Recovery of nickel and cobalt from Black Mass
AssigneeUmicore AG & Co. KG
InventorsRyohei YAGI, Lennart SCHEUNIS
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Abstract
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: 25% < MnO < 70%; Al2O3 + 0.5 MnO < 45% SiO2 > 5%; Li2O > 1%; MnO + Li2O + Al2O3 + CaO + SiO2 + FeO + MgO + P2O5 > 90%; and, wherein (CaO + 2 Li2O + 0.4 MnO) / SiO2 ≥ 2.0. This composition is particularly adapted to limit or avoid the wear or corrosion of furnaces lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks.
Claims28
Process for the recovery of Ni and Co from Li-ion batteries or their waste, comprising the steps:
- providing a furnace lined with magnesia-bearing refractory bricks;
- providing a charge comprising slag formers and Li-ion batteries or their waste, wherein the content of Al in the charge is less than 8 %;
- and,
- smelting the charge in reducing conditions, thereby obtaining an alloy containing the major part of the Ni and Co, and a Li-containing slag, wherein the slag has a percent composition by weight according to:
- 25% < MnO < 70%;
- Al2O3 + 0.5 MnO < 45%
- SiO2 > 5%;
- Li2O > 1%;
- MnO + Li2O + Al2O3 + CaO + SiO2 + FeO + MgO + P2O5 > 90%;
- and,
- wherein (CaO + 2 Li2O + 0.4 MnO) / SiO2 ≥ 2.0.
Li-containing metallurgical slag having a percent composition by weight according to:
- 25% < MnO < 70%;
- Al2O3 + 0.5 MnO < 45%
- SiO2 > 5%;
- Li2O > 3%;
- MnO + Li2O + Al2O3 + CaO + SiO2+ FeO + MgO + P2O5 > 90%;
- and,
- wherein (CaO + 2 Li2O + 0.4 MnO) / SiO2 ≥ 2.0.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.