A lithium extraction method is disclosed. The lithium extraction method includes: preparing lithium phosphate containing impurities; dissolving the lithium phosphate and the impurities in an acid; and preparing a lithium-containing solution by adding an additive to a solution prepared by dissolving the lithium phosphate and the impurities in the acid, wherein the additive is a substance capable of simultaneously precipitating phosphate anions and the impurities, and the lithium-containing solution prepared through addition of the additive is basic.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

Powder composition comprising alkali metal bicarbonate particles and an amino acid as additive. A process for preparing alkali metal bicarbonate particles by spray-drying of an aqueous solution comprising 1-10% by weight of alkali metal bicarbonate and an amino acid as additive. A process for preparing alkali metal bicarbonate particles by co-grinding the alkali metal bicarbonate in the presence of an amino acid as additive.

Powder compositions comprising alkali metal bicarbonate particles and an additive. A process for preparing alkali metal bicarbonate particles by spray-drying of an aqueous solution or suspension comprising 1-10% by weight of alkali metal bicarbonate and a resin acid or a fatty acid as additive. A process for preparing alkali metal bicarbonate particles by co-grinding the alkali metal bicarbonate in the presence of a resin acid as additive. A process for preparing alkali metal bicarbonate particles by fluidized bed coating of the alkali metal bicarbonate in the presence of a resin acid, fatty acid or a wax as additive.

The present invention provides a nonaqueous electrolytic solution that provides an electric double layer capacitor having excellent durability. The nonaqueous electrolytic solution of the present invention is a nonaqueous electrolytic solution for electric double layer capacitors prepared by dissolving a quaternary ammonium salt as an electrolyte in a nonaqueous solvent, and the nonaqueous electrolytic solution has an alkali metal cation concentration of 0.1 to 30 ppm.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a method and method for recovery of solution mined minerals. The method may include creating superheated steam using a steam boiler; passing the superheated steam through a turbine/generator to generate electricity; reheating the steam exiting the turbine/generator to saturation with a steam reheater; using the saturated steam with an absorption chiller to create chilled water; and recovering minerals using the chilled water in a cooling crystallizer system. In embodiments, the method and system may be used to recover minerals, such as potash (KCl), washing soda (Na.sub.2CO.sub.3.10H.sub.2O); nahcolite (NaHCO.sub.3); and glauber salt (NaSO.sub.4.10H.sub.2O). The method may utilize the trigeneration of steam, electrical, and chilled water utilities, which may be used for a recovery process.

A method for producing metal carbonate is disclosed. The method includes the following steps of providing a first mixture of metal and a catalyst containing iron, NO groups, and N-containing ligands first; then introducing carbon dioxide to the first mixture to form a second mixture and obtaining a product. The method described here can improve the yield and decrease the cost of metal carbonate production.

A method for producing metal carbonate is disclosed. The method includes the following steps of providing a first mixture of metal and a catalyst containing iron, NO groups, and N-containing ligands first; then introducing carbon dioxide to the first mixture to form a second mixture and obtaining a product. The method described here can improve the yield and decrease the cost of metal carbonate production.

A method for preparing particles of alkali metal bicarbonate by crystallization from a solution of alkali metal carbonate and/or bicarbonate in the presence of an additive in the solution, selected from the sulfates, sulfonates, the polysulfonates, the mines, the hydroxysultaines, the polycarboxylates, the polysaccharides, the polyethers and the etherphenols, alkali metal hexametaphosphate, the phosphates such as the organophosphates or the phosphonates, the sulfosuccinates, the amido-sulfonates, the aminosulfonates, preferably selected from: the phosphates, the organophosphates or the phosphonates, and such that the additive is present in the solution at a concentration of at least 1 ppm and preferably of at most 200 ppm.

A method for preparing particles of alkali metal bicarbonate by crystallization from a solution of alkali metal carbonate and/or bicarbonate in the presence of an additive in the solution, selected from the sulfates, sulfonates, the polysulfonates, the mines, the hydroxysultaines, the polycarboxylates, the polysaccharides, the polyethers and the etherphenols, alkali metal hexametaphosphate, the phosphates such as the organophosphates or the phosphonates, the sulfosuccinates, the amido-sulfonates, the aminosulfonates, preferably selected from: the phosphates, the organophosphates or the phosphonates, and such that the additive is present in the solution at a concentration of at least 1 ppm and preferably of at most 200 ppm.