Umicore

Lennart Scheunis

Ryohei Yagi

Willem Callebaut

Jean Scoyer

Bart Klaasen

Harald Oosterhof

Isabel Vermeulen

Harald (deceased) Oosterhof

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, particularly from Black Mass. The slag composition is defined according to: This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the wear or corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.

Recovery of nickel and cobalt from black mass

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*LiO)/AlO>0.3;CaO+0.8*MnO+0.8*LiO<60%;(CaO+2*LiO+0.4*MnO)/SiO≥2.0;LiO≥1%; and,AlO+SiO+CaO+LiO+MnO+FeO+MgO>85%. This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.

Recovery of nickel and cobalt from Li-ion batteries or their waste

The present disclosure concerns a 2-step smelting process, for recovering of Ni and Co from batteries and other sources. The process comprises the steps of: The process is more energy-efficient than a single-step reducing smelting process and provides for a higher purity alloy and for a cleaner final slag.

Energy-efficient pyrometallurgical process for treating Li-ion batteries

The present disclosure concerns a process for the concentration of lithium in metallurgical fumes. The process comprises the steps of: —providing a metallurgical molten bath furnace; —preparing a metallurgical charge comprising lithium-bearing material, transition metals, and fluxing agents; —smelting the metallurgical charge and fluxing agents in reducing conditions in said furnace, thereby obtaining a molten bath with an alloy and a slag phase; and, —optionally separating the alloy and the slag phase; characterized in that a major part of the lithium is fumed as LiCl from the molten slag, by addition of alkali or earth alkali chloride to the process. Using a single smelting step, valuable transition metals such as cobalt and nickel also present in the charge are collected in an alloy phase, while the lithium reports to the fumes. The lithium in the fumes is available in concentrated form, suitable for subsequent hydrometallurgical processing.

Process for the recovery of lithium

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.

Pyrometallurgical process for recovering nickel, manganese, and cobalt

The present disclosure concerns the production of precursor compounds for lithium battery cathodes. Batteries or their scrap are smelted in reducing conditions, thereby forming an alloy suitable for further hydrometallurgical refining, and a slag. The alloy is leached in acidic conditions, producing a Ni- and Co-bearing solution, which is refined. The refining steps are greatly simplified as most elements susceptible to interfere with the refining steps concentrate in the slag. Metals such as Co, Ni and Mn are then precipitated from the solution, forming a suitable starting product for the synthesis of new battery precursor compounds.

Process for the preparation of precursor compounds for lithium battery cathodes

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%&#x3c;MnO&#x3c;40%;(CaO+1.5*LiO)/AlO&#x3e;0.3;CaO+0.8*MnO+0.8*LiO&#x3c;60%;(CaO+2*LiO+0.4*MnO)/SiO&#x2265;2.0;Li&#x2265;1%; and,AlO+SiO+CaO+LiO+MnO+FeO+MgO&#x3e;85%.This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.

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Olen, Belgium

Lennart Scheunis