It was studied that the graphite-based lead dioxide anode which had been electrochemically activated was used to electrogenerate trivalent cobalt ion by means of coulometry at ambient temperature.

At present, nuclear engineers clean cobalt from the system by trapping it in what are known as ion-exchange resins.

Though lithium currently fetches very little on the open market, other components in lithium-ion batteries, such as nickel and cobalt, will make the batteries far too valuable to send to the landfill.