Lithium Australia moves to patent battery recycling technology

Lithium Australia is looking to patent the proprietary lithium battery recycling technology developed by its subsidiary, Envirostream. One of the two Australian patent applications relates to its process for recovering battery electrode material from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. The second application encompasses the process for the selective recovery of mixed metal sulphates from a metal sulphate process liquor following leaching of mixed metal material recovered from lithium-ion batteries.

Mixed metal dust contains cobalt, nickel, lithium and manganese, which Perth-based Lithium Australia says makes it a sustainable feed source for the manufacture of new lithium batteries.

Management says the Envirostream process is designed for low atmospheric emissions and high mass yields, with only minimal amounts of material consigned to landfill.

Lithium Australia’s second application encompasses the Envirostream process for the selective recovery of mixed metal sulphates such as a mixed cobalt-nickel sulphate from a metal sulphate process liquor following leaching of mixed metal material recovered from lithium-ion batteries.

The company says the “unique” processes facilitate the efficient recycling of spent electric vehicle batteries and the sustainable supply of high-value chemicals back into what it calls the circular battery economy.

Lithium Australia Managing Director Adrian Griffin said: “We can no longer afford to discard any products to landfill, let alone those that have a high embedded energy footprint, contain critical materials or – in the case of lithium-ion batteries – both. We have developed unique processes to deal with battery waste.”

According to Envirostream, its Melbourne plant is the only commercial battery recycling facility in Australia.

The company’s lithium-ion battery material recovery rate of greater than 90 per cent compares favourably with those overseas competitors who incinerate batteries at the commencement of the recycling process, it says.

Envirostream says the incineration process reduces mass yield and may precipitate a risk of toxic atmospheric emissions.

By contrast, the company says its low-temperature processing recovers volatile components, including plastics, resulting in much higher mass yields and lower carbon emissions.

Last week Lithium Australia’s wholly owned subsidiary VSPC was awarded an Australian patent for its proprietary nanotechnology process of manufacturing phosphate-based battery cathode materials for use in lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium Australia says the cost of producing nickel-free and cobalt-free battery cathode powders can potentially be significantly reduced by using VSPC’s technology.

Having rationalised its portfolio of lithium projects and alliances, Lithium Australia has sharpened its focus on research and development, with its progress having been recognised by the Federal Government via several research grants.

The $140 million market-capped company’s proprietary extraction processes are all aimed at the conversion of lithium silicates – including mine waste – and unused fines generally discarded during spodumene processing into lithium chemicals.

From those chemicals, Lithium Australia hopes to produce advanced cathode materials for the battery industry.

The company says the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries was intrinsic to its plan of creating a “circular” battery economy.

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