The invention relates to hydrometallurgical method for recovering metals from spent energy storage devices. The method comprises combining aqueous hydrobromic acid leach solution and an electrode material of spent energy storage devices in a reaction vessel, dissolving the metals contained in the electrode material to form soluble metal bromide salts, removing elemental bromine, if formed, from the reaction vessel, separating insoluble material, if present, from the leach solution to obtain a metal-bearing solution and isolating one or more metals from said metal-bearing solution.

A process for selectively extracting cobalt from a composition comprising cobalt and one or more other metal elements, wherein the process comprises the following steps: a) a step of forming a precipitate consisting of a coordination complex comprising cobalt, by bringing the solution into contact with at least one aromatic compound comprising at least two nitrogen atoms in its ring; b) a step of recovering the precipitate.

A method for separating nickel and cobalt from a solution includes the steps of: obtaining a solution containing nickel and cobalt by acid leaching of a cathode material of a waste lithium-ion battery, adjusting the pH of the solution containing nickel and cobalt to 3.5 to 4.5, adding extractants for extraction to separate the nickel and the cobalt. The cobalt enters the organic phase, the nickel remains in the aqueous phase, and the extractants contain an acidic extractant and an alkaline extractant. The method for efficiently separating nickel and cobalt through extraction adopts a non-saponification extraction method without using NaOH as a saponifier, thereby avoiding the discharge of saponification wastewater. Under acidic conditions, the cobalt in an acidic leaching solution is effectively extracted and separated into the organic phase through synergistic action of the acidic extractant and the alkaline extractant, thereby realizing the separation of nickel from cobalt.

A process is divulged for recovering metals from a metal-bearing material containing, in oxidized form, more than 1% of Co, a total of Co and Ni of more than 15%, and more than 1% Mg. comprising smelting said metal-bearing material in a bath furnace together with slag formers, thereby producing an alloy phase with more than 80% of the Co, and less than 1% of the Mg, and a slag phase, by applying reducing smelting conditions, and by selecting CaO, SiO.sub.2, and A1203 as slag .sup.-formers, in amounts to obtain a final slag composition according to the ratio's 0.25 <SiO.sub.2/Al.sub.2O.sub.3<2.5, 0.5 <SiO.sub.2/CaO<2.5, and MgO>10%; and separating the alloy phase from the slag phase. This process ensures quantitative recovery of Co in an alloy phase along with other metals such as Ni, while collecting Mg into a slag.

A method for separating nickel and cobalt from a solution includes the steps of: obtaining a solution containing nickel and cobalt by acid leaching of a cathode material of a waste lithium-ion battery, adjusting the pH of the solution containing nickel and cobalt to 3.5 to 4.5, adding extractants for extraction to separate the nickel and the cobalt. The cobalt enters the organic phase, the nickel remains in the aqueous phase, and the extractants contain an acidic extractant and an alkaline extractant. The method for efficiently separating nickel and cobalt through extraction adopts a non-saponification extraction method without using NaOH as a saponifier, thereby avoiding the discharge of saponification wastewater. Under acidic conditions, the cobalt in an acidic leaching solution is effectively extracted and separated into the organic phase through synergistic action of the acidic extractant and the alkaline extractant, thereby realizing the separation of nickel from cobalt.

A method is disclosed for the recovery of cobalt, nickel and manganese from ores, concentrates, tailings, scrap alloys and spent batteries in an oxidic form, which is suitable for direct use in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, in particular. The process is unique in being able to recover cobalt, in particular, from concentrated solutions wherein the nickel to cobalt ratio is close to unity, rather than the more common 10:1 or 1:100. The process comprises selective oxidative precipitation of each metal under differing conditions of pH and ORP (oxidation-reduction potential). Sodium hypochlorite is the preferred precipitant, since it does not generate any acid, and is therefore self-buffering at the selected pH. A unique aspect of the process is to use Mn(VII) to effect the precipitation of Mn(ll).

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 solvent extraction method for separation and recovery of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and zinc is proposed. More particularly, the present method relates to a solvent extraction method for separation and recovery of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and zinc, the method being capable of separately recovering four kinds of valuable metals as respective monotype metals from a starting material containing nickel, cobalt, manganese, and zinc by involving: a first solvent extraction step in which the starting material is separated into a first aqueous phase solution containing nickel and cobalt and a second aqueous phase solution containing nickel, cobalt, manganese, and zinc; a second solvent extraction step in which nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) are separated and recovered; a third solvent extraction in which zinc (Zn) is recovered; and a fourth solvent extraction step in which manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co) are separated and recovered.

Disclosed is a process for extracting or separating metal ions using a composition including: an ionic liquid of formula C.sup.+,-X, in which: C.sup.+ is an onium cation including at least one hydrocarbon chain R.sup.1 including from 6 to 20 carbon atoms; X.sup.P is an anion of charge p, the ionic liquid having a solubility in water at 20 C. of at least 10 g/l; an acid; and water. The composition includes two liquid phases: a phase enriched in ionic liquid .sub.IL; and a phase enriched in water .sub.w, the pH of which is less than or equal to 4.7. The composition is useful for extracting a metal ion from an acidic aqueous medium including a metal ion, for separating metal ions from an aqueous medium including at least two metal ions or for purifying an acidic aqueous solution including a metal ion.

The present invention relates to the field of ore smelting technology, and particularly provides a method and system for comprehensive recovery and utilization of copper-nickel sulfide ore. Under normal pressure, the method can be used to directly leach copper-nickel sulfide ore concentrate or low-grade nickel matte obtained by matte smelting of copper-nickel sulfide ore. In the leaching process, the leaching rate of nickel, cobalt and iron is up to 99% or more, and copper is hardly leached, whereby the deep separation of copper from elements such as nickel and cobalt is directly realized, and the huge system for copper-nickel separation in the conventional process is omitted. Moreover, noble metals are not leached, and almost all of them remain in the leaching slag with copper, so the destiny is simple.