Battery Material Handling and Processing Dust Collection

Some of these steps include: 

• Mining or extraction: The first step in the material supply chain for battery manufacturing is typically mining or extraction of the raw materials needed to produce battery components. This can involve extracting metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and aluminum, as well as materials such as graphite and electrolytes. Mining and mineral processing produce large volumes of heavy, abrasive dust that will contain silica and rock dust in addition to the target ore. 
• Refining: After the raw materials are extracted, they are typically refined to remove impurities and prepare them for use in battery production. This can involve a variety of chemical and physical processes, including leaching, precipitation, smelting, and electrolysis. Refining produces large volumes of coarse, heavy dust that may be mixed with toxic vapors and gases. 
• Production of intermediate materials: Once the raw materials are refined, they may be further processed into intermediate materials that are used in the production of battery components. For example, nickel and cobalt can be processed into powder form for use in battery cathodes, and graphite can be purified and processed into powder for use in anode production. These processes create large volumes of fine and ultrafine dust (and, in some production processes, nanomaterials).
• Transport, conveying and storage: Battery raw materials, once refined and processed, must be packaged, transported and stored. The process of moving battery material, especially in finely divided form, has the potential to create clouds of dust whenever powders are disturbed. Dump points, conveyors and storage silos/bins require an effective dust control solution to prevent clouds of combustible dust from forming.

• Toxic dust: The specific health risks will depend on the type of materials being processed and the stage of the processing. Mining and ore processing create heavy, abrasive dusts that can be highly irritating to the eyes, skin, and tissues of the nose, throat and lungs. Breathing these materials for a long period of time can cause fibrosis of the lung; many materials used in battery manufacturing are also considered carcinogenic. Workers at this stage of the process may also be exposed to high levels of silica dust from rock material extracted along with the ores. Silica dust exposure from breathing in particles of silica from quartz, sand or rock can lead to silicosis, a dangerous form of pulmonary fibrosis. Later stages of mineral processing and refining may expose workers to fine dusts and powders of refined battery materials such as graphite, lithium, cobalt or lead. Finer materials may be inhaled more deeply into the lungs, where they can persist and lead to long-lasting impacts throughout the body. Exposure risks for materials used in battery manufacturing may include lung inflammation or fibrosis, cancer, metal fume fever, neurological damage, kidney disease and other health impacts, depending on the specific materials involved. Smelting and other thermal processes may also create fumed particles of toxic mercury and other heavy metals found in unprocessed ores. 
• Chemicals, vapors and gases: Workers may also be exposed to chemicals used in smelting and refining processes, including acids, leaching agents, solvents, fluxes (such as borax) and reducing agents. Many of these materials are highly toxic and can cause both acute and chronic health conditions, such as respiratory irritation, chemical burns, eye damage, neurological effects, and cancer. The smelting process can also create toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. These gases are dangerous to inhale and also may displace oxygen in the immediate vicinity, creating a suffocation hazard.
• Combustion risk: Dust produced during extraction, processing and handling of battery precursor materials is often highly combustible. Carbon black, graphite, lithium salts and silicon powder, among other battery materials, are highly combustible under the right circumstances. If clouds of dust are allowed to form within an enclosure (including the dust collection system itself), a spark or ignition source can easily set off a dangerous combustible dust explosion. Download the Visual Guide to Combustible Dust.

• Worker health and safety: All employers in the U.S. are legally required to meet Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for respirable materials set by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Manufacturers can find the PEL specific to the materials they are working with in OSHA’s Annotated PEL Tables. If the PEL is not met, employers may be subject to fines or sanctions. Manufacturers should also be aware of Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs) from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Threshold Value Limits (TLVs) from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH); these guidelines, which do not carry the force of law, may be lower than the OSHA-required PEL.
• Environmental protection: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets regulations governing how materials are handled and stored, how waste material is disposed of (including particulate collected in the dust collection system), and how much material may be emitted into the atmosphere. Companies involved in mining, refining and processing minerals used for battery production must follow all standards for emission control and material storage and disposal under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
• Fire and explosion protection: OSHA’s Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP) outlines policies and procedures for inspecting workplaces that create or handle combustible dusts. Manufacturers are also responsible for following standards for handling combustible materials, including standards for dust control and dust collection system design, outline d by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Relevant standards for collection of combustible dust created in mining, mineral processing, refining and processing of materials used for battery production include NFPA 652, NFPA 654, NFPA 484, NFPA 68, and NFPA 69.

• Abrasive dust control: Mining and mineral processing of materials used in battery production, such as lithium and cobalt, create large volumes of heavy, abrasive dust, which may include silica, rock dust and other materials along with the target ore. This may require specialized dust collection equipment and ductwork to withstand abrasion and handle large volumes of dust. 
• Fine or ultrafine dust: Other parts of the refining process, such as powdering, will create very fine dust. Battery materials may also include nanomaterials that can’t be captured with standard dust collector filters. HEPA filtration may be required for collection of ultrafine dusts, powders and nanomaterials. Fine battery material dust may also be highly charged, requiring the use of anti-static filters. 
• Highly toxic materials: Many of the materials used in battery production, such as cobalt and lead, are highly toxic when inhaled and have very low permissible exposure limits. The system must be designed to ensure that PELs for all controlled materials are met. Air quality testing and worker exposure testing are recommended where workers may be exposed to highly toxic material such as lead or mercury.
• Toxic gases and vapors: Smelting and refining processes may produce toxic gases and vapors in addition to dry particulate. These may include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. Facilities must take appropriate measures to reduce exposure to toxic gases and vapors. This may include membrane filtration using materials such as activated carbon. Ventilation system design is also very important to ensure that contaminated air is continually pulled out and there is a plentiful supply of clean, fresh makeup air in all areas where people are working.
• Combustibility and explosiveness: Many of the materials used in battery manufacturing are highly combustible or explosive under the right conditions, including carbon black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, silicon powder, and cobalt. Specialized, NFPA-compliant dust collection systems that are designed to handle combustible dust safely and reduce the risk of fires or explosions must be used when processing, moving, handling or conveying combustible battery materials.