# US 2020/0399772 A1 · Methods for extracting lithium from spodumene > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0399772 A1 - Document ID: US20200399772A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/900,089 - Filed: 2020-06-12 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21 - Assignees: Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. - Applicants: Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. - Inventors: Chadd Kiggins; John Cook; Mehmet Nurullah Ates; John Busbee; Brian Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399772A1 ## CPC - C25B 1/14: Alkali metal compounds - C25C 1/02: of light metals - C22B 26/12: Obtaining lithium - C25B 1/16: Hydroxides (by simultaneous production of alkali metal hydroxides and chlorine, oxyacids or salts of chlorine C25B1/34) - C25B 9/09: Fused bath cells - C25C 3/02: of alkali or alkaline earth metals - Y02P 10/20: Recycling - C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B) - C25C: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR - C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Systems and methods for extracting lithium metal ions from a lithium containing ore such as spodumene or lithium salts are provided. The lithium ore or salt is suspended in a hydroxide salt or eutectic and heated to produce a molten salt suspension that is used to electroplate lithiated transition metal oxides on an electrode. Lithium metal or lithium ions can be isolated from the deposited lithiated transition metal oxides. A second metal ore may be included in the suspension and processed with the lithium ore. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for extracting lithium metal ions from a lithium containing ore or from lithium salts, the method comprising: (a) preparing a suspension of lithium containing ore or lithium salts in a hydroxide salt or eutectic; (b) heating the suspension to a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the hydroxide salt to produce a molten salt suspension of ore or lithium salt; (c) adding a source of transition metal ions; (d) electroplating the molten salt suspension to produce a lithiated transition metal oxide; and (e) isolating lithium metal ions from the lithiated transition metal oxide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the lithium containing ore comprises an alpha or beta lithium aluminum silicate (Spodumene). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the lithium containing salts comprise LiOH or Li2CO3 with a purity of between 30% and 99.5%. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hydroxide salt is a salt selected from the group of hydroxide salts consisting of LiOH, KOH, NaOH, RbOH, CsOH, KOH:NaOH; KOH:NaCl, and KOH:KCl. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the eutectic is selected from the group consisting of LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3, LiNO2, NaNO2 and KNO2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the eutectic is selected from the group consisting of Li2SO4, Na2SO4 and K2SO4. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the eutectic is selected from the group consisting of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, AlCl3, ZnCl, LiBr, NaBr, KBr, LiF, KF and NaF. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding a second metal ore to the suspension of hydroxide salt and said lithium containing ore or lithium salt before heating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second metal ore comprises an ore selected from the group of ores consisting of CoCu, Co2CuS4, and (Cu2CO3(OH)2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second metal ore comprises an ore selected from the group of ores consisting of garnierite, braunite, and heterogenite and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 11 A method for extracting lithium metal ions from spodumene, the method comprising: (a) heating alpha spodumene to a temperature of approximately 1100° C. to convert alpha spodumene to beta spodumene; (b) preparing a suspension of beta spodumene in a eutectic; (c) heating the eutectic spodumene suspension to an elevated operation temperature; (d) electroplating the heated eutectic spodumene suspension to produce a lithiated transition metal oxide; and (e) isolating lithium metal from the oxide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the eutectic is selected from the group of consisting of KOH:NaOH; KOH:NaCl, and KOH:KCl. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: continuously adding beta spodumene to the heated eutectic spodumene suspension. ### Claim 14 A method for extracting lithium metal ions from spodumene, the method comprising: (a) heating alpha spodumene to a temperature of approximately 1100° C. to convert alpha spodumene to beta spodumene; (b) roasting said beta spodumene with sulfuric acid; (c) preparing a suspension of roasted beta spodumene in a KOH molten salt or eutectic solution; (d) heating the eutectic spodumene suspension to an elevated operation temperature; (e) electroplating the heated eutectic spodumene suspension to produce a lithiated transition metal oxide; and (f) isolating lithium metal ions from the oxide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said roasting per 25 g of beta spodumene comprises: (a) adding 140% mole excess of theoretical value of sulfuric acid; (b) roasting at 250° C. for 30 minutes; and (c) extracting Li2SO4 with water. ### Claim 16 A method for extracting lithium metal ions from a lithium containing ore or lithium salt, the method comprising: (a) preparing a suspension of lithium containing ore or lithium salts and a second metal ore in H2SO4; (b) roasting said suspension with sulfuric acid; (c) preparing a suspension of roasted suspension in a hydroxide salt; (d) heating the suspension to a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the hydroxide salt to produce a molten salt suspension of ore or lithium salt; (e) electroplating the molten salt suspension to produce a lithiated transition metal oxide; and (f) isolating lithium metal ions from the oxide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the lithium containing ore is an ore selected from the group consisting of lepidolite, petalite, amblygonite, hectorite, eucryptite, alpha-spodumene and beta-spodumene. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the lithium containing salt is a salt selected from the group consisting of lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium sulfide, lithium phosphate and lithium nitrate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the second metal ore comprises an ore selected from the group of ores consisting of garnierite, braunite, heterogenite, CoCu, Co2CuS4, and (Cu2CO3(OH)2 ores. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the hydroxide salt is a salt selected from the group of hydroxide salts consisting of KOH, NaOH, RbOH, and CsOH. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the electroplated material is a material selected from the group of LMO, NCA, NMC, LFP, LTO, Ni, Co, and Mn.