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.

The present invention refers to the recovery of high-value metals such as gold and silver from ores containing them by the leaching process that is carried out in tanks or reactors, and to the destruction of cyanide, which is carried out in cyanide destruction (detox) tanks at the end of the leaching process, to avoid damage to the environment. An oxygen diffuser with a specific design is provided which is used in pulp leaching tanks and in cyanide destruction (detox) tanks containing residual pulp, with the application of oxygen, whereby better results are obtained in the recovery of metals, in the application of oxygen and in retention time, among others.

A procedure of minimum environmental impact and maximum lithium recovery for obtaining concentrated brines with minimal impurity content from brines that embed natural salt flats and salt marshes. The procedure may include: building fractional crystallization ponds by solar evaporation; filling the ponds with natural brine; pre-concentrating natural brine to the maximum possible lithium concentration in the liquid phase without precipitating lithium-containing salts; cooling the pre-concentrated brine obtained in ensuring maximum precipitation of salts containing sulfate anion; chemically pre-treating the liquid phase of brine separated from precipitated salts by cooling to minimize sulfate anions in the liquid phase after cooling; pre-concentrating the pre-treated liquid phase to the maximum possible lithium concentration without precipitating lithium-containing salts; chemically treating the liquid phase of brine separated from precipitated salts to minimize the concentration of magnesium, calcium, boron and sulfate in the liquid phase; and concentrating the resulting liquid phase.

A procedure of minimum environmental impact and maximum lithium recovery for obtaining concentrated brines with minimal impurity content from brines that embed natural salt flats and salt marshes. The procedure may include: building fractional crystallization ponds by solar evaporation; filling the ponds with natural brine; pre-concentrating natural brine to the maximum possible lithium concentration in the liquid phase without precipitating lithium-containing salts; cooling the pre-concentrated brine obtained in ensuring maximum precipitation of salts containing sulfate anion; chemically pre-treating the liquid phase of brine separated from precipitated salts by cooling to minimize sulfate anions in the liquid phase after cooling; pre-concentrating the pre-treated liquid phase to the maximum possible lithium concentration without precipitating lithium-containing salts; chemically treating the liquid phase of brine separated from precipitated salts to minimize the concentration of magnesium, calcium, boron and sulfate in the liquid phase; and concentrating the resulting liquid phase.

The invention discloses a method of solution mining trona by injecting an aqueous solvent into an underground cavity comprising trona to dissolve trona in the aqueous solution and removing the aqueous solution from the cavity at about the WTN triple point (the temperature at which solid phase wegscheiderite, trona, and nahcolite can co-exist in an aqueous solution). Alkaline values from the removed aqueous solution are recovered to produce a barren liquor. The method further includes either (i) treating the barren liquor to produce an aqueous solvent or (ii) treating injected aqueous solvent to reduce clogging at the trona dissolution surface caused by supersaturation of sodium bicarbonate, and precipitation of nahcolite and wegscheiderite as the aqueous solution in the cavity approaches saturation of both dissolved sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate.

The invention discloses a method of solution mining trona by injecting an aqueous solvent into an underground cavity comprising trona to dissolve trona in the aqueous solution and removing the aqueous solution from the cavity at about the WTN triple point (the temperature at which solid phase wegscheiderite, trona, and nahcolite can co-exist in an aqueous solution). Alkaline values from the removed aqueous solution are recovered to produce a barren liquor. The method further includes either (i) treating the barren liquor to produce an aqueous solvent or (ii) treating injected aqueous solvent to reduce clogging at the trona dissolution surface caused by supersaturation of sodium bicarbonate, and precipitation of nahcolite and wegscheiderite as the aqueous solution in the cavity approaches saturation of both dissolved sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate.

A method of separating scandium from a feedstock wherein a scandium enriched solution is produced from the feedstock and the scandium enriched solution is extracted to produce an organic phase of the scandium enriched solution. The organic phase of the scandium enriched solution is re-extracted to produce an aqueous phase including scandium chloride. The aqueous phase is precipitated and calcinated to produce scandium oxide powder.

A method of separating scandium from a feedstock wherein a scandium enriched solution is produced from the feedstock and the scandium enriched solution is extracted to produce an organic phase of the scandium enriched solution. The organic phase of the scandium enriched solution is re-extracted to produce an aqueous phase including scandium chloride. The aqueous phase is precipitated and calcinated to produce scandium oxide powder.

Disclosed herein are methods for preparing a hydraulic pre-concentrate enriched in rare earth elements and critical minerals, the method comprising: (a) contacting a raw material with a first base in an amount sufficient to adjust the pH to a value from about 4.0 to about 6.0, thereby forming a mixture comprising a first aqueous phase and a first solid concentrate; (b) separating the first aqueous phase from the first solid concentrate; (c) contacting the first aqueous phase with a second base in an amount sufficient to adjust the pH to a value from about 7.0 to about 9.0, thereby forming a mixture comprising a second aqueous phase and the hydraulic pre-concentrate; (d) removing the second aqueous phase and collecting the hydraulic pre-concentrate; wherein the raw material comprises rare earth elements; and wherein the hydraulic pre-concentrate is enriched in rare earth elements.