Improved circularity by manganese upgrading from secondary material flows
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Ulappa room, University Consortium of Kokkola (Talonpojankatu 2B, 67100 Kokkola)
Topic of the dissertation
Improved circularity by manganese upgrading from secondary material flows
Doctoral candidate
Master of Science Toni Kauppinen
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Technology, Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry
Subject of study
Process Engineering
Opponent
Associate Professor Martina Petranikova, Chalmers University of Technology
Custos
Professor Ulla Lassi, University of Oulu
Improved circularity by manganese upgrading from secondary material flows
Manganese has been an essential material in steel production for a long time, as it improves the strength, toughness, and workability of steel. Today, manganese is gaining new importance beyond traditional steelmaking. Its demand is expected to grow rapidly due to the increasing use of lithium ion and sodium ion batteries, where manganese is a key component of battery cathode materials.
Because of its importance to modern industry and the green transition, manganese is classified by the European Union as a critical raw material. At the same time, Europe faces challenges in securing its supply, as most major manganese deposits are located outside the EU. This creates geopolitical and supply chain risks and highlights the need to make better use of industrial side streams and recycled materials available within Europe.
The first part of this doctoral research focuses on developing new ways to produce high quality manganese products from secondary industrial sources. In particular, side streams from the zinc industry are studied as a potential source of manganese. The research shows that manganese can be selectively separated from these industrial residues. The resulting manganese sulfate solution already has potential uses, for example as a fertilizer, but it can also be further purified and processed into chemicals suitable for the battery industry. The work also examines how different impurities in manganese sulfate affect the production of battery cathode materials.
In the second part of the research, attention shifts to lithium ion battery waste. Here, manganese is recovered by using the inherent properties of the battery cathode material itself. Lithium is first selectively removed from the cathode material, after which the lithium free material can be used to oxidize and separate manganese. This approach reduces the need for additional chemicals and keeps unwanted elements out of the recycling solution. As a result, the process offers a more efficient and cleaner way to recover valuable metals from spent batteries.
Because of its importance to modern industry and the green transition, manganese is classified by the European Union as a critical raw material. At the same time, Europe faces challenges in securing its supply, as most major manganese deposits are located outside the EU. This creates geopolitical and supply chain risks and highlights the need to make better use of industrial side streams and recycled materials available within Europe.
The first part of this doctoral research focuses on developing new ways to produce high quality manganese products from secondary industrial sources. In particular, side streams from the zinc industry are studied as a potential source of manganese. The research shows that manganese can be selectively separated from these industrial residues. The resulting manganese sulfate solution already has potential uses, for example as a fertilizer, but it can also be further purified and processed into chemicals suitable for the battery industry. The work also examines how different impurities in manganese sulfate affect the production of battery cathode materials.
In the second part of the research, attention shifts to lithium ion battery waste. Here, manganese is recovered by using the inherent properties of the battery cathode material itself. Lithium is first selectively removed from the cathode material, after which the lithium free material can be used to oxidize and separate manganese. This approach reduces the need for additional chemicals and keeps unwanted elements out of the recycling solution. As a result, the process offers a more efficient and cleaner way to recover valuable metals from spent batteries.
Created 6.2.2026 | Updated 6.2.2026