Discovery of Microorganisms for Eco-Friendly Extraction of Metals from Waste Batteries
The National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), under the Ministry of Environment, announced that last year it discovered three types of microorganisms in an abandoned mine in Gyeongsangbuk-do, capable of eco-friendly reduction of key minerals from waste batteries used in electric vehicles. Recently, they confirmed the potential of these microorganisms to extract and separate metal resources.
In collaboration with researchers, NIBR demonstrated that over 95% of key minerals such as lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt were separated after leaching the cathode active material, used in the positive (+) electrode of lithium-ion batteries, in a microorganism-activated solution for 24 hours.
NIBR plans to file a patent this month related to this bioleaching technology, which uses microorganisms to extract valuable metal components instead of toxic inorganic acids. Follow-up research will be conducted to bring this technology into practical use.
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