A 2-step high temperature process for recovering Ni, Co, and Mn from various sources comprises preparing a metallurgical charge comprising materials containing Ni, Co, and Mn, and Si, Al, Ca and Mg as slag formers; smelting the charge with slag formers in first reducing conditions, thereby obtaining a Ni—Co alloy comprising a major part of at least one of Co and Ni, with Si<0.1%, and a first slag comprising the major part of the Mn; separation of the first slag from the alloy; and, smelting the first slag in second reducing conditions, more reducing than said first reducing conditions, thereby obtaining a Si—Mn alloy comprising the major part of the Mn, with Si>10%, and a second slag. A Ni—Co alloy is produced, and a Si—Mn alloy is produced. The second slag is essentially free of heavy metals and therefore suitable for reuse.

Disclosed is a method for producing battery-grade nickel sulfate by using laterite nickel ore comprising the following steps: sorting the laterite nickel ore to obtain lump ore and sediment ore; crushing the lump ore, and then performing heap leaching, to obtain a crude nickel sulfate solution A; separating the sediment ore to obtain high chromium ore, low iron, high magnesium ore, and high iron, low magnesium ore, and drying, roasting, reducing, and sulfurating the low iron, high magnesium ore to obtain low nickel matte; blowing and performing water extraction on the low nickel matte, and then performing oxygen pressure leaching, to obtain a crude nickel sulfate solution B; performing pressure leaching on the high iron, low magnesium ore to obtain a crude nickel sulfate solution C; and performing extraction on the crude nickel sulfate solutions A, B, and C, and then evaporating and crystallizing, to obtain battery-grade nickel sulfate.

The present invention provides a method which is capable of more strictly controlling the oxygen partial pressure required during the melting of a starting material, thereby being capable of recovering a valuable metal more efficiently. A method for recovering valuable metals (Cu, Ni, Co), said method comprising the following steps: a step for preparing, as a starting material, a charge that contains at least phosphorus (P), manganese (Mn) and valuable metals; a step for heating and melting the starting material into a melt, and subsequently forming the melt into a molten material that contains an alloy and slag; and a step for recovering the alloy that contains valuable metals by separating the slag from the molten material. With respect to this method for recovering valuable metals, the oxygen partial pressure in the melt is directly measured with use of an oxygen analyzer when the starting material is heated and melted.

The present invention provides a method which is capable of more strictly controlling the oxygen partial pressure required during the melting of a starting material, thereby being capable of recovering a valuable metal more efficiently. A method for recovering valuable metals (Cu, Ni, Co), said method comprising the following steps: a step for preparing, as a starting material, a charge that contains at least phosphorus (P), manganese (Mn) and valuable metals; a step for heating and melting the starting material into a melt, and subsequently forming the melt into a molten material that contains an alloy and slag; and a step for recovering the alloy that contains valuable metals by separating the slag from the molten material. With respect to this method for recovering valuable metals, the oxygen partial pressure in the melt is directly measured with use of an oxygen analyzer when the starting material is heated and melted.

The present invention provides a method which is capable of more strictly controlling the oxygen partial pressure required during the melting of a starting material, thereby being capable of recovering a valuable metal more efficiently. A method for recovering valuable metals (Cu, Ni, Co), said method comprising the following steps: a step for preparing, as a starting material, a charge that contains at least phosphorus (P), iron (Fe) and valuable metals; a step for heating and melting the starting material into a melt, and subsequently forming the melt into a molten material that contains an alloy and slag; and a step for recovering the alloy that contains valuable metals by separating the slag from the molten material. With respect to this method for recovering valuable metals, the oxygen partial pressure in the melt is directly measured with use of an oxygen analyzer when the starting material is heated and melted.

The present invention provides a method which is capable of more strictly controlling the oxygen partial pressure required during the melting of a starting material, thereby being capable of recovering a valuable metal more efficiently. A method for recovering valuable metals (Cu, Ni, Co), said method comprising the following steps: a step for preparing, as a starting material, a charge that contains at least phosphorus (P), iron (Fe) and valuable metals; a step for heating and melting the starting material into a melt, and subsequently forming the melt into a molten material that contains an alloy and slag; and a step for recovering the alloy that contains valuable metals by separating the slag from the molten material. With respect to this method for recovering valuable metals, the oxygen partial pressure in the melt is directly measured with use of an oxygen analyzer when the starting material is heated and melted.

The present invention lies in the field of pyrometallurgy and discloses a process and a slag suitable for the recovery of Ni and Co from Li-ion batteries or their waste. The slag composition is defined according to:

10%<MnO<40%;

(CaO+1.5*Li.sub.2O)/Al.sub.2O.sub.3>0.3;

CaO+0.8*MnO+0.8*Li.sub.2O<60%;

(CaO+2*Li.sub.2O+0.4*MnO)/SiO.sub.2≥2.0;

Li.sub.2≥1%; and,

Al.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+CaO+Li.sub.2O+MnO+FeO+MgO>85%.

This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.

The present invention lies in the field of pyrometallurgy and discloses a process and a slag suitable for the recovery of Ni and Co from Li-ion batteries or their waste. The slag composition is defined according to:

10%<MnO<40%;

(CaO+1.5*Li.sub.2O)/Al.sub.2O.sub.3>0.3;

CaO+0.8*MnO+0.8*Li.sub.2O<60%;

(CaO+2*Li.sub.2O+0.4*MnO)/SiO.sub.2≥2.0;

Li.sub.2≥1%; and,

Al.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+CaO+Li.sub.2O+MnO+FeO+MgO>85%.

This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.

A process for the recovery of one or more transition metals and lithium from waste lithium ion batteries or parts thereof is disclosed. The process comprising the steps of (a) providing a particulate material containing a transition metal compound and/or transition metal, wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of Ni and Co, and wherein further at least a fraction of said Ni and/or Co, if present, are in an oxidation state lower than +2, e.g. in the metallic state; which particulate material further contains a lithium salt; (b) treating the material provided in step (a) with a polar solvent and optionally an alkaline earth hydroxide; (c) separating the solids from the liquid, optionally followed by a solid-solid separation step; and (d) treating the solids containing the transition metal in a smelting furnace to obtain a metal melt containing Ni and/or Co provides good separation of transition metal as alloy and of lithium in high purity.

A process for the recovery of one or more transition metals and lithium from waste lithium ion batteries or parts thereof is disclosed. The process comprising the steps of (a) providing a particulate material containing a transition metal compound and/or transition metal, wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of Ni and Co, and wherein further at least a fraction of said Ni and/or Co, if present, are in an oxidation state lower than +2, e.g. in the metallic state; which particulate material further contains a lithium salt; (b) treating the material provided in step (a) with a polar solvent and optionally an alkaline earth hydroxide; (c) separating the solids from the liquid, optionally followed by a solid-solid separation step; and (d) treating the solids containing the transition metal in a smelting furnace to obtain a metal melt containing Ni and/or Co provides good separation of transition metal as alloy and of lithium in high purity.