Abstract: A method of processing size-reduced battery materials comprising aluminum, copper and black mass, may include: subjecting the size-reduced battery materials to a caustic leaching process to yield a pregnant leach solution; physically separating the pregnant leach solution into oversized solids and a screened leach stream, the oversized solids being rich in copper; and filtering the screened leach stream to yield a filter cake that is rich in black mass, and a filtered leach stream that is rich in aluminum.

Abstract: A method of separating plastic material from battery materials can include: a) receiving battery materials in an immersion comminuting apparatus; b) by carrying out at least a first size reduction of the battery materials under immersion to create a primary-reduced metal material, primary-reduced plastic material and liberating a first amount of a black mass material; c) extracting at least a primary plastics slurry from the primary comminuting apparatus, wherein the primary plastics slurry comprises a mixture of the primary-reduced plastic material, a portion of the primary-reduced metal material and a portion of the black mass material liberated by the immersion comminuting apparatus; and d) carrying out a further, second size reduction of the plastic slurry using a non-immersion comminuting apparatus that is downstream from the immersion comminuting apparatus.

Abstract: A method of separating plastic material from battery materials can include: a) receiving battery materials in an immersion comminuting apparatus; b) by carrying out at least a first size reduction of the battery materials under immersion to create a primary-reduced metal material, primary-reduced plastic material and liberating a first amount of a black mass material; c) extracting at least a primary plastics slurry from the primary comminuting apparatus, wherein the primary plastics slurry comprises a mixture of the primary-reduced plastic material, a portion of the primary-reduced metal material and a portion of the black mass material liberated by the immersion comminuting apparatus; and d) carrying out a further, second size reduction of the plastic slurry using a non-immersion comminuting apparatus that is downstream from the immersion comminuting apparatus.

Abstract: A flotation separator apparatus can include a tank for receiving an incoming feed stream comprising plastic material and metal material liberated from battery materials. A separator liquid can be within the tank and at least a first submersion agitator may be located downstream from an inlet and may have at least a first engagement member that is movable and configured to urge the engaged metal and plastic materials downwardly to submerge them in the separator liquid thereby dislodging at least a first portion of metal material from the plastic material and allowing the dislodged first portion of the metal material to precipitate toward the lower end of the tank.

Abstract: A method of precipitating copper sulphide from an incoming feed stream comprising copper liberated from within battery materials can includes the steps of: a) receiving an incoming feed stream comprising copper entrained in a carrier liquid in a precipitation apparatus; b) introducing a sulphide reductant to the feed stream to precipitate copper sulphide solids out of the feed stream during a precipitation residence time that is less than 24 hours to produce a copper sulphide slurry; and processing the copper sulphide slurry to separate the precipitated copper sulphide solids and provide a copper-depleted stream.

Abstract: A method of processing a black mass material feed material can include a) receiving a black mass material feed material; b) acid leaching the black mass material at a pH that is less than 4, thereby producing a pregnant leach solution (PLS) comprising at least 80% the lithium from the black mass feed material, and at least a portion of the iron and the phosphorous from the black mass feed material; providing a first intermediary solution after completing step b); and separating at least 90% of the iron and the phosphorous from the first intermediary solution to provide an output solution.