In a method for recovering active metals from a lithium secondary battery according to exemplary embodiments, a cathode active material mixture including a lithium composite oxide may be reacted with a reducing reaction gas under a pressurized condition and washed with water. In this case, a large amount of the cathode active material mixture may be treated within a shortened process time, and the active metal may be recovered with high yield and high efficiency.

A new method for extracting lithium from salt lake brine, comprising the following steps: a salt lake old brine raw material, desorption liquid, low-magnesium water, and adsorption tail liquid pass through an old brine feeding pipe (2), a desorption liquid feeding pipe (4), a low-magnesium water top desorption liquid feeding pipe (3), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid feeding pipe (11), respectively, which are located above and below a rotary disc of a multi-way valve system (1); and after respectively entering corresponding adsorption columns (6) by means of a duct and channel within the multi-way valve system (1), the entire process procedure is completed from an adsorption tail liquid discharge pipe (7), a qualified desorption liquid discharge pipe (10), a lithium-containing old brine discharge pipe (8), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid discharge pipe (5); and the adsorption columns (6) are connected in series or in parallel by means of channels located in the multi-way valve system (1). The feature in which a multi-way valve device is simple and easy to operate is utilized, and in comparison with a fixed bed operating system, the utilization rate of lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 20%, the utilization efficiency of the lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 40%, and production costs may be reduced by 30-50%. Therefore, the stability of a qualified desorption liquid is improved, stable production is guaranteed, and year-round constant operation may be achieved.

A new method for extracting lithium from salt lake brine, comprising the following steps: a salt lake old brine raw material, desorption liquid, low-magnesium water, and adsorption tail liquid pass through an old brine feeding pipe (2), a desorption liquid feeding pipe (4), a low-magnesium water top desorption liquid feeding pipe (3), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid feeding pipe (11), respectively, which are located above and below a rotary disc of a multi-way valve system (1); and after respectively entering corresponding adsorption columns (6) by means of a duct and channel within the multi-way valve system (1), the entire process procedure is completed from an adsorption tail liquid discharge pipe (7), a qualified desorption liquid discharge pipe (10), a lithium-containing old brine discharge pipe (8), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid discharge pipe (5); and the adsorption columns (6) are connected in series or in parallel by means of channels located in the multi-way valve system (1). The feature in which a multi-way valve device is simple and easy to operate is utilized, and in comparison with a fixed bed operating system, the utilization rate of lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 20%, the utilization efficiency of the lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 40%, and production costs may be reduced by 30-50%. Therefore, the stability of a qualified desorption liquid is improved, stable production is guaranteed, and year-round constant operation may be achieved.

A method of producing lithium phosphate from a lithium source includes the step of (a) concentrating the lithium to produce a lithium concentrate, with an ion exchange sorbent, and (b) reacting the lithium concentrate with phosphate anions to produce lithium phosphate. The lithium phosphate may then be converted to lithium hydroxide or lithium 5 carbonate by reaction with calcium hydroxide or by electrolysis.

A method of producing lithium phosphate from a lithium source includes the step of (a) concentrating the lithium to produce a lithium concentrate, with an ion exchange sorbent, and (b) reacting the lithium concentrate with phosphate anions to produce lithium phosphate. The lithium phosphate may then be converted to lithium hydroxide or lithium 5 carbonate by reaction with calcium hydroxide or by electrolysis.

The present disclosure relates to a method for extracting lithium from a lithium-containing material. For example, the method can comprise leaching a roasted lithium-containing material under conditions suitable to obtain an aqueous composition comprising a lithium compound such as lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate. The aqueous composition comprising lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate can optionally be used, for example, in a method for preparing lithium hydroxide comprising an electromembrane process. The roasted lithium-containing material can be prepared, for example by a method which uses an aqueous composition comprising optionally lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate which can be obtained from a method for preparing lithium hydroxide comprising an electromembrane process such as a two-compartment monopolar or bipolar electrolysis process.

The present disclosure relates to a method for extracting lithium from a lithium-containing material. For example, the method can comprise leaching a roasted lithium-containing material under conditions suitable to obtain an aqueous composition comprising a lithium compound such as lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate. The aqueous composition comprising lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate can optionally be used, for example, in a method for preparing lithium hydroxide comprising an electromembrane process. The roasted lithium-containing material can be prepared, for example by a method which uses an aqueous composition comprising optionally lithium sulfate and/or lithium bisulfate which can be obtained from a method for preparing lithium hydroxide comprising an electromembrane process such as a two-compartment monopolar or bipolar electrolysis process.

A method for transforming a crystal form of an electrolyte containing lithium for aluminum electrolysis includes the following steps: S1, pulverizing the electrolyte containing lithium; S2, uniformly mixing an additive with the electrolyte powder to obtain a mixture, wherein the additive is one or more selected from the group consisting of an oxide of an alkali metal other than lithium, an oxo acid salt of an alkali metal other than lithium, and a halide of an alkali metal other than lithium; a molar ratio of a sum of alkali metal fluoride contained in the electrolyte, alkali metal fluoride directly added from the additive, and alkali metal fluoride to which the additive is converted under the high-temperature calcination condition in the mixture to aluminum fluoride is greater than 3; S3, calcining the mixture at a high temperature.

A process for recovery of lithium ions from a lithium-bearing brine, the process comprising: contacting the lithium-bearing brine with a lithium ion adsorbent based on orthosilicate. The lithium ion adsorbent is a de-lithiated form of: Li.sub.2X.sub.1-y-zY.sub.yZ.sub.zSiO.sub.4, where y and z together=0 to 1 and X, Y and Z are each Fe, Mg, Ca, Ni, Mn, Co, Zn, Cu, Ti, V, Sr or Zr.

Embodiments relate to methods for generating selected materials from a natural brine, where the natural brine is sea water, saline water, fresh water, synthetic solutions, or industrial liquid wastes. A natural brine comprising at least a portion of a selected material is heated. CO.sub.2 is added and mixes with the natural brine forming a mixture such that the CO.sub.2/P is a first predetermined value. The mixture is held so that impurities in the natural brine precipitate as solids leaving a second brine substantially comprising the selected material. The second brine is heated. CO.sub.2 gas is injected into the second brine, mixing so that the CO.sub.2/P is a second predetermined value. The mixture is held so that the selected material precipitates out and are removed.