Provided is a method for separating copper from nickel and cobalt, which is capable of efficiently and selectively separating copper, and nickel and cobalt from an alloy containing copper, nickel and cobalt such as a highly anticorrosive alloy that is obtained by subjecting a waste lithium ion battery to a dry treatment and contains copper, nickel and cobalt. According to the present invention, an alloy containing copper, nickel and cobalt is brought into contact with an acid in the coexistence of a sulfurization agent, thereby obtaining a solid that contains copper and a leachate that contains nickel and cobalt.

Systems and methods for basic leaching are provided. In various embodiments, a method is provided comprising leaching a slurry comprising a copper bearing material and an ammonia leach medium, adding copper powder to the slurry, separating the slurry into a pregnant leach solution and solids, and performing a solvent extraction on the pregnant leach solution to produce an loaded aqueous stream.

Systems and methods for basic leaching are provided. In various embodiments, a method is provided comprising leaching a slurry comprising a copper bearing material and an ammonia leach medium, adding copper powder to the slurry, separating the slurry into a pregnant leach solution and solids, and performing a solvent extraction on the pregnant leach solution to produce a loaded aqueous stream.

Disclosed herein are methods for obtaining a composition including copper sulfide from a material, where the methods include: contacting the material with an acidic aqueous solution having a pH less than 6 in the presence of sulfur dioxide to form copper sulfide; where the material includes one or more copper compounds chosen from copper in a zero oxidation state, copper oxide, and copper hydroxide, and where the material includes an amount of zero oxidation state metals having a standard redox-potential less than zero volt versus a standard hydrogen electrode. Also disclosed are methods for recycling at least one battery material, and compositions including copper sulfide.

A method for monitoring copper-arsenic sulfidation separation in copper electrolyte purification process includes by PLC, timely acquiring changes in copper and arsenic concentrations in first-stage sulfidation monitoring module, determining a critical point where arsenic concentration slightly decreases, and interlocking gas inlet valve to close and liquid outlet valve to open, achieving high-copper precipitation with minor-arsenic precipitation; timely acquiring changes in copper and arsenic concentrations in second-stage sulfidation monitoring module, determining a critical point where copper concentration decreases to near zero, and interlocking gas inlet valve to close and liquid outlet valve to open, achieving complete-copper precipitation with minimal-arsenic precipitation; and timely acquiring changes in copper and arsenic concentrations in third-stage sulfidation monitoring module, determining a critical point where arsenic concentration decreases to a limit value, and interlocking gas inlet valve to close and liquid outlet valve to open, achieving stable arsenic concentration.