The photo shows Nickel recovered from a nickel-metal hydride battery.
Toyota Motor Corp. and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. said Wednesday that they have started recycling nickel-metal hydride batteries from hybrid vehicles, with the recovered nickel to be used in new hybrid batteries.
Under the program, Toyota dealerships and salvage yard operators remove the batteries from Prius and other hybrids no longer in use. The high-grade nickel, extracted through a heat treatment, is then smelted and processed by Sumitomo Metal Mining. Primearth EV Energy Co., a Toyota group battery maker, uses the recovered nickel in new hybrid batteries. This is said to be the first endeavor of its kind.
The process works for nearly all nickel-metal hydride batteries installed in hybrids. The partners expect to recycle batteries from 5,000 vehicles in 2011 and upwards of 10,000 in two to three years — enough nickel for 5,000 new batteries.
Source: NIKKEI.com