UZ Students Pioneer Used Lithium Ion Batteries Lithium Recovery Innovation  

University of Zimbabwe, UZ students have pioneered an innovative lithium recovery technique from used lithium ion batteries considering the sharp global demand for lithium that is use in the manufacture of batteries for industrial, domestic and vehicle uses and other applications. 

By Francis S. Bingandadi Editor FinTech Review.Africa

Speaking to FinTech Review.Africa at the Midlands State University 2025 Research and Innovation Expo, recently, UZ student and President of Enactus Zimbabwe, Simon Musikavanhu, said that his team developed the green lithium recovery innovation after discovering that so much lithium in old batteries is going to waste and they had to do something.

Musikavanhu said that they first check whether the batteries have any stored energy before opening them. After discharging the batteries that may still have some power they proceed to open and crush the batteries mixed with reagents to extract lithium and other metals like cobalt that they reuse to make new batteries.

In the process they use an automated robotic sorting arm that the team developed to reduce damage to the users.

The team develop another Green Vault, an energy transition innovation that stores energy in the form of hydrogen produced through an electrolysis process to slit water into hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is purified and stored separately for medical and other industrial applications. The hydrogen is used to generate electricity through a fuel cell that converts hydrogen into electricity.