Recovery of Lithium (Li) Salts from Industrial Effluent of Recycling Plant

To cope up with the supply–demand gap of lithium (Li) an essential energy
element, the recycling of waste industrial effluent (generated after cobalt recycling
from waste Li-ion batteries) is targeted. In industry, after the recovery of Co, Cu, Ni,
and graphite from one ton of black cathodic material of Li-ion batteries about 8 m3
of waste effluent containing 5–10 g/L Mn and 1–3 g/L Li is generated. Systematic
precipitation studies were carried out using saturated alkaline solution varying Eh/
pH of the effluent. Settling time 30 min and pH ~12 were found to be optimum
conditions for maximum precipitation of Li (~90%) as salt. Precipitation studies for
Mn/ Li with scientific validation were also carried out and discussed. The process
developed has tremendous potential to be commercialized in industry after scale-up
studies.