Curious about how SK tes is revolutionizing lithium battery recycling? Discover how our 'SK tes B' Battery Recycling Facility in Singapore, is closing the loop on lithium batteries. Watch our video to see our cutting-edge processes in action—from safely collecting retired batteries to recovering critical materials for reuse.
The demand for the world’s limited resources is increasing to unsustainable levels.
Some forecasts predict that natural resources like cobalt and lithium could be depleted within the next 100 years. These elements are vital components of lithium batteries, and as our demand for technology grows, it is crucial that these devices and their batteries are responsibly recycled.
SK tes is privileged to be the partner of choice for some of the world’s largest technology contract manufacturers and electric vehicle manufacturers. We collaborate with these partners to safely package, collect, and transport their retired lithium batteries from their locations to our recycling facilities in France and Singapore.
What does lithium-ion and EV battery recycling process looks like at SK tes?
Upon arrival, the batteries are certified and sealed, ready for processing and repurposing by our team of 200 engineers. The receiving process begins here, where we start recovering the scarce materials inside the retired batteries. Our team identifies and records relevant data as the materials are unpackaged. This process forms part of our documented chain of custody, creating an audit trail that ensures our clients remain compliant with regulations and meet their internal audit requirements.
Once everything is recorded, we determine the dismantling process. When required, a subsequent discharging step is performed to harvest the batteries’ residual energy. This recovered energy is stored and utilized in the subsequent recycling stages. Pallet IDs are checked again, and the contents are photographed and logged before sorting begins.
The batteries are segregated by type, after which they undergo a mechanical process comprising two phases: size reduction and separation. First, the batteries are shredded and hammer-milled, minimizing thermal runaway risks. During this step, heat generated by the process allows electrolytes to evaporate and be captured as VOC gases, which are carefully monitored to ensure safety.
Next, the separation phase begins. Using a series of air and magnetic milling techniques, the core components of the batteries are divided into ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Paper and plastic materials are removed, and black mass powder is extracted and preserved for the next stage.
The black mass becomes the starting material for a four-stage chemical process, which begins with leaching to extract precious metal elements. This process includes multiple cycles of reaction and filtration, yielding graphite, cobalt hydroxide, and lithium carbonate—materials ready for use in manufacturing new batteries.
All processes are highly automated, monitored, and controlled from a central control center and an on-site sophisticated automation system. Our lab team conducts quality control analyses to ensure the recovered raw materials meet rigorous supply chain standards for new batteries, achieving industry-leading commodity-grade recovery and purity rates.
Sustainable, safe and cost-effective battery recycling solutions at SK tes
Meanwhile, the facility ensures zero discharge of wastewater. By capturing sodium sulphate by-products and using an on-site photovoltaic energy storage system, the hydrometallurgical process is made as sustainable as possible.
Thanks to these efforts, the raw materials required for tomorrow’s batteries can be reused in the manufacturing supply chain, reducing dependence on scarce resources. This approach provides an ethical, safe, cost-effective, and closed-loop solution for our planet and our customers.
Explore our battery recycling services and get in touch for more information.
