A method for the acid dissolution of LiCoO.sub.2 contained in the cathode of lithium ion batteries, using acetic or tartaric acid as leaching agent, the method being characterized in that it comprises a first stage and a second stage, wherein said first stage comprises the step of separating the cathode components, while said second stage comprises the step of dissolving the pure LiCoO.sub.2 with at least one acid. The method allows achieving an economically viable complete recycling process with low environmental impact.

A valuable metal recovery method includes: recovering a battery slag from lithium ion battery waste; adding an acid to the battery slag; adding a sulfur compound the leachate; filtering the first processed product to obtain a first processed filtrate; adding a sulfur compound to the first processed filtrate; filtering the second processed product to obtain a second processed filtrate; adding calcium hydroxide to the second processed filtrate; filtering the third processed product to obtain a third processed filtrate; adding sodium carbonate to the third processed filtrate; filtering the processed product; heating the fourth processed filtrate; blowing carbon dioxide or adding a carbonate; and filtering the processed product, wherein a pH of the second processed product is higher than a pH of the first processed product, and a pH of the third processed product is higher than the pH of the second processed product.

The present invention relates to a method for treating lithium ion battery scrap containing Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Al, Cu and Fe, the method comprising carrying out a calcination step, a crushing step and a sieving step in this order, and after the steps, the method comprising: a leaching step of leaching the lithium ion battery scrap by adding it to an acidic solution to leave at least a part of Cu as a solid; a Fe/Al removal step comprising allowing a leached solution obtained in the leaching step to pass through a Fe removal process for separating and removing Fe by addition of an oxidizing agent and an Al removal process for separating and removing a part of Al by neutralization in any order; an Al/Mn extraction step of extracting and removing a residue of Al and Mn from a separated solution obtained in the Fe/Al removal step by solvent extraction; a Co recovery step of extracting and back-extracting Co from a first extracted solution obtained in the Al/Mn extraction step by solvent extraction and recovering the Co by electrolytic winning; a Ni recovery step of extracting and back-extracting, by solvent extraction, a part of Ni from a second extracted solution obtained by the solvent extraction in the Co recovery step and recovering the Ni by electrolytic winning; a Li concentration step of extracting and back-extracting, by solvent extraction, a residue of Ni and Li from a third extracted solution obtained by the solvent extraction in the Ni recovery step and repeating the operations of the extracting and the back-extracting to concentrate Li; and a Li recovery step of carbonating Li in a Li concentrated solution obtained in the Li concentration step to recover the Li as lithium carbonate.

Disclosed is a solvent extraction method for separation and recovery of nickel, cobalt, and manganese. More particularly, the solvent extraction method for recovery of nickel, cobalt, and manganese uses a starting material containing nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn) is used. In the method, manganese (Mn) is recovered through a first solvent extraction step, nickel (Ni) is recovered through a second solvent extraction step, and cobalt (Co) is recovered through a third solvent extraction step. The three kinds of valuable metals are separately separated and recovered.

A cone valve of the present invention enables to extend a lifespan more than a conventional cone valve even if it is used as a check valve when feeding slurry containing highly abrasive coarse particles. A cone valve (1) used as a check valve when feeding slurry, comprising at least a valve body (11), a valve seat (13), and a spring (14) incorporated to make the valve body (11) contact the valve seat (14), wherein an entire length of the spring (14) is at least shorter than a stroke length of the valve body (11).

A method of controlling iron in a hydrometallurgical process is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of: leaching (14, 114) a feed slurry (2, 102); forming a pregnant leach solution (12a, 12b; 112a, 112b); removing a first leach residue (18, 118) from the pregnant leach solution (12a, 12b); and sending a portion (12b, 112b) of the pregnant leach solution (12a, 12b) and/or raffinate (22, 122) produced therefrom, to an iron removal process (34, 134). According to some preferred embodiments, the iron removal process (34, 134) may comprise the steps of: sequentially processing the pregnant leach solution (12a, 12b) and/or raffinate (22, 122) produced therefrom in a first reactor (R.sub.1) a second reactor (R.sub.2), and a third reactor (R.sub.3); maintaining a pH level of the first reactor (R.sub.1) above 4, by virtue of the addition of a first base; maintaining a pH level of the second (R.sub.2) and/or third (R.sub.3) reactors above 8.5, by virtue of a second base; and forming solids (46) comprising magnetite (68). The method may further comprise the steps of performing a solid liquid separation step (36) after the iron removal process (34, 134); and performing a magnetic separation step (64) to remove magnetite (68) from said solids comprising magnetite (68), without limitation. A system for performing the method is also disclosed.

A method for extracting metals from the black mass of lithium-ion batteries, the black mass containing the anode and cathode materials of the batteries as well as some copper, and the cathode material comprising lithium and nickel. The method of extracting metals carried out by an arrangement that is suitable for use in the method.

Disclosed in the present invention is a method for extracting valuable metal from low-matte nickel converter slag. The method comprises: mixing low-matte nickel converter slag and quicklime then calcinating, obtaining a calcinated material; grinding and magnetically separating the calcinated material, obtaining silicate and iron-rich slag; adding a strong alkali solution to the iron-rich slag to perform leaching processing, and performing solid-liquid separation, obtaining a filtrate and a residue; mixing the residue with an acid solution, performing oxygen pressure acid leaching, and performing solid-liquid separation, obtaining a leachate and iron oxide; introducing hydrogen sulfide gas into the leachate, adjusting the pH, and performing solid-liquid separation, obtaining a copper sulfide precipitate and a nickel-cobalt-containing filtrate. In the present invention, first, removing silicon dioxide is removed by means of calcination to prepare silicate, then iron oxide is prepared by means of acid leaching, and finally metal separation is performed on the leachate, causing various components of the converter slag to be effectively utilized. The process flow of the present invention is short and effectively utilizes each component of the low-matte nickel converter slag, waste is turned into valuable material, and the loss of valuable metal elements is reduced.

A method of extracting a plurality of battery materials from lithium batteries. The one or more battery materials recovered are selected from magnetic steel, copper, plastic, Aluminium, and dry mixed electrode powder.

Systems and methods for sequestering carbon, evolving hydrogen gas, producing iron oxide as magnetite, and producing magnesium carbonate as magnesite through sequential carbonation and serpentinization/hydration reactions involving processed olivine- and/or pyroxene-rich ores, as typically found in mafic and ultramafic igneous rock. Precious or scarce metals, such nickel, cobalt, chromium, rare earth elements, and others, may be concentrated in the remaining ore to facilitate their recovery from any gangue material.