Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, Ltd.

Toshirou Tan

Satoshi Asano

Hiroshi Kobayashi

Hideki Ohara

Masatoshi Takano

Jun-ichi Takahashi

Kazuhiro Mori

Junichi Takahashi

Yoshitomo Ozaki

Osamu Nakai

Takayuki Nakai

Keisuke Shibayama

Norihisa Toki

Kenji Takeda

Hiroshi Takenouchi

Jun-Ichi Takahashi

Yoshimoto Ozaki

Provided is a treatment method whereby it becomes possible to recovery copper, nickel and cobalt, which are valuable metals, contained in a lithium ion battery waste and to separate copper, nickel and cobalt from one another effectively. A method for treating a lithium ion battery waste according to the present invention includes: an alloy production step S1 of introducing the lithium ion battery waste into a furnace and then melting the lithium ion battery waste by heating, thereby producing an alloy containing copper, nickel and cobalt; and an electrolytic purification step S2 of subjecting the alloy to such an electrolytic treatment that the alloy is charged as an anode into a sulfuric acid solution and then electricity is conducted between the anode and a cathode to electrodeposit copper contained in the alloy onto the cathode, thereby separating nickel and cobalt from each other.

Method for treating lithium ion battery waste

Provided is a method for producing solutions, by which two solutions, namely a high-purity nickel sulfate solution and a mixed solution of nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate are able to be obtained at the same time from a sulfuric acid solution containing nickel, cobalt and calcium. A method for producing solutions according to the present invention uses a sulfuric acid solution containing nickel, cobalt and calcium and performs a first step Sfor producing a mixed solution of nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate from the sulfuric acid solution and a second step Sfor producing a solution of nickel sulfate from the sulfuric acid solution in parallel. In the first step, the sulfuric acid solution is subjected to solvent extraction by an extractant, thereby obtaining a first organic solvent after extraction. In the second step, the sulfuric acid solution is subjected to solvent extraction by means of an extractant.

Method for producing solutions containing nickel or cobalt

An aqueous cobalt chloride solution refinement method, in which metallic nickel is washed with an acidic liquid having a pH of not more than 2.5 before the metallic nickel is brought into contact with the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride. Since the metallic nickel is washed with the acidic liquid having a pH of not more than 2.5, a passive film on a surface of the metallic nickel is removed and therefore, when the metallic nickel comes in contact with the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride, an impurity more noble than the metallic nickel can be precipitated by a cementation reaction. In addition, since the metallic nickel is only washed with acid to be brought into contact with the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride, impurities can be easily removed from the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride.

Aqueous cobalt chloride solution refinement method

An aqueous cobalt chloride solution purification method, in which impurities can be efficiently removed from a cobalt salt solution, includes bringing metallic nickel into contact with an aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride to remove an impurity by a substitution reaction, in which the pH of the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride is adjusted to not less than 1.5 and not more than 2.5. Since the pH of the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride is adjusted to not less than 1.5 and not more than 2.5, a passive film on a surface of the metallic nickel can be effectively removed, and the metallic nickel comes in contact with the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride, so that an impurity more noble than the metallic nickel can be precipitated by the substitution reaction. The metallic nickel is only brought into contact with the aqueous solution containing cobalt chloride, and the impurity can be easily removed.

Aqueous cobalt chloride solution purification method

Provided is a method for improving the recovery rate of valuable metals such as cobalt when drying the battery waste of lithium ion batteries and the like. A second alloy excellent in terms of iron-cobalt separation performance and containing a small amount of iron is obtained by performing: a pre-oxidation step (ST) for roasting and pre-oxidizing battery waste containing aluminum and iron; a melting step (ST) for obtaining a molten product by melting the battery waste after the pre-oxidation step; a first slag separation step (ST) for separating and recovering first slag containing aluminum oxide from the molten product; a second oxidation step (ST) for oxidizing a molten first alloy after the first slag separation step; and a second slag separation step (ST) for separating and recovering a second slag containing iron from a second alloy after the second oxidation step (ST).

Valuable metal recovery method

A method for recovering valuable metals is provided in which the degree of oxidation of molten waste batteries is stabilized and separation between slag and an alloy is ensured. The method includes a roasting step (ST) in which waste batteries are roasted beforehand at a low temperature of 300&#xb0; C. or higher but lower than 600&#xb0; C., an oxidation step (ST) in which the waste batteries are oxidized by roasting at 1,100-1,200&#xb0; C., and dry step (S) in which the waste batteries that were oxidized in the oxidation step are melted, and slag and an alloy of valuable metals are separated from each other and recovered. By conducting the roasting step (ST), organic carbon, which impairs the stability of the oxidation step (ST) and which is contained, in plastic components, etc., is removed in advance prior to the oxidation step (ST), and the efficiency of slag/alloy separation can be improved.

Method for recovering valuable metals

Provided is a method for stabilizing the degree of oxidation of molten battery waste, and definitively separating slag and alloy. The method is provided with a pre-oxidation step (ST) for roasting and oxidizing battery waste; and a drying step (S) for melting the battery waste oxidized in the pre-oxidation step, and separating and recovering the slag and the valuable metal alloy. By providing the pre-oxidation step (ST) for oxidizing the battery waste by roasting in advance of the drying step (S), it is possible to stably obtain the optimal degree of oxidization in a melting step (ST), and to improve the slag-alloy separation efficiency.

Provided is a method for producing ferronickel from a nickel sulfide or a mixed sulfide containing nickel and cobalt, obtained by hydrometallurgy of nickel oxide ore or obtained from scraps or products in process. The method for producing a ferronickel raw material is to form the ferronickel raw material from a nickel sulfide or a mixed sulfide containing nickel sulfide and cobalt sulfide, wherein treatments are performed through the following steps: (1) redissolution step, (2) deferrization step, (3) solvent extraction step, (4) hydroxylation step, (5) roasting step, and (6) washing and calcining step.

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Niihama, Japan

Toshirou Tan