Recycling

As the world increasingly relies on electronic devices and transition towards electric vehicles (EVs), the generation of e-waste and spent batteries has surged, posing significant environmental and health and safety risks if not properly managed. Within this challenge lies a crucial opportunity: the recovery of critical minerals from these components. By safely recycling these materials, we prevent toxic substances from entering landfills and the environment. Recycling of battery materials in certain type of battery chemistries is a key concern for the industry, and economic imperative of procuring raw materials.

 

Many of the minerals essential for technology and renewable energy applications, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements, are finite and increasingly difficult to mine due to geopolitical tensions, ethical considerations and environmental concerns. The importance of developing efficient, sustainable methods for recovering them from e-waste and spent batteries cannot be overstated. Recycling not only ensures a more secure and resilient supply chain for these vital components but also promotes a circular economy. Recycling also minimizes waste and the carbon footprint of new product manufacturing, whilst providing a secondary source of these critical materials.

Moga has been looking at different technologies and processes to recycle the lithium-ion battery cells which includes; pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical and direct recycling. We have a concluded interest in acquiring hydrometallurgical technology which has proven better quality of recovered materials and less waste generation as well as low energy inputs.

The 6-step recycling process of a lithium-ion battery typically includes:

Disassembly, Shredding, Condensing & Drying, Separation, Granulation, Refining

OUR PROCESS

01

Disassembly

Waste batteries arrive at the facility to undergo checking, discharging of any energy remaining in battery pack and dismantling into module

02

Shredding

Modules are shredded for initial size reduction to prepare it for further processing.

03

Condensing & Drying

Processed material is dried and liquid electrolyte is pumped out.

04

Separation

The dry mass is sieved and magnetic raw materials are separated from the non-magnetic processed material.

05

Granulation

Further size reduction is undertaken of the shredded and dried inputs, this results in black mass and prepares the materials for refining.

06

Refining

Hydrometallurgy processing method is used and valuable cathode materials are extracted for reuse.

CPI, the UK government catalyst which helps innovation commercialise in the UK market has supported Moga with a funding allocation for an economic assessment of its proposed Sunderland plant.