Metals recycler Aqua Metals has recovered copper from lithium-ion battery black mass for the first time at its US Innovation Center in Nevada, US.
The plating of the copper, which is selectively plated atom-by-atom, is a step in building out its capabilities for recovering all high-value materials from used lithium-ion batteries.
To date, the company has also produced high-purity lithium hydroxide from black mass and successfully laboratory-tested cobalt plating.
Li AquaRefining recycles spent lithium-ion batteries using the renewable electron as the reagent instead of chemicals or high heat.
Aqua Metals is developing its Li AquaRefining process to license to battery recyclers worldwide.
In addition to lithium and copper, the company’s R&D program is working to recycle the other critical elements of lithium-ion batteries such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese.
