Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.

Apparatuses and methods for extracting desired chemical species including, without limitation, lithium, specific lithium species, and/or other chemical compounds from input flows in a modular unit. The input flows may be raw materials in which lithium metal and/or lithium species are dissolved and/or extracted. The apparatuses and methods may include daisy chain flow through separate tanks, a column array, and combinations thereof.

Apparatuses and methods for extracting desired chemical species including, without limitation, lithium, specific lithium species, and/or other chemical compounds from input flows in a modular unit. The input flows may be raw materials in which lithium metal and/or lithium species are dissolved and/or extracted. The apparatuses and methods may include daisy chain flow through separate tanks, a column array, and combinations thereof.

A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

Provided are a method of extracting lithium, which includes adding a phosphorus source material to a first solution containing a lithium cation (Li.sup.+) and an alkaline earth metal cation to produce a precipitate containing lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and phosphorus, wherein the total concentration of the alkaline earth metal cations in the first solution is 100,000 mg/L or more, a method of preparing lithium carbonate using the same, and a method of preparing lithium hydroxide using the same.

Provided are a method of extracting lithium, which includes adding a phosphorus source material to a first solution containing a lithium cation (Li.sup.+) and an alkaline earth metal cation to produce a precipitate containing lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and phosphorus, wherein the total concentration of the alkaline earth metal cations in the first solution is 100,000 mg/L or more, a method of preparing lithium carbonate using the same, and a method of preparing lithium hydroxide using the same.

The present disclosure discloses a wet process for recovering valuable metals from a lithium battery. In the method, a waste lithium battery powder is subjected to selective leaching under the condition that a hydrogen sulfide gas is introduced through pressurization, such that Mn.sup.2+, Li.sup.+, and Al.sup.3+ metal ions enter a first-stage leaching liquor and nickel, cobalt, copper, and iron exist in a first-stage leaching residue in the form of a sulfide; then a pH of the first-stage leaching liquor is adjusted to remove aluminum and manganese, which achieves extremely thorough metal separation and leads to relatively pure products; a first-stage leaching residue is subjected to leaching in an acid liquor under a negative pressure, such that the sulfides of nickel, cobalt, iron, and copper are dissolved in a second-stage leaching liquor, and a hydrogen sulfide gas produced can be recycled in the first-stage leaching procedure through pressurization.

The present disclosure discloses a wet process for recovering valuable metals from a lithium battery. In the method, a waste lithium battery powder is subjected to selective leaching under the condition that a hydrogen sulfide gas is introduced through pressurization, such that Mn.sup.2+, Li.sup.+, and Al.sup.3+ metal ions enter a first-stage leaching liquor and nickel, cobalt, copper, and iron exist in a first-stage leaching residue in the form of a sulfide; then a pH of the first-stage leaching liquor is adjusted to remove aluminum and manganese, which achieves extremely thorough metal separation and leads to relatively pure products; a first-stage leaching residue is subjected to leaching in an acid liquor under a negative pressure, such that the sulfides of nickel, cobalt, iron, and copper are dissolved in a second-stage leaching liquor, and a hydrogen sulfide gas produced can be recycled in the first-stage leaching procedure through pressurization.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of lithium battery recycling, and discloses a method for separating and recovering valuable metals from waste ternary lithium batteries. The method includes the following steps: adding a persulfate to a waste ternary lithium battery powder, and conducting oxidative acid leaching to obtain a leaching liquor and a leaching residue; adding an alkali to the leaching liquor to allow a precipitation reaction; adding a sulfide salt to allow a reaction; adjusting a pH to allow a precipitation reaction to obtain a nickel hydroxide precipitate and a liquid phase A; adding a carbonate to the liquid phase A to allow a reaction, and conducting solid-liquid separation (SLS) to obtain lithium carbonate; and subjecting the leaching residue to calcination, adding a chlorate, heating a resulting mixture, and conducting SLS to obtain manganese dioxide.