Abstract: Provided is a method by which it is possible to collect valuable metals from raw material including waste lithium-ion batteries or the like. The present invention is a method which includes: a step for preparing raw material including at least Li, Al, and the valuable metals; a step for obtaining a reduction that includes slag and an alloy containing the valuable metals by subjecting the raw material to a reduction melting treatment; and a slag separation step for collecting the alloy by separating out the slag from the reduction, wherein, in a step for adding a flux containing calcium (Ca) to the raw material and performing reduction and melting thereof, the reduction melting treatment is performed such that the liquidus line temperature of ternary Al2O3—Li2O—CaO slag in a phase diagram is greater than the liquidus line temperature of a ternary Cu—Ni—Co alloy in a phase diagram.

Abstract: Provided is a method that is for producing, from a raw material containing an oxide including nickel and cobalt, a valuable metal containing said nickel and cobalt, and that enables the degree of reduction of an alloy obtained through a melting process to be adjusted efficiently and properly. The method comprises: a melting step for obtaining a melted product; and a slag separation step for separating a slag from the melted product and recovering an alloy containing the valuable metal. In the melting step, the degree of reduction in the melting process is determined on the basis of the proportion of the amount of cobalt (cobalt recovery rate) in the produced alloy, with respect to the amount of cobalt in the raw material, and, if the degree of reduction is determined to be excessive, the raw material containing an oxide including nickel and cobalt is added as an oxidizer.

Abstract: Provided is a method for recovering a valuable metal from a material including waste lithium ion batteries or the like. The method comprises: a preparation step for preparing a material including at least Li, Al, and a valuable metal; a reduction and melting step for carrying out a reduction and melting process on the material to obtain a reduced product including a slag and an alloy containing a valuable metal; and a slag separation step for separating the slag from the reduced product to recover the alloy. In the preparation step and/or the reduction and melting step, a flux containing Ca is added. In the reduction and melting step, the reduction and melting process is performed such that the mass ratio of aluminum oxide/(aluminum oxide+calcium oxide+lithium oxide), in the generated slag, is set to 0.5-0.65, and the slag heating temperature is set to 1400-1600° ° C.

Abstract: Provided is a method which allows for strict control of an oxygen partial pressure required for the heating and melting of a raw material, and thereby more efficient recovery of a valuable metal. The method for recovering a valuable metal (Cu, Ni, and Co) includes the steps of: preparing a charge comprising at least phosphorus (P) and a valuable metal as a raw material; heating and melting the raw material to form a molten body and then converting the molten body into a molten product comprising an alloy and a slag; and separating the slag from the molten product to recover the alloy comprising the valuable metal, wherein the heating and melting of the raw material comprises directly measuring an oxygen partial pressure in the molten body using an oxygen analyzer, and regulating the oxygen partial pressure based on the obtained measurement result.

Abstract: Disclosed is A method for recovering lithium from slag containing at least aluminum and lithium, the slag being provided by melting a lithium-ion secondary battery to be disposed of to obtain molten metal containing valuable metal and molten slag containing at least aluminum and lithium and separating the slag containing at least aluminum and lithium from the molten metal containing valuable metal. The condition of the melting of the lithium-ion secondary battery is adjusted such that the slag has an aluminum to lithium mass ratio, Al/Lo, of 6 or less. The method includes: contacting the slag with an aqueous liquid to obtain a leachate containing lithium leached from the slag; and contacting the leachate with a basic substance to cause unwanted metal contained in the leachate to precipitate in the form of a slightly soluble substance, followed by solid-liquid separation to obtain a purified solution having lithium dissolved therein.

Abstract: Provided is a method which allows for strict control of an oxygen partial pressure required for the heating and melting of a raw material, and thereby more efficient recovery of a valuable metal. The method for recovering a valuable metal (Cu, Ni, and Co) includes the steps of: preparing a charge comprising at least phosphorus (P) and a valuable metal as a raw material; heating and melting the raw material to form a molten body and then converting the molten body into a molten product comprising an alloy and a slag; and separating the slag from the molten product to recover the alloy comprising the valuable metal, wherein the heating and melting of the raw material comprises directly measuring an oxygen partial pressure in the molten body using an oxygen analyzer, and regulating the oxygen partial pressure based on the obtained measurement result.

Abstract: Provided is a method that allows for efficient removal of an impurity metal, and further, the recovery of a valuable metal with high efficiency. The method for recovering a valuable metal (Cu, Ni, and Co) includes the steps of: preparing a charge comprising at least a valuable metal as a raw material; heating and melting the raw material to form an alloy and a slag; and separating the slag to recover the alloy containing the valuable metal, wherein the heating and melting of the raw material comprises charging the raw material into a furnace of an electric furnace equipped with an electrode therein, and further melting the raw material by means of Joule heat generated by applying an electric current to the electrode, or heat generation of an arc itself, and thereby separating the raw material into a molten alloy and a molten slag present over the alloy.

Abstract: A method for refining bismuth is provided, which comprises recovering bismuth from a solution obtained after recovery of noble metals from a copper electrolytic slime. The method comprises: 1) a neutralization step of adding alkali to an acid solution to adjust the pH to the range of 2.0 or more and 3.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to recover roughly purified scandium, which is purified to an extent acceptable for a technique for highly purifying scandium, efficiently and without any complicated operation from a neutralization sediment (drainage sediment) generated in neutralizing acid mine drainage which contains a sulfur component. This scandium recovery process includes a washing step (S1) for washing a neutralization sediment (drainage sediment) and a dissolution step (S2) for subjecting the washed sediment obtained in the washing step (S1) to dissolution in an acid. It is preferable that the process further includes a re-dissolution step (S3) for subjecting a dissolution residue which remains after the dissolution in the dissolution step (S2) to dissolution with an acid. In the washing step (S1), the neutralization sediment is washed with a washing liquid until the pH of the post-washing liquid generated in the washing step becomes 6 or higher.

