Process for recovering and purifying lithium
AssigneeFortum Battery Recycling Oy
InventorsPaula Kivelä, Peik Ekman, Pasi Kauppinen, Kenneth Ekman, Ville Yrjänä
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the recovery and purification of lithium from lithium containing sources, like lithium ion battery materials, using ion exchange. A lithium salt containing solution is passed through an acid cation exchange resin, and a lithium raffinate and a mixture of other elements such as metals like nickel, cobalt and manganese, are recovered as products. The lithium raffinate can then be processed into other lithium products such as lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide.
Claims17
A method for recovering and purifying lithium from a lithium-containing solution comprising:
- (a) passing the lithium-containing solution comprising a lithium salt and one or more other elements through an acid cation exchange resin,
- (b) collecting a lithium raffinate from the acid cation exchange resin while at least a portion of the one or more other elements are retained by the acid cation exchange resin,
- (c) flushing out residual lithium from the acid cation exchange resin as lithium hydroxide with a first monoprotic hydroxide solution to obtain further lithium,
- (d) eluting the other elements from the acid cation exchange resin with an acid solution to obtain an eluate, and
- (e) regenerating the acid cation exchange resin with a second monoprotic hydroxide solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.