Process for selective adsorption and recovery of lithium from natural and synthetic brines
AssigneeEnergysource Minerals LLC
InventorsCharles R. Marston, Michael J. Garska
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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.
Claims29
A process for selective recovery of lithium from a brine solution, said process comprising the steps of:
- concentrating said lithium in said brine solution by cyclically and sequentially flowing said brine solution through a continuous countercurrent adsorption and desorption circuit to form an enhanced lithium product stream;
- wherein the continuous countercurrent adsorption and desorption circuit comprises a central multi-port valve system;
- and
- recovering said lithium from said enhanced lithium product stream using an eluant solution comprising lithium chloride and water at a concentration of up to about 1000 mg/kg lithium and at temperatures of about 5° C. to about 100° C.
A process for producing an enhanced lithium product solution from a natural or synthetic lithium-containing feed brine solution, said process comprising the steps of:
- obtaining said brine solution;
- and
- treating said lithium in said brine solution by flowing said brine solution through a continuous countercurrent adsorption and desorption circuit having a central multi-port valve system to produce said enhanced lithium product solution;
- wherein said continuous countercurrent adsorption and desorption circuit having said central multi-port valve system further comprises a plurality of process zones, and wherein each of the process zone comprises a lithium selective adsorbent, and wherein a lithium-containing eluent solution is passed through one or more of the process zones to strip a portion of the lithium from the lithium selective adsorbent, wherein the lithium-containing eluent solution comprises lithium chloride and water at a concentration of up to about 1000 mg/kg lithium and at temperatures of about 5° C. to about 100° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.