Lithium extraction composite for recovery of lithium from brines, and process of using said composition

An apparatus for selective recovery of a lithium salt from an aqueous source solution containing said lithium salt, the apparatus comprising a lithium extraction composite and one or more pumps in fluid communication with the lithium extraction composite, wherein said lithium extraction composite comprises:

• (i) a porous support and (ii) particles of a lithium-selective sorbent material coated on at least one surface of the support, wherein said support has a porous planar membrane, porous fiber, or porous tubular shape;
• wherein said lithium-selective sorbent material is a framework structure comprising LiX and M (OH)z units, wherein X is at least one anionic species selected from halide, nitrate, sulfate, carbonate, and bicarbonate;
• M is at least one oxophilic transition metal atom, and/or at least one oxophilic main group metal atom selected from aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, and tin;
• and z is independently 2, 3, or 4, depending on the metal atom M;
• provided that, if M is exclusively aluminum, then the framework structure further includes M′(OH)z units, either in the same framework structure comprising LiX and M(OH)z units or in a separate framework structure comprising LiX and M′(OH)z units, wherein M′ is at least one oxophilic transition metal atom and/or at least one oxophilic main group metal atom selected from gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, and tin.