Process for the manufacture of lithium metal oxide cathode materials

A process for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide comprising:

• providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture;
• reacting said lithium bicarbonate with metal complexed with the base of an organic acid thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium organic acid salt, said organic acid and water;
• neutralizing said organic acid in said second aqueous mixture with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a third mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium salt of said organic acid;
• separating said third mixture into a fourth mixture and a fifth mixture wherein said fourth mixture comprises said metal carbonate and a first portion of said lithium salt of said organic acid with said metal carbonate and said lithium salt of said organic acid being in a predetermined molar ratio, and said fifth mixture comprises a second portion of said lithium salt of said organic acid;
• and
• drying said fourth mixture thereby forming said precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium salt of said organic acid in said predetermined molar ratio.