{
  "node": {
    "id": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
    "type": "Term",
    "label": "Pregnant leach solution",
    "properties": {
      "id": "pregnant-leach-solution",
      "name": "Pregnant leach solution",
      "abbr": "PLS",
      "section": "topic-recycling",
      "aka": [
        "leach liquor"
      ],
      "definition": "The solution that leaves the leach carrying the dissolved metals: lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese, with copper, iron and aluminium as impurities. It is filtered from the leach residue and purified before the metals are separated.",
      "related": [
        "leaching",
        "lixiviant",
        "impurity-removal",
        "solvent-extraction",
        "filter-press"
      ],
      "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/pregnant-leach-solution/",
      "mentions": [
        "cobalt",
        "manganese"
      ]
    }
  },
  "edges": [
    {
      "id": "edge:belongsTo/term:pregnant-leach-solution/topic:topic-recycling",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "topic:topic-recycling",
      "type": "belongsTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:pregnant-leach-solution/term:leaching",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:leaching",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:pregnant-leach-solution/term:lixiviant",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:lixiviant",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:pregnant-leach-solution/term:impurity-removal",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:impurity-removal",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:pregnant-leach-solution/term:solvent-extraction",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:solvent-extraction",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:pregnant-leach-solution/term:filter-press",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:filter-press",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/pregnant-leach-solution/cobalt",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:cobalt",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions",
        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/pregnant-leach-solution/manganese",
      "source": "term:pregnant-leach-solution",
      "target": "term:manganese",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
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        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
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    }
  ],
  "neighbors": [
    {
      "id": "topic:topic-recycling",
      "type": "Topic",
      "label": "Recycling and end of life",
      "properties": {
        "id": "topic-recycling",
        "name": "Recycling and end of life",
        "lede": "What happens to a battery after its first life: reuse, and the recycling routes that recover its materials, step by step.",
        "context": "Distinguish recovered material from a qualified product.",
        "example": "High mass recovery alone does not establish battery-grade purity or refining energy demand.",
        "lesson_url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/fundamentals/cell-production/",
        "lesson_label": "Open process context"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:leaching",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Leaching",
      "properties": {
        "id": "leaching",
        "name": "Leaching",
        "aka": [
          "acid leaching",
          "reductive leaching"
        ],
        "section": "topic-recycling",
        "definition": "Dissolving the metals in black mass, usually in sulfuric acid with hydrogen peroxide as a reducing agent so cobalt and manganese go into solution as their more soluble lower oxidation state. The leach liquor carries lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese, plus impurities such as copper and aluminium.",
        "related": [
          "hydrometallurgy",
          "black-mass",
          "solvent-extraction",
          "impurity-removal",
          "bioleaching",
          "deep-eutectic-solvent"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/leaching/",
        "mentions": [
          "oxidation",
          "cobalt",
          "pregnant-leach-solution",
          "reducing-agent",
          "manganese"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:lixiviant",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Lixiviant",
      "properties": {
        "id": "lixiviant",
        "name": "Lixiviant",
        "section": "topic-recycling",
        "definition": "The liquid used to dissolve metals in leaching. In battery recycling it is usually sulfuric acid, sometimes hydrochloric or an organic acid, and water for some lithium iron phosphate routes.",
        "related": [
          "leaching",
          "reducing-agent",
          "pregnant-leach-solution",
          "deep-eutectic-solvent"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/lixiviant/",
        "mentions": [
          "lfp",
          "recycling"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:impurity-removal",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Impurity removal",
      "properties": {
        "id": "impurity-removal",
        "name": "Impurity removal",
        "aka": [
          "purification",
          "iron and aluminium removal"
        ],
        "section": "topic-recycling",
        "definition": "Removing copper, iron and aluminium from the leach liquor before the valuable metals are separated, typically by cementation and by raising the pH until their hydroxides precipitate. Battery-grade products need impurities in the parts per million.",
        "related": [
          "leaching",
          "solvent-extraction",
          "precipitation",
          "cementation",
          "filter-press"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/impurity-removal/",
        "mentions": [
          "pregnant-leach-solution"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:solvent-extraction",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Solvent extraction",
      "properties": {
        "id": "solvent-extraction",
        "name": "Solvent extraction",
        "abbr": "SX",
        "aka": [
          "liquid–liquid extraction",
          "Cyanex 272",
          "D2EHPA"
        ],
        "section": "topic-recycling",
        "definition": "Separating metals in the leach liquor by contacting it with an organic phase carrying an extractant that picks up one metal at a time, controlled by pH: manganese, then cobalt, then nickel, leaving lithium in the water. It is how recyclers reach battery-grade sulfates.",
        "related": [
          "leaching",
          "precipitation",
          "crystallisation",
          "hydrometallurgy",
          "raffinate",
          "mixer-settler"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/solvent-extraction/",
        "mentions": [
          "cobalt",
          "pregnant-leach-solution",
          "manganese"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:filter-press",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Filter press",
      "properties": {
        "id": "filter-press",
        "name": "Filter press",
        "section": "topic-recycling",
        "definition": "A stack of plates covered with filter cloth and clamped together hydraulically, into which a slurry is pumped: the liquid passes the cloth and the solids stay behind as a cake. Recycling plants use it after leaching, purification and precipitation.",
        "related": [
          "leaching",
          "impurity-removal",
          "precipitation",
          "cementation"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/filter-press/",
        "mentions": [
          "slurry"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:cobalt",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Cobalt",
      "properties": {
        "id": "cobalt",
        "name": "Cobalt",
        "section": "topic-sustainability",
        "definition": "The metal that stabilises layered-oxide cathodes, mined largely in the Democratic Republic of Congo under scrutiny for working conditions. Its price and ethics have driven the industry from LCO and NMC111 towards high-nickel and cobalt-free LFP.",
        "related": [
          "nmc",
          "lco",
          "high-nickel",
          "critical-raw-materials",
          "due-diligence"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/cobalt/",
        "mentions": []
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:manganese",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Manganese",
      "properties": {
        "id": "manganese",
        "name": "Manganese",
        "aka": [
          "manganese sulfate",
          "high-purity manganese sulfate",
          "HPMSM"
        ],
        "section": "topic-sustainability",
        "definition": "A cheap, abundant metal used in NMC, LMO and LMFP positive electrodes and in alkaline cells. Ore comes mostly from South Africa, Gabon and Australia, but about 95 % of battery-grade high-purity manganese sulfate was refined in China in 2024, which puts manganese on critical-raw-material lists despite plentiful reserves.",
        "related": [
          "nmc",
          "lmo",
          "lmfp",
          "critical-raw-materials",
          "cobalt",
          "nickel-sulfate"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/manganese/",
        "mentions": []
      }
    }
  ]
}