biostudies-literatureLi NNational Natural Science Foundation of China23908-23915https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9069487biostudies-literatureUnknown9(41)In the pyrometallurgical treatment for spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lithium is generally present in slag with Al, Ca and Si and is hard to be further treated. In this study, lithium was recovered from a simulated pyrometallurgical slag (pyro-slag) <i>via</i> sodium roasting and water leaching. The thermodynamic process for the reactions between slag and additives such as NaCl, NaNO₃ and Na₂SO₄ were simulated during roasting by the HSC software, where Na₂SO₄ possessed stronger chemical reactivity. The optimal conditions for roasting were experimentally determined to be 800 °C for 60 min and an Na₂SO₄/Li molar ratio of 3 : 1, followed by water leaching at 70 °C for 80 min using a liquid-to-solid (L/S) mass raRSC advancesAqueous leaching of lithium from simulated pyrometallurgical slag by sodium sulfate roasting.PMC906948721276022Li WGuo JAli SSun CChang ZDang HZhou HLi NZhao XfalseAqueous leaching of lithium from simulated pyrometallurgical slag by sodium sulfate roasting.In the pyrometallurgical treatment for spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lithium is generally present in slag with Al, Ca and Si and is hard to be further treated. In this study, lithium was recovered from a simulated pyrometallurgical slag (pyro-slag) <i>via</i> sodium roasting and water leaching. The thermodynamic process for the reactions between slag and additives such as NaCl, NaNO₃ and Na₂SO₄ were simulated during roasting by the HSC software, where Na₂SO₄ possessed stronger chemical reactivity. The optimal conditions for roasting were experimentally determined to be 800 °C for 60 min and an Na₂SO₄/Li molar ratio of 3 : 1, followed by water leaching at 70 °C for 80 min using a liquid-to-solid (L/S) mass ra2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2019 Jul2025-04-19T09:20:34.784Z2025-04-19T09:20:34.784ZS-EPMC90694873553059310.1039/c9ra03754c