Divalent ions are extracted from solids by leaching to form a divalent ion-containing solution. The divalent ion-containing solution is subjected to concentration to form a concentrated divalent ion-containing solution. Precipitation of a divalent ion hydroxide salt is induced from the concentrated divalent ion-containing solution. In other cases, the concentrated divalent ion-containing solution is exposed to carbon dioxide to induce precipitation of a divalent ion carbonate salt.

A method of sequestering gaseous carbon dioxide in which an oxide is carbonated by contacting it with a first aqueous carbonate solution to convert a portion of the oxide into a carbonate, which precipitates from solution. By converting the oxide to a solid carbonate, the CO.sub.2 from the first carbonate solution is sequestered into the precipitate. At the same time, an aqueous hydroxide solution is formed. The aqueous hydroxide solution is contacted with gaseous carbon dioxide which sequesters the gaseous CO.sub.2 into a second aqueous carbonate solution. The second solution so generated is then recycled back into the process and used to convert the oxide into the precipitated carbonate.

The present disclosure relates to methods for producing hydrogen and calcium- or magnesium-bearing carbonates by capturing, converting, and storing carbon dioxide. The methods may include providing one or more calcium- or magnesium-bearing compounds; providing one or more water-soluble oxygenates; providing a plurality of catalysts; and reacting one or more calcium- or magnesium-bearing compounds and one or more water-soluble oxygenates with plurality of catalysts under conditions to produce hydrogen and calcium- or magnesium-bearing carbonates. The methods may include providing one or more calcium- or magnesium-bearing silicates; providing carbon monoxide; providing water vapor; and reacting one or more calcium- or magnesium-bearing silicates, carbon monoxide, and water vapor. The methods may include providing one or more calcium- or magnesium-bearing compounds; providing one or more water-soluble oxygenates; providing a catalyst; and reacting one or more calcium- or magnesium-bearing compounds and one or more water-soluble oxygenates with said catalyst.

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.

A method of treating a metal carbonate salt includes hydrolyzing a metal halide salt to form a hydrohalic acid and a hydroxide salt of the metal in the metal halide salt. The metal includes an alkaline earth metal or an alkali metal. The method includes reacting the hydrohalic acid with the metal carbonate salt, wherein the metal carbonate salt is a carbonate salt of the alkaline earth metal or alkali metal, to form CO.sub.2 and the metal halide salt. At least some of the metal halide salt formed from the reacting of the hydrohalic acid with the metal carbonate salt is recycled as at least some of the metal halide salt in the hydrolyzing of the metal halide salt to form the hydrohalic acid and the hydroxide salt.

A method of treating a metal carbonate salt includes hydrolyzing a metal halide salt to form a hydrohalic acid and a hydroxide salt of the metal in the metal halide salt. The metal includes an alkaline earth metal or an alkali metal. The method includes reacting the hydrohalic acid with the metal carbonate salt, wherein the metal carbonate salt is a carbonate salt of the alkaline earth metal or alkali metal, to form CO.sub.2 and the metal halide salt. At least some of the metal halide salt formed from the reacting of the hydrohalic acid with the metal carbonate salt is recycled as at least some of the metal halide salt in the hydrolyzing of the metal halide salt to form the hydrohalic acid and the hydroxide salt.

Provided herein are methods and systems to form calcium carbonate comprising vaterite, comprising dissolving limestone in an aqueous base solution under one or more precipitation conditions to produce a precipitation material comprising calcium carbonate and a supernatant solution, wherein the calcium carbonate comprises vaterite.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods of removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream using magnesium hydroxide and then regenerating the magnesium hydroxide. In some embodiments, the systems and methods can further comprise using the waste heat from one or more gas streams to provide some or all of the heat needed to drive the reactions. In some embodiments, magnesium chloride is primarily in the form of magnesium chloride dihydrate and is fed to a decomposition reactor to generate magnesium hydroxychloride, which is in turn fed to a second decomposition reactor to generate magnesium hydroxide.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods of removing carbon dioxide from a gaseous stream using magnesium hydroxide and then regenerating the magnesium hydroxide. In some embodiments, the systems and methods can further comprise using the waste heat from one or more gas streams to provide some or all of the heat needed to drive the reactions. In some embodiments, magnesium chloride is primarily in the form of magnesium chloride dihydrate and is fed to a decomposition reactor to generate magnesium hydroxychloride, which is in turn fed to a second decomposition reactor to generate magnesium hydroxide.

Present invention relates to a multi-stage method for preparing high purity calcium carbonate precipitate from wastes and by-products containing high concentrations of calcium and silica. The calcium and silica rich material is introduced into a stirred reactor containing the extraction solution. The calcium rich solution, produced in the reactor, is separated from residual material and a gas containing carbon dioxide is passed into the said solution to precipitate calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate precipitate is then separated from solution. The recovered solution and residual material, from previous extraction stage; is stirred in a reactor to further extract calcium from the residual material. After separating the solids from solution, carbon dioxide containing gas is introduced into solution to again precipitate calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate precipitate is then separated from solution. The residual material produced from the process is characterized by high silica content.