Journal of Primeasia
Integrative Disciplinary Research | Online ISSN 3064-9870 | Print ISSN 3069-4353
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Volume 7 Number 1 2026
REVIEWS (Open Access)
From Mine to Material Loop: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Lithium Recovery Efficiency, Global Warming Potential, and Life Cycle Methodological Variability in Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling
Hussein Naser Radhi 1*
Journal of Primeasia 7 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/primeasia.7110789
Submitted: 02 May 2026 Revised: 22 June 2026 Accepted: 30 June 2026 Published: 01 July 2026
Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries sit at the heart of the clean energy transition — and yet, the way we extract, use, and discard them raises uncomfortable questions that the field hasn't fully resolved. This systematic review and meta-analysis attempts to cut through that complexity, drawing on peer-reviewed studies to compare the environmental performance of lithium recovery from spent batteries against conventional primary mining. We focused specifically on global warming potential (GWP), process-level recovery efficiency, and the often-overlooked role of life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodology in shaping what the data actually tell us. What emerged was, frankly, a messier picture than the headlines suggest. Recovery rates ranged from 91.6% to 99.0% — a pooled mean of 96.4% ± 0.9% — but that spread matters. Closed-loop hydrometallurgical routes performed most consistently; selective acid leaching, less so. GWP estimates varied even more dramatically, from 2.31 to 12.50 kg CO2e per kg of cathode active material, depending almost entirely on where the electricity came from. That finding alone deserves more attention than it typically receives. Across methodologies, recycled lithium reliably outperformed primary production on climate metrics — but only when paired with low-carbon energy. Functional unit choice and system boundary definitions shifted conclusions more than most studies acknowledge. These aren't merely technical footnotes; they're the variables that determine whether recycling actually delivers on its environmental promise.
Keywords: Lithium recycling; Life cycle assessment; Global warming potential; Cathode active materials; Meta-analysis; Battery sustainability
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