A process for producing alumina and a lithium salt comprising the steps of: (a) calcining an alpha spodumene ore or concentrate to produce beta spodumene; and (b) (I) leaching beta spodumene from the calcining step (a) with an alkaline solution under pressure; or (II) sulphating beta spodumene with at least sodium sulphate and leaching said sulphated beta spodumene to produce a lithium containing solution and a zeolitic residue. The lithium containing solution is treated to provide a purified lithium salt and said zeolitic residue is treated to provide high purity alumina.

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.

Lead is recovered from lead paste of a lead acid battery in a continuous and electrochemical lead recovery process. In especially preferred aspects, lead paste is processed to remove residual sulfates, and the so treated lead paste is subjected to a thermal treatment step that removes residual moisture and reduces lead dioxide to lead oxide. Advantageously, such pretreatment will avoid lead dioxide accumulation and electrolyte dilution.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for thermal treatment of a raw material containing lithium compounds and phosphorus compounds, a process for thermal treatment of a raw material containing lithium compounds and phosphorus compounds and a method of recovering lithium and/or phosphorus from residue material of lithium-ion batteries. The apparatus for thermal treatment of a raw material containing lithium compounds and phosphorus compounds comprises an inductively heated, packed bed reactor comprising a reactor body at least partially made of refractory material, the reactor body being surrounded by at least one induction coil, the reactor body being at least partially filled/packed with a susceptor material, the inductively heated packed bed reactor being configured for transferring at least part of the raw material including lithium compounds and/or phosphorus compounds into a gaseous phase and configured for forming a molten phase from another part of the raw material, the inductively heated packed bed reactor comprising one or more gas outlets and a molten phase outlet, and a condenser in fluidic connection with the one or more gas outlets and configured for depositing lithium species from a gaseous phase discharged from the packed bed reactor via the one or more gas outlets and configured for separating the deposited lithium species from an exhaust gas substantially free from lithium species.

A method of midstream production of Ge and Ga from an REE extraction process is compatible with downstream industrial processes, and may produce Ge and Ga that is 90% pure as oxides, salts, or metals. A method for producing critical minerals includes vaporizing a feedstock comprising the critical minerals; cooling the vaporized feedstock to a condensation temperature of a critical mineral; and capturing the condensed critical mineral. Systems and methods disclosed herein for producing critical minerals are integrated into a rare earth extraction process to co-produce germanium and gallium concentrates.

A method for recovering lithium from lithium ion battery scrap according to this invention comprises subjecting lithium ion battery scrap to a calcination step, a crushing step, and a sieving step sequentially carried out, wherein the method comprises, between the calcination step and the crushing step, between the crushing step and the sieving step, or after the sieving step, a lithium dissolution step of bringing the lithium ion battery scrap into contact with water and dissolving lithium contained in the lithium ion battery scrap in the water to obtain a lithium-dissolved solution; a lithium concentration step of solvent-extracting lithium ions contained in the lithium-dissolved solution and stripping them to concentrate the lithium ions to obtain a lithium concentrate; and a carbonation step of carbonating the lithium ions in the lithium concentrate to obtain lithium carbonate.

A method for recovering lithium from lithium ion battery scrap according to this invention comprises subjecting lithium ion battery scrap to a calcination step, a crushing step, and a sieving step sequentially carried out, wherein the method comprises, between the calcination step and the crushing step, between the crushing step and the sieving step, or after the sieving step, a lithium dissolution step of bringing the lithium ion battery scrap into contact with water and dissolving lithium contained in the lithium ion battery scrap in the water to obtain a lithium-dissolved solution; a lithium concentration step of solvent-extracting lithium ions contained in the lithium-dissolved solution and stripping them to concentrate the lithium ions to obtain a lithium concentrate; and a carbonation step of carbonating the lithium ions in the lithium concentrate to obtain lithium carbonate.

The present invention discloses additive for reducing the roasting temperature of fluxed magnetite pellets and a method of using it, consisting of components: B.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, the B.sub.2O.sub.3 and Mn.sub.2O.sub.3 are pure chemical reagents, the mass of the additive is 0.8%, 4% of the dry basis mass of the magnetite concentrate, respectively, the magnetite concentrate, bentonite clay, calcium flux and additives will be dosed with 12-14% water of the dry base mass ratio of the mixture, prepared into green pellets of 10-12.5 mm in diameter in a disc ball making machine. After the pellets are completely dried, preheat them for 15˜20 min at 600˜1000 ° C. to ensure that Mn.sub.2O.sub.3 is fully decomposed, then roasting is carried out for 15 min at 1200 ° C., and after roasting, the pellets are cooled to room temperature to obtain the finished pellets.

The present invention discloses additive for reducing the roasting temperature of fluxed magnetite pellets and a method of using it, consisting of components: B.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, the B.sub.2O.sub.3 and Mn.sub.2O.sub.3 are pure chemical reagents, the mass of the additive is 0.8%, 4% of the dry basis mass of the magnetite concentrate, respectively, the magnetite concentrate, bentonite clay, calcium flux and additives will be dosed with 12-14% water of the dry base mass ratio of the mixture, prepared into green pellets of 10-12.5 mm in diameter in a disc ball making machine. After the pellets are completely dried, preheat them for 15˜20 min at 600˜1000 ° C. to ensure that Mn.sub.2O.sub.3 is fully decomposed, then roasting is carried out for 15 min at 1200 ° C., and after roasting, the pellets are cooled to room temperature to obtain the finished pellets.