Method for producing valuable metal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024263271-A1
Application number	US-202218287330-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Apr 23, 2021
Publication date	Aug 8, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a method that is for producing, from a raw material containing an oxide including nickel and cobalt, a valuable metal containing said nickel and cobalt, and that enables the degree of reduction of an alloy obtained through a melting process to be adjusted efficiently and properly. The method comprises: a melting step for obtaining a melted product; and a slag separation step for separating a slag from the melted product and recovering an alloy containing the valuable metal. In the melting step, the degree of reduction in the melting process is determined on the basis of the proportion of the amount of cobalt (cobalt recovery rate) in the produced alloy, with respect to the amount of cobalt in the raw material, and, if the degree of reduction is determined to be excessive, the raw material containing an oxide including nickel and cobalt is added as an oxidizer.

First claim

1 . A method of producing valuable metals from a raw material comprising oxides each including nickel or cobalt, the method comprising:
a melting step of subjecting the raw material to a melting treatment to obtain a melt; and a slag separation step of separating a slag from the melt to recover an alloy comprising the valuable metals, wherein, in the melting step, a degree of reduction in the melting treatment is determined based on a rate (cobalt recovery rate) of a cobalt amount in the alloy generated, with respect to a cobalt amount in the raw material, and when the degree of reduction is determined as being excessive, the raw material comprising oxides each including nickel or cobalt is added as an oxidant.

2 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 1 , wherein, in the melting step, the cobalt recovery rate is calculated based on an analysis result of a cobalt grade in the slag.

3 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 1 , wherein, in the melting step, the cobalt recovery rate is calculated based on a measurement result of an oxygen partial pressure in the melt generated by the melting treatment.

4 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 1 , wherein, in the melting step, when the cobalt recovery rate is 98% or more, the degree of reduction in the melting treatment is determined as being excessive.

5 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 1 , wherein the raw material comprising oxides each including nickel or cobalt is a raw material comprising a discarded lithium ion battery.

6 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 1 , wherein the raw material comprises phosphorus, and
the phosphorus content of the alloy recovered through the slag separation step is 0.1% by mass or less.

7 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 1 , wherein, in the melting step, the raw material is melted at a heating temperature of 1300° C. or higher and 1600° C. or less.

8 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 2 , wherein, in the melting step, when the cobalt recovery rate is 98% or more, the degree of reduction in the melting treatment is determined as being excessive.

9 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 3 , wherein, in the melting step, when the cobalt recovery rate is 98% or more, the degree of reduction in the melting treatment is determined as being excessive.

10 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 2 , wherein the raw material comprising oxides each including nickel or cobalt is a raw material comprising a discarded lithium ion battery.

11 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 3 , wherein the raw material comprising oxides each including nickel or cobalt is a raw material comprising a discarded lithium ion battery.

12 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 4 , wherein the raw material comprising oxides each including nickel or cobalt is a raw material comprising a discarded lithium ion battery.

13 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 2 , wherein the raw material comprises phosphorus, and
the phosphorus content of the alloy recovered through the slag separation step is 0.1% by mass or less.

14 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 3 , wherein the raw material comprises phosphorus, and
the phosphorus content of the alloy recovered through the slag separation step is 0.1% by mass or less.

15 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 4 , wherein the raw material comprises phosphorus, and
the phosphorus content of the alloy recovered through the slag separation step is 0.1% by mass or less.

16 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 5 , wherein the raw material comprises phosphorus, and
the phosphorus content of the alloy recovered through the slag separation step is 0.1% by mass or less.

17 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 2 , wherein, in the melting step, the raw material is melted at a heating temperature of 1300° C. or higher and 1600° C. or less.

18 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 3 , wherein, in the melting step, the raw material is melted at a heating temperature of 1300° C. or higher and 1600° C. or less.

19 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 4 , wherein, in the melting step, the raw material is melted at a heating temperature of 1300° C. or higher and 1600° C. or less.

20 . The method of producing valuable metals according to claim 5 , wherein, in the melting step, the raw material is melted at a heating temperature of 1300° C. or higher and 1600° C. or less.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Metal Mining Co

Inventors

• Yamashita Yu
• Nagakura Toshihiko
• Yabe Takayuki

Classifications

• Y02W30/84

  Recycling of batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M10/54 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• C22B7/003

  only remelting, e.g. of chips, borings, turnings; apparatus used therefor · CPC title

• C22B1/248

  of metal scrap or alloys · CPC title

• C22B26/12

  Obtaining lithium · CPC title