Valuable element recovery method and metal production method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025361577-A1
Application number	US-202318874826-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2023
Priority date	Jul 28, 2022
Publication date	Nov 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for recovering a valuable element, by which method not only a valuable element but also lithium can be recovered; wherein, an oxide is reduced by adding a reductant and a flux containing CaO and SiO2 are added to the oxide, followed by heating, the oxide containing: at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt; and lithium. A mass ratio between CaO and SiO2 (CaO/SiO2) contained in the flux is not more than 0.50.

First claim

1 . A method for recovering a valuable element, the method comprising reducing an oxide by adding a reductant and a flux containing CaO and SiO 2 to the oxide, followed by heating,
the oxide containing: at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt; and lithium, wherein a mass ratio between CaO and SiO 2 (CaO/SiO 2 ) contained in the flux is not more than 0.50.

2 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature for heating the oxide is not lower than 1,450° C.

3 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 1 , wherein metal containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt is obtained by reducing the oxide.

4 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 1 , wherein the reductant is a carbon-containing substance containing carbon.

5 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 1 , wherein the reductant is at least one iron-containing substance selected from the group consisting of metallic iron and iron oxide.

6 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 5 , wherein the iron oxide is ferrous oxide.

7 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 5 , wherein the iron-containing substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of dust, scale, sludge, and scrap.

8 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 1 , wherein the oxide is obtained from a lithium ion battery.

9 . A method for producing metal containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt by using the method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 1 .

10 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 2 , wherein metal containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt is obtained by reducing the oxide.

11 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 2 , wherein the reductant is a carbon-containing substance containing carbon.

12 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 2 , wherein the reductant is at least one iron-containing substance selected from the group consisting of metallic iron and iron oxide.

13 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 12 , wherein the iron oxide is ferrous oxide.

14 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 12 , wherein the iron-containing substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of dust, scale, sludge, and scrap.

15 . The method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 2 , wherein the oxide is obtained from a lithium ion battery.

16 . A method for producing metal containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt by using the method for recovering a valuable element according to claim 2 .

Assignees

• Jfe Steel Corp

Inventors

• Hino Yuta
• Inoue Yotaro
• Takahashi Katsunori

Classifications

• C22B7/00

  Working up raw materials other than ores, e.g. scrap, to produce non-ferrous metals and compounds thereof; {Methods of a general interest or applied to the winning of more than two metals (briquetting of scrap C22B1/248; preliminary treatment of scrap C22B1/005)} · CPC title

• C22B26/12

  Obtaining lithium · CPC title

• C22B23/021

  by reduction in solid state, e.g. by segregation processes · CPC title

• C22B23/02

  by dry processes · CPC title

• C22B5/10 Primary

  by solid carbonaceous reducing agents · CPC title