Design Considerations for the Metal Dissolution Process for Production of Battery Grade Metals Sulfates

Abstract

The demand for battery-grade metal sulphates, which are key materials for lithium-ion battery manufacturing, is continually growing due to the rapid expansion of the EV market. One important pathway to help meet this demand is via a metal dissolution process, which involves the dissolution of nearly pure metals (eg Ni, Co) or alloys containing these critical metals, and subsequent leachate purification. This is a proven and viable approach that offers producers an opportunity to enter the battery market faster compared to producing metal sulphates from primary or intermediate sources. This paper discusses the important process design considerations for each major block flow in the metal dissolution process, including i) material handling of raw metal or alloy feed, ii) metal dissolution reactor circuit, iii) neutralization, iv) purification, v) metal hydroxide precipitation, and optionally vi) crystallization. By addressing these design considerations, and de-risking through test work and process modelling, the performance and costs can be optimized, thereby enhancing the competitiveness in the rapidly evolving battery market.