Black Mass Pilot, 50–100 kg/batch: Reference Configuration

A reference configuration for a black-mass hydrometallurgical pilot producing sample nickel, cobalt and lithium salts for customer qualification.

Scope

Unit	Specification	Purpose
Reactor	200–500 L glass-lined or PP, jacket, agitator, condenser	Reductive leach with H₂SO₄ + H₂O₂
Off-gas scrubbing	Caustic scrubber	SO₂ and acid mist control
Filtration	Plate and frame press, 0.5–2 m²	Graphite and residue removal
Polishing	Cartridge filter 1 µm	< 20 ppm solids to SX
SX bank	2 stages extraction + 2 strip, PP/PMMA	Cu removal; Ni/Co separation
Precipitation	Reactor with dosing and pH control	Carbonate or hydroxide product
Crystallizer	50–200 L, jacketed, vacuum	Li₂CO₃ or sulphate
Utilities	Chiller, steam or electric heater, vacuum, air	—

Sequencing matters more than equipment

The same equipment can run different separation sequences. Decide early whether copper is removed by cementation or IX, whether manganese is separated before or after cobalt, and where the lithium polishing step sits. Each choice changes piping, reagent dosing and the number of SX stages — and re-piping a skid after commissioning is expensive.

Safety items that are not optional

Hydrogen peroxide dosing needs temperature and gas-evolution control; the leach is exothermic and can run away. The organic circuit needs bunding, grounding and flameproof electricals if the diluent flash point requires it. Fluoride from electrolyte residue attacks glass — confirm the F level before choosing a glass-lined reactor.

Deliverables

Typical outputs are 1–5 kg of each salt at battery-grade purity targets, plus a mass balance and impurity deportment table. That package is what offtakers ask for.

Send your black mass assay with F, Al and Cu, and we will confirm the sequence and the equipment list.