The present invention describes a method for purification of .sup.225Ac from irradiated .sup.226Ra-targets provided on a support, comprising a leaching treatment of the .sup.226Ra-targets for leaching essentially the entirety of .sup.225Ac and .sup.226Ra with nitric or hydrochloric acid, followed by a first extraction chromatography for separating .sup.225Ac from .sup.226Ra and other Ra-isotops and a second extraction chromatography for separating .sup.225Ac from .sup.210Po and .sup.210Pb. The finally purified .sup.225Ac can be used to prepare compositions useful for pharmaceutical purposes.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods by which lead from spent lead-acid batteries may be extracted, purified, and used in the construction of new lead-acid batteries. A method includes forming a first mixture in a first vessel, wherein the first mixture includes a lead-bearing material and a carboxylate source, which react to precipitate lead salt particles. The method includes separating a portion of the first mixture from a remainder of the first mixture, wherein the portion includes lead salt particles having specific densities below a specific density threshold value and/or having particle sizes below a particle size threshold value. The method includes forming a second mixture in a second vessel, wherein the second mixture includes the lead salt particles from the separated portion of the first mixture. The method further includes separating the lead salt particles of the second mixture from a liquid component of the second mixture.

A method for comminuting spent, catalyst-coated PEM membranes from PEM fuel cells and/or PEM electrolysis cells by means of a cutting mill.

A method for regeneration of spent cathode material of lithium-ion batteries involves lithiating the cathode material in a relithiation solution including a reducing agent at a temperature in the range of 60 C. to 180 C. for a sufficient time to heal composition defects in the cathode material. The lithiated material is then sintered to completely recover the properties. The relithiation solution may be a Li-ion source combined with nature-based organic reducing agent such as citric acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, or similar.

The present disclosure relates to methods by which lead from spent lead-acid batteries may be extracted, purified, and used in the construction of new lead-acid batteries. A method includes: (A) forming a mixture including a carboxylate source and a lead-bearing material; (B) generating a first lead salt precipitate in the mixture as the carboxylate source reacts with the lead-bearing material; (C) increasing the pH of the mixture to dissolve the first lead salt precipitate; (D) isolating a liquid component of the mixture from one or more insoluble components of the mixture; (E) decreasing the pH of the liquid component of the mixture to generate a second lead salt precipitate; and (F) isolating the second lead salt precipitate from the liquid component of the mixture. Thereafter, the isolated lead salt precipitate may be converted to leady oxide for use in the manufacture of new lead-acid batteries.

There is a process for the selective recovery of transition metals from an organic stream containing transition metals. The organic stream and possibly a first extractor if solid, are melted up to the liquid state. The extractor consists of an ionic liquid or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids and the ionic liquid contains an ammonium salt as cation and as anion an anion with chelating properties. A melted organic stream and a first extractor, optionally melted, are fed to a first liquid-liquid extraction unit working at a temperature of at least 150 C. where the liquid-liquid extraction is carried out obtaining a liquid mixture containing an ionic liquid, or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids, and metals. After extraction, the liquid mixture is cooled at a temperature between 0 C. and 70 C. and becomes biphasic; then the cooled mixture is sent to a first separation unit, to separate a liquid phase that contains ionic liquids and metals, and a metal-depleted solid phase. After the first separation, the separated metal-depleted solid phase is optionally sent to a washing unit to which a solvent is fed, so as to eliminate the residual ionic liquid by transferring it into the solvent and obtaining a metal-depleted solid phase. Then the separate liquid phase containing ionic liquids and metals is sent into a liquid-liquid precipitation and separation unit, adding a counter-solvent, thereby obtaining a solid phase containing the metals and a liquid stream containing counter-solvent and ionic liquids.

The invention includes a method for treating a spent catalyst containing at least one refractory mineral oxide, one or more metals in the form of sulfide(s) chosen from the following metals: molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, vanadium, and carbon compounds, the method comprising: a) in a smelting furnace preparing a melt of cast iron with a layer of slag; b) introducing into the furnace said spent catalyst and placing it in contact with the slag and the melt of cast iron, while maintaining the furnace in rotation and while injecting an oxidizing gas containing oxygen, above the mixture, to cause the combustion of the carbon and/or sulfur compounds; c) extracting from the furnace by sequential castings the slag formed in step b) to recover a cast iron melt enriched with metal or metals, and recover a slag containing the components of the catalyst other than metals, with the exception of vanadium.

A method for disposing of a mixture of oxidizable catalyst material and inert support media. The method comprises introducing inert gas into an enclosure. The enclosure contains a plurality of stacked screens, the stacked screens have openings that decrease in size from a top of the stack to a bottom of the stack. The method also comprises introducing the mixture to an uppermost one of the plurality of stacked screens; moving the plurality of stacked screens to cause the oxidizable catalyst material to separate from and migrate to a location beneath the inert support media; conveying the separated inert support media to a location outside the enclosure for disposal as non-hazardous waste; and conveying the separated oxidizable catalyst material to a location outside the enclosure for at least one of reclamation, or thermal destruction.

A method for recovering a precious metal from a precious metal-containing waste catalyst includes the following steps: i) at least partially dissolving a precious metal-containing waste catalyst in an alkaline aqueous solution; ii) performing filtering to obtain a precious metal-containing filtrate and a precious metal; iii) treating the filtrate with a reducing agent; and iv) separating the precious metal from the filtrate after treatment, wherein step iii) is performed under a pressure of 8-12 bar at a temperature of 190-210 C. for 2-4 h. The method provided in the present invention has a simple process and a high recovery rate. The filtrate obtained from separation comprises a precious metal of 1 ppm or less by weight.

Provided is a platinum-group metal recovery method for efficiently recovering a platinum-group metal. The method for recovering a platinum-group metal includes an immobilization step of causing a molten product of a raw material containing a platinum-group metal, a molten product of a carbonate or hydroxide of an alkali metal, a molten product of an oxide, and a ceramic material to make contact with each other so as to immobilize the platinum-group metal on the ceramic material.