Provided is a method for treating an alloy by which nickel and/or cobalt can be selectively isolated from an alloy that contains copper as well as nickel and/or cobalt, in a waste lithium ion battery. The present invention is a method for treating an alloy, by which a solution that contains nickel and/or cobalt is obtained from an alloy that contains copper as well as nickel and/or cobalt, the method including: a leaching step in which a leachate is obtained by subjecting an alloy to an acid-based leaching treatment under conditions in which a sulfurizing agent is also present; a reduction step in which a reduced solution is obtained by subjecting the leachate to a reduction treatment using a reducing agent; and an oxidation/neutralization step in which a solution that contains nickel and/or cobalt is obtained by adding an oxidizing agent and also a neutralizing agent to the reduced solution.

Provided is a method for treating an alloy by which nickel and/or cobalt can be selectively isolated from an alloy that contains copper as well as nickel and/or cobalt, in a waste lithium ion battery. The present invention is a method for treating an alloy, by which a solution that contains nickel and/or cobalt is obtained from an alloy that contains copper as well as nickel and/or cobalt, the method including: a leaching step in which a leachate is obtained by subjecting an alloy to an acid-based leaching treatment under conditions in which a sulfurizing agent is also present; a reduction step in which a reduced solution is obtained by subjecting the leachate to a reduction treatment using a reducing agent; and an oxidation/neutralization step in which a solution that contains nickel and/or cobalt is obtained by adding an oxidizing agent and also a neutralizing agent to the reduced solution.

Provided is a method for inhibiting extractant degradation in the DSX process through the metal extraction control, the method comprising steps of: (a) adding limestone to a copper solvent extraction-raffinate to precipitate iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) as a slurry, recovering a clarifying liquid; and (b) adding sulfuric acid to the recovered clarifying liquid to adjust the pH thereof.

Provided is a method for inhibiting extractant degradation in the DSX process through the metal extraction control, the method comprising steps of: (a) adding limestone to a copper solvent extraction-raffinate to precipitate iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) as a slurry, recovering a clarifying liquid; and (b) adding sulfuric acid to the recovered clarifying liquid to adjust the pH thereof.

Provided is a method for inhibiting extractant degradation in the DSX process through the manganese extraction control, the method comprising: (a) stirring DSX solvent and DSX feed solution, which is a solution containing a valuable metal from which iron has been removed in an agitator, in which soda ash (Na.sub.2CO.sub.3) is further added to maintain a constant pH; and (b) scrubbing the manganese from the DSX solvent, extracted in step (a).

Provided is a method for inhibiting extractant degradation in the DSX process through the manganese extraction control, the method comprising: (a) stirring DSX solvent and DSX feed solution, which is a solution containing a valuable metal from which iron has been removed in an agitator, in which soda ash (Na.sub.2CO.sub.3) is further added to maintain a constant pH; and (b) scrubbing the manganese from the DSX solvent, extracted in step (a).

Provided is a method of inhibiting degradation of an extractant by an anhydrous environment avoiding and metal stripping, the method including the steps of: (a) stopping the addition of soda ash (Na.sub.2CO.sub.3) to an extracting reaction tank; (b) starting solution recirculation and stopping solvent recirculation of a settler; (c) supplying a solvent from a loaded organic tank to a scrubbing reaction tank, in which the scrubbing reaction tank, stripping reaction tank and extracting reaction tank are connected for circulation and operating stirrers of the scrubbing reaction tank, stripping reaction tank and extracting reaction tank; (d) supplying a sulfuric acid solution having a controlled concentration with a diluting solution to the stripping reaction tank; (e) transferring the solvents of the settler, the loaded organic tank and all the pipes to the scrubbing reaction tank; and (f) stopping the step (e) and initiating solvent recirculation.

Disclosed herein is a method for reducing a metal oxide in a metal containing precursor. The method comprises providing a reaction mixture comprising the metal oxide containing precursorand an aluminium reductant; heating the reaction mixture in the presence of solid or gaseous aluminium chloride to temperature at which reactionsthatresultin the metal oxide being reduced are initiated; controlling reaction conditions whereby the reaction mixture is prevented from reaching a temperature at which thermal runaway can occur; and isolating reaction products that include reduced metal oxide.

Disclosed herein is a method for reducing a metal oxide in a metal containing precursor. The method comprises providing a reaction mixture comprising the metal oxide containing precursorand an aluminium reductant; heating the reaction mixture in the presence of solid or gaseous aluminium chloride to temperature at which reactionsthatresultin the metal oxide being reduced are initiated; controlling reaction conditions whereby the reaction mixture is prevented from reaching a temperature at which thermal runaway can occur; and isolating reaction products that include reduced metal oxide.

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for improved recovery of metal from hot and cold dross, wherein a dross-treating furnace is provided with a filling material with capacity to store heat. This filling material is preheated to a desired temperature by injection of an oxidizing gas to burn non-recoverable metal remaining in the filling material after tapping of the recoverable metal contained in the dross and discharging of the treatment residue. When dross is treated in such furnace, the heat emanating by conduction from the filling material is sufficient to melt and separate the recoverable metal contained in the dross, without addition of an external heat source, such as fuel or gas burners, plasma torches or electric arcs and without use of any salt fluxes. Furthermore, the recovered metal being in the molten state can be fed to the molten metal holding furnace without cooling the melt.