• Resources Recycling
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• v.14 no.6 s.68
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• pp.28-36
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• 2005

A hydrometallurgical process to leach cobalt from the waste cathodic active material, $LiCoO_{2}$, and subsequently to separate it by solvent extraction was developed. The optimum leaching conditions for high recovery of colbalt and lithium were obtained: 2.0 M sulfuric acid, 5 $vol.\%$ hydrogen peroxide, $75^{\circ}C$ leaching temperature, 30 minutes leaching time and an initial pulp density of 100 g/L. The respective leaching efficiencies for Co and Li were $93\%$ and $94.5\%$. About $85\%$ Co was extracted from the sulfuric acid leach liquor containing 44.72 g/L Co and 5.43 g/L Li, using 1.5 M Cyanex272 as an extractant at the initial pH 5.0 and in organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1.6:1 under the single stage extraction conditions. The Co in the raraffinate was completely extracted by 0.5 M Na-Cyanex272 at the inital pH 5.0, and an organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1;1. The cobalt sulfate solution of higher than $99.99\%$ purity could be recovered from waste $LiCoO_{2}$, using a series of hydrometallurgical processes: sulfuric acid leaching of waste $LiCoO_{2}$- solvent extraction of Co by Na-Cyanex 271 - scrubbing of Li by sodium carbonate solution - stripping of Co by sulfuric acid solution.