Comparison of three different bioleaching systems for Li recovery from lepidolite

Abstract

Three different biological systems, the consortium of autotrophic bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, heterotrophic fungus Aspergillus niger and heterotrophic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, were investigated for lithium extraction from lepidolite. The bacterial consortium was the most effective, 11 mg l −1 of Li was dissolved in the absence of nutrients within 336 days. Fungal and yeast bioleaching was faster (40 days), however, with lower extraction efficiency. Bioaccumulation represented a main process of Li extraction by R. mucilaginosa and A. niger, with 92 and 77% of total extracted Li accumulated in the biomass, respectively. The X-ray diffraction analysis for bioleaching residue indicated changes caused by microorganisms, however, with differences between bacterial leaching and bioleaching by fungi or yeasts. The final bioleaching yields for bacterial consortium, A. niger and R. mucilaginosa were 8.8%, 0.2% and 1.1%, respectively. two-step bioleaching using heterotrophic organisms followed by autotrophic bioleaching could lead to the increase of the process kinetics and efficiency. Bioaccumulation of Li offers strong advantage in Li extraction from solution.

Recycling of Lithium‐Ion Batteries—Current State of the Art, Circular Economy, and Next Generation Recycling

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“…Based on an experimental comparison study, it was shown that the Li extraction rate of bacteria was the highest regardless of time, while the bioleaching efficiency of fungi was the highest in a short period of time. 207 Alavi et al demonstrated that a mixed fungal culture of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tuberosus successfully recovered metals from LIBs with high recovery efficiency. 208 Mousavi et al used organic acids produced by Aspergillus niger for leaching waste LIBs of different pulp densities.…”

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