Nippon Mining & Metals Starts Li Ion Battery Recycle Demonstration

Nippon Mining & Metals announced on Thursday the firm starts demonstration to extract rare metals from used lithium ion batteries and recycled cathode materials. The firm establishes a pilot plant inside the subsidiary’s site, Nikko Tsuruga Recycle, in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The demonstration will be implemented in cooperation with Waseda University and Nagoya University with 1.2-billion-yen total investment including operating cost. The firm aims to commercialize the technology in 2011.

Nippon Mining & Metals is commissioned by Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry to develop rare metal recycling technology from used lithium-ion batteries as a part of the Ministry’s industrial technology development program. The pilot plant will collect nickel and manganese at 6 tonnes per month, cobalt and lithium carbonate at 10 tonnes per month.

These rare metals will be utilized as cathode materials for automotive lithium ion batteries produced in Nippon Metal Mining’s Isohara works, Ibaraki, Japan. The firm will also supply recycled rare metals to outer cathode material makers.

Lithium ion batteries are used for electronic applications such as cellular phones and mobile computers. The demand is also expected to grow for electric vehicles and hybrid cars. Meanwhile, lithium supply in Japan totally relies on the import. In addition, global lithium suppliers are limited.

The demonstration aims stable lithium supply by recycle from used batteries.