Project: Novel Circular Economic Approaches for Efficient Extraction of Valuables from Spend Li-Ion Batteries

Acronym	NEXT-LIB (Reference Number: ERA-MIN-2018_37)
Project Topic	The existing dominating technology applied in Europe is the Umicore process which is simple and efficient with main focus on recovery the high value metals like Co, Ni and Cu. The other critic materials like lithium and graphite are lost. Lithium is diluted in a slag phase while graphite and electrolyte are burnt to hazardous gases. The dominating technology applied in China consists of shredding, thermal processing for removal of electrolyte and binders followed by leaching processes. In both cases, the graphite is not just lost it also causes to major difficulties for the subsequent metal recovery processes. Shredding of LiB is another major challenging. Though a number of technologies are used in commercial scale, they are often slow or have to be operated under a carefully arranged inert system (like liquid N2 cooling, shredding in water etc) in order to minimize the fire risk due to high content of flammable electrolyte in the LiBs. The NEXT-LIB project has the intention to develop a number of new technologies to meet the challenges addressed above which will enable safe shredding operation, possible electrolyte recovery, graphite recovery and Li-enrichment by pyrometallurgical approaches etc. The project aims for developing technologies for an over 20% increased overall recovery efficiency comparing to the current processes. The project will be realized via a cross-discipline approach with experts in material characterization, mineral processing, pyro- and hydrometallurgy, sustainability analysis, from leading universities, research institutes, SME, major battery recycler and metal producer located in Sweden, Finland, France, Italy and Portugal. The project has an economic potential of at least 1 billion €, thereby a possibility to create >2000 jobs for the EU and an energy saving potential of >1000 GWh on a global perspective.
Network	ERA-MIN 2
Call	ERA-MIN Joint Call 2018

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	INSTM- RU University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria	Partner	Italy
2	Swerim AB	Coordinator	Sweden
3	Luleå University of Technology	Partner	Sweden
4	Extracthive	Partner	France
5	Geological Survey of Finland	Partner	Finland
6	CEA	Partner	France
7	uRecycle Battery Materials Oy Filial i Sverige	Partner	Sweden
8	Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto	Partner	Portugal
9	Boliden	Partner	Finland