Abstract: In order to recover high-quality scandium from nickel oxide ores efficiently, this method comprises: a step (S1) for feeding Ni oxide ores and sulfuric acid into a pressure vessel, and subjecting the mixture to solid-liquid separation to form a leachate and a leach residue; a step (S2) for adding a neutralizing agent to the leachate, and thus forming a neutralization sediment and a post-neutralization fluid; a step (S3) for adding a sulfurizing agent to the post-neutralization fluid, and separating the obtained mixture into Ni sulfide and a post-sulfurization fluid; a step (S4) for bringing the post-sulfurization fluid into contact with a chelating resin, making Sc adsorbed on the chelating resin, and forming an Sc eluent; a step (S6) for bringing the Sc eluent into contact with an extracting agent, adding a back-extraction agent to the extract, and forming back-extracted matter; and a step (S8) for roasting the back-extracted matter, and forming Sc oxide.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to recover roughly purified scandium, which is purified to an extent acceptable for a technique for highly purifying scandium, efficiently and without any complicated operation from a neutralization sediment (drainage sediment) generated in neutralizing acid mine drainage which contains a sulfur component. This scandium recovery process includes a washing step (S1) for washing a neutralization sediment (drainage sediment) and a dissolution step (S2) for subjecting the washed sediment obtained in the washing step (S1) to dissolution in an acid. It is preferable that the process further includes a re-dissolution step (S3) for subjecting a dissolution residue which remains after the dissolution in the dissolution step (S2) to dissolution with an acid. In the washing step (S1), the neutralization sediment is washed with a washing liquid until the pH of the post-washing liquid generated in the washing step becomes 6 or higher.

Abstract: In order to recover high-quality scandium from nickel oxide ores efficiently, this method comprises: a step (S1) for feeding Ni oxide ores and sulfuric acid into a pressure vessel, and subjecting the mixture to solid-liquid separation to form a leachate and a leach residue; a step (S2) for adding a neutralizing agent to the leachate, and thus forming a neutralization sediment and a post-neutralization fluid; a step (S3) for adding a sulfurizing agent to the post-neutralization fluid, and separating the obtained mixture into Ni sulfide and a post-sulfurization fluid; a step (S4) for bringing the post-sulfurization fluid into contact with a chelating resin, making Sc adsorbed on the chelating resin, and forming an Sc eluent; a step (S6) for bringing the Sc eluent into contact with an extracting agent, adding a back-extraction agent to the extract, and forming back-extracted matter; and a step (S8) for roasting the back-extracted matter, and forming Sc oxide.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently separating nickel, cobalt and/or scandium, and impurities from an acidic solution containing impurities such as manganese, iron, zinc, and aluminum. A valuable-metal extracting agent of the present invention is expressed by general formula (1). In the formula, R1 and R2 each represent the same or different alkyl groups, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a given group, other than an amino group, that bonds with an ? carbon as an amino acid. In general formula (1), the inclusion of a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an asparagine acid unit, or a normal methylglycine unit is preferred.

Abstract: The present invention effectively recover high-grade scandium from nickel oxide ores. The present invention includes a leaching step (S1) for charging nickel oxide ores and sulfuric acid into a pressurized vessel, a neutralizing step (S2) for adding a neutralizing agent to the leachate to obtain a neutralized precipitate and a neutralized liquid, a sulfidizing step (S3) for adding a sulfidizing agent to the neutralized liquid, an ion exchange step (S4) for bringing the sulfidized solution into contact with a chelate resin, a solvent extraction step (S6) for bringing a Sc eluent into contact with an extracting agent, a Sc precipitation Step (S7) for adding a neutralizing agent or oxalic acid to a stripping solution, and a calcination step (S8) for drying and calcining a precipitate to obtain scandium oxide.

Abstract: The present invention effectively recover high-grade scandium from nickel oxide ores. The present invention includes a leaching step (S1) for charging nickel oxide ores and sulfuric acid into a pressurized vessel, a neutralizing step (S2) for adding a neutralizing agent to the leachate to obtain a neutralized precipitate and a neutralized liquid, a sulfidizing step (S3) for adding a sulfidizing agent to the neutralized liquid, an ion exchange step (S4) for bringing the sulfidized solution into contact with a chelate resin, a solvent extraction step (S6) for bringing a Sc eluent into contact with an extracting agent, a Sc precipitation Step (S7) for adding a neutralizing agent or oxalic acid to a stripping solution, and a calcination step (S8) for drying and calcining a precipitate to obtain scandium oxide.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently separating nickel, cobalt and/or scandium, and impurities from an acidic solution containing impurities such as manganese, iron, zinc, and aluminum. A valuable-metal extracting agent of the present invention is expressed by general formula (1). In the formula, R1 and R2 each represent the same or different alkyl groups, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a given group, other than an amino group, that bonds with an ? carbon as an amino acid. In general formula (1), the inclusion of a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an asparagine acid unit, or a normal methylglycine unit is preferred.