provided are processes for extracting nickel and lithium from a Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution. The process for extracting nickel and lithium includes providing a Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution comprising an amount of lithium and an amount of nickel, treating the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution with an alkaline agent to adjust the pH of the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution to between about 1.0 to about 10.0, and treating the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution with a nickel selective extractant, the nickel selective extractant suitable to extract nickel from the Ni.sup.2+/Li.sup.+ solution at said pH to thereby produce a Li.sup.+ solution with less than 1000 parts per million Ni.sup.2+. Once complete, the process provides for recoverable nickel and/or lithium that may be recycled into batteries or sold for other uses.

A method for the recovery of metals from a feed stream (1) containing one or more value metals, the method comprising: (i) passing the feed stream (1) to an alkaline leach (20) to form a slurry (5) including a pregnant leach liquor of soluble metal salts and a solid residue; (ii) separating the pregnant leach liquor (8) and the solid residue (7) of step (i); (iii) passing the separated pregnant leach liquor (8) of step (ii) to a solvent extraction step (42), wherein a loaded extractant (9) containing copper and nickel, and a raffinate (19) containing cobalt and lithium, are produced; (iv) recovering cobalt (24) from the raffinate (19) of step (iii); and (v) recovering lithium (38), ammonia (28) and ammonium chloride (39) from the cobalt depleted liquor (21) of step (iv).

The present disclosure relates to hydrometallurgical technologies wherein liquid-liquid extraction, also called solvent extraction, is used to separate and concentrate metal ions. Exemplary embodiments relate to solvent extraction of copper and a diluent useful in copper solvent extraction. A bio-based composition can fulfil physico-chemical properties that are desired for solvent extraction. Moreover, a composition is disclosed, which in addition to providing more environmental friendly alternative, can also improve the solvent extraction process of copper.

A method for processing lithium ion battery scrap includes a leaching step of leaching lithium ion battery scrap and subjecting the resulting leached solution to solid-liquid separation to obtain a first separated solution; an iron removal step of adding an oxidizing agent to the first separated solution and adjusting a pH of the first separated solution in a range of from 3.0 to 4.0, then performing solid-liquid separation and removing iron in the first separated solution to obtain a second separated solution; and an aluminum removal step of neutralizing the second separated solution to a pH range of from 4.0 to 6.0, then performing solid-liquid separation and removing aluminum in the second separated solution to obtain a third separated solution.

A method for processing lithium ion battery scrap according to this invention includes a leaching step of leaching lithium ion battery scrap to obtain a leached solution; an aluminum removal step of neutralizing the leached solution to a pH range of from 4.0 to 6.0, then performing solid-liquid separation and removing aluminum in the leached solution to obtain a first separated solution; and an iron removal step of adding an oxidizing agent to the first separated solution and adjusting the pH in a range of from 3.0 to 5.0, then performing solid-liquid separation and removing iron in the first separated solution to obtain a second separated solution.

The use of a synergistic mixture of extractants for extracting at least one rare earth element from an aqueous medium comprising phosphoric acid. The mixture comprises: a first extractant of formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which are identical or different, represent a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group, comprising from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group optionally substituted by a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group, comprising from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; anda second extractant of formula (II): ##STR00002##
in which R.sub.3 represents a linear or branched alkyl group, comprising from 6 to 12 carbon atoms. Use of the synergistic mixture in the treatment of phosphate minerals with a view to recovering the rare earth elements contained in the minerals.

Methods and systems for removing polar compounds from a metal-containing solution. According to various example aspects, methods and systems for removing hydrolysis byproducts and other polar compounds from a metal-loaded organic solution of a solvent extraction process.

Methods and systems for removing polar compounds from a metal-containing solution. According to various example aspects, methods and systems for removing hydrolysis byproducts and other polar compounds from a metal-loaded organic solution of a solvent extraction process.

Provided are methods and related compositions for separating immiscible organic and aqueous compositions. The methods include dispersing a discrete, insoluble filler in the organic composition, dispersing the organic composition into the aqueous composition, separating under gravity the organic and aqueous compositions into respective upper and lower layers. Advantageously, the insoluble filler remains in the organic composition and facilitates segregation and coalescence of droplets of the organic composition in the aqueous composition.