# US 2019/0376159 A1 · Process for recycling cobalt-bearing materials

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- Number: US 2019/0376159 A1
- Document ID: US20190376159A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/341,512
- Filed: 2017-10-16
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-21
- Assignees: Umicore AG & Co. KG
- Applicants: Umicore
- Inventors: Thomas SUETENS; David VAN HOREBEEK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376159A1

## CPC

- C22B 23/02: by dry processes
- C22B 7/001: {Dry processes}
- Y02P 10/20: Recycling
- Y02W 30/84: Recycling of batteries or fuel cells
- C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

The present invention concerns the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials, in particular from cobalt-bearing lithium-ion secondary batteries, from the spent batteries, or from their scrap. A process is divulged for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials, comprising the steps of: providing a converter furnace, charging slag formers and one or more of copper matte, copper-nickel matte, and impure alloy into the furnace, and injecting an oxidizing gas so as to smelt the charge in oxidizing conditions, thereby obtaining a molten bath comprising a crude metal phase, and a cobalt-bearing slag, and separating the crude metal from the cobalt-bearing slag, characterized in that the cobalt-bearing materials are charged into the furnace. This process is particularly suitable for recycling cobalt-bearing lithium-ion secondary batteries. Cobalt is concentrated in a limited amount of converter slag, from which it can economically be retrieved, together with other elements such as copper and/or nickel.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-7. (canceled)

### Claim 8

Process for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials, comprising:
providing a converter furnace;
charging slag formers and one or more of copper matte, copper-nickel matte, and impure alloy into the furnace, and injecting an oxidizing gas so as to smelt the charge in oxidizing conditions, thereby obtaining a molten bath comprising a crude metal phase, and a cobalt-bearing slag; and,
separating the crude metal phase from the cobalt-bearing slag;
wherein the cobalt-bearing materials are charged into the furnace.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

Process according to claim 8, wherein more than 90% by weight of the cobalt present in the cobalt-bearing materials is recovered in the cobalt-bearing slag, by adjusting the amount of oxidizing gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

Process for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials according to claim 8, wherein the cobalt-bearing materials comprise secondary batteries, spent batteries, or their scrap.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

Process for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials according to claim 10, wherein the cobalt in the slag amounts to between 2% and 20% by weight.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

Process for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials according to claim 8, further comprising a step for recovering cobalt and copper from the slag.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

Process for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials according to claim 12, wherein the step for recovering cobalt and copper from the slag comprises an acidic aqueous leaching operation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

Process for the recovery of cobalt from cobalt-bearing materials according to claim 12, wherein the step for recovering cobalt and copper from the slag comprises a reducing smelting operation.