In　this　study,　green　and　efficient　method　for　recycling　valuable　metals　from　scrapped　lithium　cobalt　oxide　cathode　materials　to　form　lithium　carbonate　and　cobalt　powder　was　proposed.　To　this　end,　aluminum　and　iron　impurities　were　efficiently　removed　from　scrapped　lithium　cobalt　oxide　cathode　materials　through　alkali　dissolution　and　magnetic　separation　with　removal　rates　of　99.9%　and　98.3%,　respectively.　After　removal　of　impurities,　lithium　cobalt　oxides　were　reduced　by　hydrogen　at　high　temperature　of　650　°C　for　3　h　to　yield　Li2O,　Co,　and　very　small　amounts　of　CoO　and　LiOH.　Next,　the　mixture　was　subjected　to　water　leaching　and　sodium　carbonate　precipitation　to　obtain　lithium　carbonate　with　purity　of　99.5%.　The　water-leaching　Co　and　small　amounts　of　cobalt　oxides　were　again　reduced　by　hydrogen　to　form　cobalt　powder　with　purity　of　99.4%.　In　sum,　the　proposed　method　looks　promising　in　terms　of　efficiency,　easy　for　implementation,　environmentally-friendliness,　and　potential　industrialization.　©　2020　Published　under　licence　by　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.