An acid-free process to prepare battery grade nickel and cobalt sulfates from complex resources

Qing Zhang, Xiaohong Zheng, Weiguang Lv, Mingming He, Wenyi Yan, Wenfang Gao, Pengge Ning, Hongbin Cao () and Zhi Sun ()
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Qing Zhang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiaohong Zheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Weiguang Lv: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Mingming He: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wenyi Yan: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wenfang Gao: Hebei University of Technology
Pengge Ning: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hongbin Cao: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhi Sun: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Nickel sulfate is a critical compound for lithium-ion batteries, mainly prepared from nickel sulfide concentrate (NSC). Typically, high-temperature smelting or high-pressure leaching is required to achieve high extraction rates for Ni and Co. Here, we demonstrate an acid-free atmospheric leaching process for effectively processing of NSC using a mechanochemical treatment. When a suitable intermediate phase of the NSC is obtained, the leaching efficiency for Ni and Co can reach 97.4% and 98.8%, respectively, while the main impure element, iron, almost remains in the solid phase. As a consequence, the leaching solution can be easily treated to prepare battery-grade NiSO4. A technoeconomic analysis demonstrates that the acid-free process provides excellent economic advantages, with carbon emissions being reduced by 59.5%. This provides a sustainable alternative for processing complex sulfide resources and is expected to be applied to zinc and copper sulfide concentrates.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59995-6

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