How bacteria could help recover rare metals from old batteries

LONDON: Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland are currently investigating the role that certain bacteria could play in the recovery of rare metals from used batteries.

The idea is to use them to recycle as many of these materials as possible for use in the production of electric cars and wind turbines, for example.

The Guardian has reported on the progress of this research. They have used bacteria to extract rare metals from old batteries, in the hope of one day being able to reuse them in the manufacture of new electric vehicles, wind turbines or fuel cells.

These bacteria, for the time being all naturally occurring, have now proved capable of extracting lithium, cobalt, manganese and other metals from old batteries and other used electronic equipment.

The waste was first dissolved, then the bacteria converted the metal atoms into nanoparticles as part of a detoxification process.

The scientists first did this with manganese, and later with nickel, lithium and cobalt. It now remains to be seen whether the metals extracted in this way can be used as components for new batteries, for example.

In addition to the technological challenge, this is also an economic issue, as China is currently the main supplier of these rare metals.

These resources are also not infinite. It is therefore vital to develop a circular economy in which recycling as many of these metals as possible will be the norm in the future.

In France, a pilot plant for recycling electric vehicle batteries has now opened in Trappes in the western outer suburbs of Paris.

It aims to extract precious metals from used batteries in order to integrate them into a new production cycle. This pilot plant is in fact a 1:1000 replica of the one that's due to open in the northern city of Dunkirk in 2027.

It will be responsible for dismantling, crushing and separating the various battery constituents, right up to the production of black mass, a black powder containing nickel, cobalt and lithium.