ACTIVE MATERIAL, METHOD FOR PRODUCING RECYCLED ACTIVE MATERIAL, METHOD FOR TRACKING VALUABLE ELEMENT RECOVERED FROM BATTERY, AND COMPOUND FOR TRACKING

1 . An active material comprising:

at least one element M selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium; and

an element X different from the element M, and

the element X comprising at least one member selected from metals of groups 2 and 15 in the second period of the periodic table, metals of groups 3, 11, and 13 to 16 in the fourth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3, 7 to 13, and 15 to 17 in the fifth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3 and 7 to 17 in the sixth period of the periodic table, and metals of groups 1 to 17 in the seventh period of the periodic table.

2 . The active material according to claim 1 , wherein the element X is absent in a natural ore as a source of the element M and not involved in battery reaction of a battery having the active material.

3 . The active material according to claim 1 , wherein the element X is present in an amount of 1 to 1000 ppm.

4 . A method for producing a recycled active material comprising:

recovering an element M from a battery having an active material A containing the element M, the element M being at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium, and

producing an active material B which is the same or different from the active material A using the recovered element M,

the active material A further containing at least one element X selected from metals of groups 2 and 15 in the second period of the periodic table, metals of groups 3, 11, and 13 to 16 in the fourth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3, 7 to 13, and 15 to 17 in the fifth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3 and 7 to 17 in the sixth period of the periodic table, and metals of groups 1 to 17 in the seventh period of the periodic table.

5 . The method for producing a recycled active material according to claim 4 , wherein the element X is absent in a natural ore as a source of the element M and is not involved in battery reaction of a battery containing the active material B.

6 . A method for tracing a valuable element recovered from a battery, comprising,

when an active material B is produced using an element M recovered from a battery having an active material A containing the element M, the active materials A and B being the same or different from each other, and the element M being at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium,

using, as the active material A, an active material further containing at least one element X selected from metals of groups 2 and 15 in the second period of the periodic table, metals of groups 3, 11, and 13 to 16 in the fourth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3, 7 to 13, and 15 to 17 in the fifth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3 and 7 to 17 in the sixth period of the periodic table, and metals of groups 1 to 17 in the seventh period of the periodic table, and

tracing the element M recovered from a battery having the active material B on the basis of the type and/or amount of the element X contained in the active material B.

7 . A method for tracing a valuable element recovered from a battery, comprising,

when an active material B is produced using an element M recovered from a battery containing an active material A containing the element M, the active materials A and B being the same or different from each other, and the element M being at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium

using, as the active material A, an active material further containing an element X that is neither contained in a natural ore as a source of the element M nor involved in battery reaction of a battery containing the active material B and

tracing the element M recovered from the battery containing the active material B on the basis of the type and/or amount of the element X contained in the active material B.

8 . A tracer compound for tracing a valuable element recovered from a battery, comprising at least one element X selected from metals of groups 2 and 15 in the second period of the periodic table, metals of groups 3, 11, and 13 to 16 in the fourth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3, 7 to 13, and 15 to 17 in the fifth period of the periodic table, metals of groups 1 to 3 and 7 to 17 in the sixth period of the periodic table, and metals of groups 1 to 17 in the seventh period of the periodic table,

the tracer compound being adapted to be added to an active material A containing at least one element M selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium when an active material B is produced using the element M recovered from a battery containing the active material A, the active materials A and B being the same or different from each other, and

the tracer compound being used to trace the element M recovered from a battery containing the active material B.

9 . A tracer compound for tracing a valuable element recovered from a battery, comprising an element X,

the tracer compound being adapted to be added to an active material A containing at least one element M selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium when an active material B is produced using the element M recovered from a battery containing the active material A,

the active materials A and B being the same or different from each other,

the tracer compound being used to trace the element M recovered from a battery containing the active material B, and

the element X being neither contained in a natural ore as a source of the element M nor involved in battery reaction of a battery containing the active material B.