In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

A device and method for preparing high-purity titanium powder by continuous electrolysis are provided. The method includes: electrolyzing a titanium-containing conductive ceramic anode and a rotatable cathode in a fused salt electrolytic tank; continuously transferring titanium powder deposited on a surface of the cathode by the rotatable cathode to a position above the fused salt; scraping the titanium powder by a discharging scraper, and collecting; filtering the titanium powder, and recovering the fused salt; cooling separated titanium powder, washing with deoxygenated and deionized water, and vacuum-drying to obtain final titanium powder. The device includes a fused salt electrolysis mechanism, a continuous titanium powder collection mechanism, a filtering mechanism, a washing mechanism, and a vacuum-drying mechanism.

Disclosed are solutions for the recovery of elemental metals from dross at industrial scales without smelting including, for example, the recovery of near-pure lead from dross resulting from recycled LABs whether by smelting, electrolytic processing, or some other process. Further disclosed are new processes, innovative electrolyzer designs, and/or novel utilization of supplemental chemicals necessary for successful electrolysis of pure metal from impure forms (e.g., pure lead from lead monoxide) found in dross, and especially applicable for solid-state electrolysis of mixtures comprising lead dross paste, electrolyte, and supplemental chemicals. Solid-state electrolysis of mixtures comprising impure lead dross (e.g., dross paste) is made possible by electrolytic processing using supplemental chemicals, and made scalable to industrial levels via utilization of a horizontal cathode in the electrolyzer.

Disclosed are solutions for the recovery of elemental metals from dross at industrial scales without smelting including, for example, the recovery of near-pure lead from dross resulting from recycled LABs whether by smelting, electrolytic processing, or some other process. Further disclosed are new processes, innovative electrolyzer designs, and/or novel utilization of supplemental chemicals necessary for successful electrolysis of pure metal from impure forms (e.g., pure lead from lead monoxide) found in dross, and especially applicable for solid-state electrolysis of mixtures comprising lead dross paste, electrolyte, and supplemental chemicals. Solid-state electrolysis of mixtures comprising impure lead dross (e.g., dross paste) is made possible by electrolytic processing using supplemental chemicals, and made scalable to industrial levels via utilization of a horizontal cathode in the electrolyzer.

Methods and systems for dissolving an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method of processing and dissolving an iron-containing ore comprises: thermally reducing one or more non-magnetite iron oxide materials in the iron-containing ore to form magnetite in the presence of a reductant, thereby forming thermally-reduced ore; and dissolving at least a portion of the thermally-reduced ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution; wherein the acidic iron-salt solution comprises protons electrochemically generated in an electrochemical cell.

Methods and systems for dissolving an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method of processing and dissolving an iron-containing ore comprises: thermally reducing one or more non-magnetite iron oxide materials in the iron-containing ore to form magnetite in the presence of a reductant, thereby forming thermally-reduced ore; and dissolving at least a portion of the thermally-reduced ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution; wherein the acidic iron-salt solution comprises protons electrochemically generated in an electrochemical cell.

The presently disclosed concepts relate to ultra-efficient EV battery recycling systems. Alkali metal extraction (and in particular lithium extraction) is accomplished using a solid electrolyte membrane. By using a solid electrolyte embedded in a matrix, alkali metals, in particular lithium can be (energy-wise) efficiently separated from feed solutions. The energy used to initially extract lithium from a feed solution is stored as electrochemical energy, which electrochemical energy is reclaimed in subsequent extraction processing steps. This energy storage and energy reclamation is performed in continuous ultra-efficient ongoing cycles. Since irrecoverable energy losses incurred in each cycle are limited to negligible amounts of joule heating of the system components and feed solution, the system can be sustainably powered using locally-generated renewable energy.

The presently disclosed concepts relate to ultra-efficient EV battery recycling systems. Alkali metal extraction (and in particular lithium extraction) is accomplished using a solid electrolyte membrane. By using a solid electrolyte embedded in a matrix, alkali metals, in particular lithium can be (energy-wise) efficiently separated from feed solutions. The energy used to initially extract lithium from a feed solution is stored as electrochemical energy, which electrochemical energy is reclaimed in subsequent extraction processing steps. This energy storage and energy reclamation is performed in continuous ultra-efficient ongoing cycles. Since irrecoverable energy losses incurred in each cycle are limited to negligible amounts of joule heating of the system components and feed solution, the system can be sustainably powered using locally-generated renewable energy.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.