An ion exchange membrane includes nanoparticulate hydrous manganese oxide, wherein, the ion exchangemembrane is selective for the passage of phosphate ion. Methods of preparing ion exchange membranes and methods of seprating phosate also are described.

Improvements in a lithium-ion extraction apparatus to extract lithium-ion from water and more specifically salt or brine water. The extraction of lithium-ion utilizing electromagnetic separation into a sorbent shortens the extraction time and minimizes environmental impact. The sorbent is typically a polymer that is in solution with the brine where direct contact with the brine water with the sorbent extracts lithium-ions. The fixed and magnetic field magnetic field increases the absorption in the sorbent by energizing the sorbent. The sorbent is in the form of porous beads that have selective lithium-ion affinity in a continuous solid-phase extraction process. The lithium-ion extraction apparatus includes fluid flow, agitation, pressure, and temperature control of the brine solution. The flow rate alters and controls the dwell time that the brine solution is in proximity to the electromagnets.

Improvements in a lithium-ion extraction apparatus to extract lithium-ion from water and more specifically salt or brine water. The extraction of lithium-ion utilizing electromagnetic separation into a sorbent shortens the extraction time and minimizes environmental impact. The sorbent is typically a polymer that is in solution with the brine where direct contact with the brine water with the sorbent extracts lithium-ions. The fixed and magnetic field magnetic field increases the absorption in the sorbent by energizing the sorbent. The sorbent is in the form of porous beads that have selective lithium-ion affinity in a continuous solid-phase extraction process. The lithium-ion extraction apparatus includes fluid flow, agitation, pressure, and temperature control of the brine solution. The flow rate alters and controls the dwell time that the brine solution is in proximity to the electromagnets.

Provided is a method for producing a lithium-containing solution that allows increasing a content rate of lithium in a solution after an eluting step, and suppressing an amount of an eluted solution used in a process after the eluting step, thus suppressing production cost of lithium.

A method for producing a lithium-containing solution includes an adsorption step of bringing a lithium adsorbent obtained from lithium manganese oxide in contact with a low lithium-containing solution to obtain post-adsorption lithium manganese oxide, an eluting step of bringing the post-adsorption lithium manganese oxide in contact with an acid-containing solution to obtain an eluted solution, and a manganese oxidation step of oxidating manganese to obtain a lithium-containing solution with a suppressed manganese concentration. The adsorption step, the eluting step, and the manganese oxidation step are performed in this order, and the acid-containing solution includes the eluted solution with acid added. The method allows the usage amount of the acid in the eluting step to be suppressed, the content rate of lithium in the eluted solution after the eluting step to be increased, and thus the production cost of the lithium-containing solution to be suppressed.

Provided is a method for producing a lithium-containing solution that allows increasing a content rate of lithium in a solution after an eluting step, and suppressing an amount of an eluted solution used in a process after the eluting step, thus suppressing production cost of lithium.

A method for producing a lithium-containing solution includes an adsorption step of bringing a lithium adsorbent obtained from lithium manganese oxide in contact with a low lithium-containing solution to obtain post-adsorption lithium manganese oxide, an eluting step of bringing the post-adsorption lithium manganese oxide in contact with an acid-containing solution to obtain an eluted solution, and a manganese oxidation step of oxidating manganese to obtain a lithium-containing solution with a suppressed manganese concentration. The adsorption step, the eluting step, and the manganese oxidation step are performed in this order, and the acid-containing solution includes the eluted solution with acid added. The method allows the usage amount of the acid in the eluting step to be suppressed, the content rate of lithium in the eluted solution after the eluting step to be increased, and thus the production cost of the lithium-containing solution to be suppressed.

The invention provides a method of obtaining inorganic sorbents for extraction of lithium from lithium-containing natural and technological brines. The method consists of steps of obtaining six consecutive non-stoichiometric compound, wherein at the final step the sixth non-stoichiometric compound is obtained by converting the fifth non-stoichiometric compound into a hydrogen-form of inorganic ion-exchanger by treating the fifth non-stoichiometric compound with an acid solution. The method improves selectivity and exchangeability of sorbents to lithium based on manganese oxides, as well as chemical stability of the sorbents in cyclic operations.

The present invention relates to recovery of lithium from liquid resources to produce lithium solutions while limiting impurity precipitation in the lithium solutions.

The present invention relates to recovery of lithium from liquid resources to produce lithium solutions while limiting impurity precipitation in the lithium solutions.

A solid particulate composition useful in extracting a lithium salt from aqueous solutions, the composition comprising lithium, metal atoms, oxygen atoms, and at least one anionic species (X) selected from halide, nitrate, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate, all in a framework structure, wherein said metal atoms are selected from at least one of oxophilic main group metal and oxophilic transition metal atoms, provided that, if the metal atoms comprise aluminum atoms, then at least 10 mol % of said aluminum atoms are substituted with at least one metal atom selected from said at least one oxophilic main group and oxophilic transition metal atoms, other than aluminum, and wherein said lithium is present in said composition in an amount less than a saturated amount in order to permit extraction of lithium salt. Methods for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition are also described.

A solid particulate composition useful in extracting a lithium salt from aqueous solutions, the composition comprising lithium, metal atoms, oxygen atoms, and at least one anionic species (X) selected from halide, nitrate, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate, all in a framework structure, wherein said metal atoms are selected from at least one of oxophilic main group metal and oxophilic transition metal atoms, provided that, if the metal atoms comprise aluminum atoms, then at least 10 mol % of said aluminum atoms are substituted with at least one metal atom selected from said at least one oxophilic main group and oxophilic transition metal atoms, other than aluminum, and wherein said lithium is present in said composition in an amount less than a saturated amount in order to permit extraction of lithium salt. Methods for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition are also described.