A method for separating of at least two transition metals, the method comprising: injecting a feed solution into a chromatography column comprising a chromatographic support media, the feed solution comprising at least two transition metals; eluting the feed from the column in an elution cycle by flowing an eluent through the column, wherein a concentration of the eluent is reduced during the elution cycle prior to elution of at least one of the transition metals.

A method for separating of at least two transition metals, the method comprising: injecting a feed solution into a chromatography column comprising a chromatographic support media, the feed solution comprising at least two transition metals; eluting the feed from the column in an elution cycle by flowing an eluent through the column, wherein a concentration of the eluent is reduced during the elution cycle prior to elution of at least one of the transition metals.

A mobile phase including a lithium salt flows through a stationary phase including an oxygenated metal compound with affinity to the lithium salt through a Lewis acid-Lewis base interaction so that the oxygenated metal compound captures the lithium salt through the Lewis acid-Lewis base interaction. An eluent flows through the stationary phase to release the lithium salt captured by the oxygenated metal compound into the eluent. The eluent includes a Lewis base or a Lewis acid that disrupts the Lewis acid-Lewis base interaction between the lithium salt and the oxygenated metal compound. The eluent including the released lithium salt is collected after the eluent flows through the stationary phase.

A new method for extracting lithium from salt lake brine, comprising the following steps: a salt lake old brine raw material, desorption liquid, low-magnesium water, and adsorption tail liquid pass through an old brine feeding pipe (2), a desorption liquid feeding pipe (4), a low-magnesium water top desorption liquid feeding pipe (3), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid feeding pipe (11), respectively, which are located above and below a rotary disc of a multi-way valve system (1); and after respectively entering corresponding adsorption columns (6) by means of a duct and channel within the multi-way valve system (1), the entire process procedure is completed from an adsorption tail liquid discharge pipe (7), a qualified desorption liquid discharge pipe (10), a lithium-containing old brine discharge pipe (8), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid discharge pipe (5); and the adsorption columns (6) are connected in series or in parallel by means of channels located in the multi-way valve system (1). The feature in which a multi-way valve device is simple and easy to operate is utilized, and in comparison with a fixed bed operating system, the utilization rate of lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 20%, the utilization efficiency of the lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 40%, and production costs may be reduced by 30-50%. Therefore, the stability of a qualified desorption liquid is improved, stable production is guaranteed, and year-round constant operation may be achieved.

A new method for extracting lithium from salt lake brine, comprising the following steps: a salt lake old brine raw material, desorption liquid, low-magnesium water, and adsorption tail liquid pass through an old brine feeding pipe (2), a desorption liquid feeding pipe (4), a low-magnesium water top desorption liquid feeding pipe (3), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid feeding pipe (11), respectively, which are located above and below a rotary disc of a multi-way valve system (1); and after respectively entering corresponding adsorption columns (6) by means of a duct and channel within the multi-way valve system (1), the entire process procedure is completed from an adsorption tail liquid discharge pipe (7), a qualified desorption liquid discharge pipe (10), a lithium-containing old brine discharge pipe (8), and an adsorption tail liquid top desorption liquid discharge pipe (5); and the adsorption columns (6) are connected in series or in parallel by means of channels located in the multi-way valve system (1). The feature in which a multi-way valve device is simple and easy to operate is utilized, and in comparison with a fixed bed operating system, the utilization rate of lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 20%, the utilization efficiency of the lithium adsorbent may be increased by over 40%, and production costs may be reduced by 30-50%. Therefore, the stability of a qualified desorption liquid is improved, stable production is guaranteed, and year-round constant operation may be achieved.

A method for the recovery of a precious metal from activated carbon fines which includes the steps of adsorption of the precious metals from the activated carbon fines onto a weak-base anion exchange resin which contains guanidine functional groups in the presence of at least one suitable lixiviant, or adsorption of the precious metals from activated carbon fines onto a mixed-base resin which contains amine functional groups in the presence of at least one suitable lixiviant and eluting the resin with a suitable eluant to produce a precious metal-containing eluate.

A method for the recovery of a precious metal from activated carbon fines which includes the steps of adsorption of the precious metals from the activated carbon fines onto a weak-base anion exchange resin which contains guanidine functional groups in the presence of at least one suitable lixiviant, or adsorption of the precious metals from activated carbon fines onto a mixed-base resin which contains amine functional groups in the presence of at least one suitable lixiviant and eluting the resin with a suitable eluant to produce a precious metal-containing eluate.

A process for recovery of lithium ions from a lithium-bearing brine, the process comprising: contacting the lithium-bearing brine with a lithium ion adsorbent based on orthosilicate. The lithium ion adsorbent is a de-lithiated form of: Li.sub.2X.sub.1-y-zY.sub.yZ.sub.zSiO.sub.4, where y and z together=0 to 1 and X, Y and Z are each Fe, Mg, Ca, Ni, Mn, Co, Zn, Cu, Ti, V, Sr or Zr.

Stationary phase for preparative High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for preparative separation of Rare Earth Elements (REEs), the stationary phase comprising porous particles suitable for HPLC having a non-polar surface being impregnated with ligands binding REEs, wherein the porous particles has a pore size of 300 Å or higher, is described.

A method for purifying lutetium includes providing a solid composition comprising ytterbium and lutetium and subliming or distilling ytterbium from the solid composition at a temperature of about 1196° C. to about 3000° C. to leave a lutetium composition comprising a higher weight percentage of lutetium than was present in the solid composition.