Abstract: As a result of the rapid development of the new energy material industry, the demand for lithium and its related compound sharply raised. As 65% of the lithium resources are restored in salt lake brine world widely, selectively extraction of lithium from salt lake brine has been treated valuable by the industry. It is necessary to make sure new energy industry and Lithium industry to become sustainable development industry by gain the technology of extract lithium from salt lake brine efficiently and eco-friendly. By drawing on the working principle of lithium-ion batteries, a wide variety of technologies for lithium extraction from salt lake brines using lithium-ion battery cathode materials has been developed. According to this paper, the following concept is covered: the working principle, process parameters and lithium extraction performance of lithium extraction system from salt lake brine composed of different lithium-ion battery cathode materials, as well as the development of selective extraction of lithium from salt lake brine using lithium-ion battery cathode materials and its application prospects have prospected.