# Lithium Batteries



## Buzz (Feb 10, 2008)

Just wondered what we can do with the lithium batteries that come off the computer mainboards.

I'm talking about the silver coloured coin CR-2032 type batteries.

I've got a 10 Litre bucketful of them sitting around somewhere.

Regards
Buzz


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## Buzz (Feb 16, 2008)

Any takers on this folks.

Somebody must be doing something with them!

Regards
Buzz


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## skyline27 (Feb 16, 2008)

I've tested, bundled and sold them in the past. I don't know what they're selling for lately.


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## Absolutsecurity (Feb 16, 2008)

Any thought that a 10L bucket full would have no attention to polarity and could cause a risk of explosion or fire due to shorting out the cells in MASS. Just the first thing that came to my mind when I read your post! 

Glynn


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## Buzz (Feb 17, 2008)

I hadn't given any thought to it actually!

They are outside in a concrete garden bunker though.

Regards
Buzz


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## Absolutsecurity (Feb 17, 2008)

I just thought I'd toss that one out there - I know I have heard a lot of horror stories about lithium batteries fires and explosions caused by shorts or grounding. Everything from a pocket fire I had once myself from two cr123 cells in my pocket that shorted against my keys and got red hot in no time and burnt my thigh - it scared the hell out of me and then all those stories I thought weren't that big of a deal became tried and true and made sense to me.

Glynn


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## junkelly (Feb 17, 2008)

The local recycling centers around me take batteries. They have special dropoff areas for things like batteries, not near the main recycling centers that take glass, cans, and paper.

I thought about testing them and selling them, but after seeing what "brand new" ones sell for on ebay, I figured it wasn't worth their fees or my time.

I'm under the impression that the idiots who run labs out in the woods make use of lithium batteries. I don't mind giving them to the gov't run disposal center, if it will keep them out of the idiots' hands.

-junkelly


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## Anonymous (Apr 12, 2008)

I own a jewelery and we change about 500 watch batts per month there are always guys wanting to buy my old ones at around $20 lb I have about 20 lbs so there must be some silver in them don't know if it's anything to go for (refine) unless you have a few hundred lbs ?


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## Platdigger (Apr 12, 2008)

I saw were some guy is using them to power electric cars.
Randy


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## Recyclebiz_com (Apr 12, 2008)

Are approximately 35% silver by weight, so $20/pound is a fair price for them as scrap. Trick here is to make sure ALL the one you're picking (or selling, in this case) are actually silver, and not standard, non-precious batts.

- Scott - recyclebiz.com


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## macfixer01 (Apr 12, 2008)

p schmidt said:


> I own a jewelery and we change about 500 watch batts per month there are always guys wanting to buy my old ones at around $20 lb I have about 20 lbs so there must be some silver in them don't know if it's anything to go for (refine) unless you have a few hundred lbs ?





I believe the smaller diameter almost cylindrical shaped batteries used in watches, hearing aids, and the like, are silver-mercury batteries. That would make them more valuable than lithium batteries in terms of scrap.

Lithium batteries would indeed be a fire danger since lithium is a highly reactive alkaline metal. Chemically it's simlilar to magnesium but even more reactive. Lithium will also react with water forming lithium hydroxide and releasing hydrogen gas.

macfixer01


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## Gene Gindling (Apr 13, 2008)

I think they are useing them to make meth.


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## Rag and Bone (Apr 14, 2008)

Indeed. That's some nasty shit. I've seen those people tear-up Pine County, MN. They scavenge metal and material like insects!


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## Lou (Apr 14, 2008)

That's a lot of batteries to take apart for a small amount of lithium metal, that is mostly oxidized. They may have plenty of time and little intelligence, but I highly doubt that they would be taking apart watch batteries for lithium just so they can do some ghetto-rigged Birch reduction. Much easier for the devils to go after match books.


I bet it's the silver and the mercury content. Mercury is expensive stuff, about 10-15 a pound, and silver's worth your time if you can get it en masse.


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## Buzz (Apr 21, 2008)

Anyone know what the Lithium is likely to do if I drop one of these batteries into 70% Nitric?

I believe it was Lthium that did some fairly hairy explosive things back in my chemistry class schooldays.

If there is Silver in these things and it's reasonably safe to go after, i might give it a whirl.

Any clues anyone?

Regards
Buzz


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## lazersteve (Apr 21, 2008)

I think the lithium batteries only have lithium, and electrolyte, and manganese dioxide. The shell is steel.

The silver bearing batteries are a different variety all together if I'm not mistaken. 

I would not drop any battery straight into nitric.

Steve


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Aug 26, 2008)

Guys:

Why do not you take a look to my post called "All about silver button batteries", in "other Metals","silver" Index....just do the same I tell you for lthium ones instead of silver ones,except do not drop them in nitric acid,drop them in water and you will recover the lithium as lithium hydroxide,but be careful,hidrogen will release so do not drop more than 5 batteries each time,wait until water stop fizzes to add other 5 batteries,the reaction is almost instantly and do it outside.

I hope it hepls.

Best Regards
Manuel


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## Anonymous (Aug 31, 2008)

they are almost ceretainly being used to make meth.


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Sep 1, 2008)

gettinit 121276.

Not exactly,take a look what Lou has wrote about lithium uses.Meth manufacturers need lithium but I think they do not know that lithium cells have it.

Manuel


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## ILikeBoats (Nov 13, 2008)

Be careful, lithium can have very bad effects on people. It was used previously to treat people who were depressed, and will affect your brain.


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## Anonymous (Nov 14, 2008)

they use lithium batteries when they make meth. Lithium is part of the process, un-believable what people will put in thier bodies....Jack


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