This invention relates generally to a process for selective adsorption and recovery of lithium from natural and synthetic brines, and more particular to a process for recovering lithium from a natural or synthetic brine solution by passing the brine solution through a lithium selective adsorbent in a continuous countercurrent adsorption and desorption circuit.

This invention relates generally to a process for selective adsorption and recovery of lithium from natural and synthetic brines, and more particular to a process for recovering lithium from a natural or synthetic brine solution by passing the brine solution through a lithium selective adsorbent in a continuous countercurrent adsorption and desorption circuit.

The present invention relates to a method for producing lithium carbonate by mixing lithium sulfate with a carbon material and heat-treating same in a carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide atmosphere.

The present invention relates to a method for producing lithium carbonate by mixing lithium sulfate with a carbon material and heat-treating same in a carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide atmosphere.

A process (10) for the treatment of a lithium containing material (12), the process comprising the steps of: (i) Preparing a process solution from the lithium containing material (12); (ii) Passing the process solution from step (i) to a series of impurity removal steps, one of which is an HCl sparging step 58, thereby providing a substantially purified lithium chloride solution; and (iii) Passing the purified lithium chloride solution of step (ii) to an electrolysis step (70) thereby producing a lithium hydroxide solution.

An additional step in which the lithium hydroxide solution produced in step (iii) is carbonated by passing compressed carbon dioxide (88) through the solution, thereby producing a lithium carbonate precipitate, is also disclosed.

A process (10) for the treatment of a lithium containing material (12), the process comprising the steps of: (i) Preparing a process solution from the lithium containing material (12); (ii) Passing the process solution from step (i) to a series of impurity removal steps, one of which is an HCl sparging step 58, thereby providing a substantially purified lithium chloride solution; and (iii) Passing the purified lithium chloride solution of step (ii) to an electrolysis step (70) thereby producing a lithium hydroxide solution.

An additional step in which the lithium hydroxide solution produced in step (iii) is carbonated by passing compressed carbon dioxide (88) through the solution, thereby producing a lithium carbonate precipitate, is also disclosed.

A method of forming lithium carbonate from a lithium-bearing solution including:

evaporating the lithium-bearing solution to precipitate a first group of impurities;
removing the first group of impurities to form a first purified solution; and
performing a flash crystallisation step within a predetermined temperature range to crystallise a second group of impurities from the first purified solution;
removing the second group of impurities from the first solution to form a second purified solution, wherein at least 90 wt % of lithium is recovered from the first purified solution; and
reacting the second purified solution with a metal carbonate to form lithium carbonate of at least 90 wt % purity.

A method of forming lithium carbonate from a lithium-bearing solution including:

evaporating the lithium-bearing solution to precipitate a first group of impurities;
removing the first group of impurities to form a first purified solution; and
performing a flash crystallisation step within a predetermined temperature range to crystallise a second group of impurities from the first purified solution;
removing the second group of impurities from the first solution to form a second purified solution, wherein at least 90 wt % of lithium is recovered from the first purified solution; and
reacting the second purified solution with a metal carbonate to form lithium carbonate of at least 90 wt % purity.

The present invention relates to the production of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products.

The present invention relates to the production of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products.