Recycling of nickel metal hydride battery for hybrid vehicles - Recovery of nickel, rare earth elements and cobalt

Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. and Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. have started the technology development financed by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, to recover nickel, rare earths and cobalt from the nickel metal hydride batteries for the hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles production is increasing and will be more than two million in 2010. The nickel, rare earths and cobalt contents in the nickel metal hydride batteries for the hybrid vehicles are estimated, in this stage, at 28-32, 6-10 and 24%, respectively, and technology development to recover them from the spent batteries will be the important issue in very near future. The process for the selective recovery of the each active material (nickel-rare earths-cobalt alloy nickel hydroxide, etc.) has been developed. The recovered active materials can be used again directly for the nickel metal hydride battery, meaning that the high energy saving can be expected of this process.