Optimizing a Solvent Exchange Flowsheet for Selective Recovery of Cobalt, Nickel, Manganese, and Lithium from Black Mass Using IONQUEST SX Phosphinic, Phosphonic, and Phosphoric Acids
摘要
The growing demandDemand for valuable metalsMetals from complex ores and secondary sourcesSecondary sources—such as lithiumLithium-ion batteriesBattery—highlights the urgent need for innovative extractionExtraction methods. This study addresses this challenge by optimizing a solvent extractionSolvent Extraction (SX) flowsheetFlowsheet using phosphinic, phosphonic, and phosphoric acidsPhosphoric acid—specifically IONQUEST® 290, IONQUEST® 220, andIONQUEST solvent extractants IONQUEST® 801—as extractants for the selective recovery of key metalMetals ions (manganese, cobaltCobalt, nickelNickel, and lithiumLithium) from black massBlack mass residue. The distinct chemical properties, solubilitySolubility, and interaction mechanisms of these acidsAcid with metalMetals ions are analyzed to improve extractionExtraction efficiency. The optimized flowsheetFlowsheet was developed through a series of laboratory batch experiments to identify optimal operational parameters and was subsequently validated using lab-scale counter-current experiments, demonstrating the practical applicability of the proposed method.