Lithium recovery method

摘要

The objective of the present invention is to provide a lithium recovery method able to efficiently recover lithium not containing impurities such as phosphorus or fluorine. In the present invention, in a step for recovering valuable metals from lithium ion batteries, an alkali is added to a washing liquid and/or an electric discharge liquid containing lithium that has been discharged, lithium ions are extracted by means of contact with an acidic solvent extraction agent under the temperature conditions of 0-25°C and a pH of no greater than 9, and then lithium ions are back extracted by contacting the acidic solvent extraction agent that extracted the lithium ions to an acidic solution having a pH of no greater than 3.