Lithium extraction with an oxy-fuel combustor

A system for separating at least a portion of water from a first lithium brine to produce a second lithium brine with a higher concentration of lithium than the first lithium brine, the system comprising in combination:

• a separator having a hot gas mixture inlet for a mixture of at least water/steam, CO2 and lithium;
• said separator having a first outlet for said second lithium brine and a second outlet for at least water/steam;
• an oxy-combustion gas generator having a hydrocarbon fuel inlet, an oxygen containing oxidizer inlet and at least one cooling fluid inlet, with said gas generator combusting the oxygen with the hydrocarbon fuel to produce an exhaust gas of at least steam and carbon dioxide, at least some of the steam of said gas generator exhaust comprised of water entering said gas generator through said at least one cooling fluid inlet, and an outlet for the exhaust of said gas generator;
• a source of said first lithium brine upstream of said at least one cooling fluid inlet of said gas generator, such that said exhaust gas includes steam, carbon dioxide and lithium;
• and
• routing said exhaust gas of said gas generator upstream of said hot gas mixture inlet of said separator.