# US 2025/0153104 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Mineral Extraction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0153104 A1 - Document ID: US20250153104A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/837,581 - Filed: 2023-02-10 - Published: 2025-05-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-11 - Assignees: The University of Manchester - Applicants: The University of Manchester - Inventors: Sebastian James Allender Leaper; Ahmed Abdelkarim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250153104A1 ## CPC - B01D 61/366: {Apparatus therefor} - B01D 61/364: {Membrane distillation} - B01D 61/58: Multistep processes - B01D 63/04: comprising multiple hollow fibre assemblies - B01D 63/043: {with separate tube sheets} - B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties - B01F 23/232: using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles - B01D 2311/2626: Absorption or adsorption - B01D 2311/2642: Aggregation, sedimentation, flocculation, precipitation or coagulation - B01D 2311/2643: Crystallisation - B01D 2313/041: Gaskets or O-rings - B01D 2313/08: Flow guidance means within the module or the apparatus - B01D 2313/22: Cooling or heating elements - B01D 2313/367: Renewable energy sources, e.g. wind or solar sources - B01D 2319/04: Elements in parallel - B01D 2325/38: Hydrophobic membranes - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) ## Abstract A method 30 and an apparatus 31 for mineral extraction. The method 30 comprising providing a solution comprising 40 a plurality of solutes and selectively extracting a mineral from the solution 60 by adsorption to provide a mineral-rich solution. The method further comprises distilling the mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation 80 to increase the concentration of the mineral in the mineral-rich solution and subsequently removing the mineral from the mineral-rich solution 90. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for mineral extraction comprising: providing a solution comprising a plurality of solutes; selectively extracting a first mineral from the solution by adsorption to provide a first mineral-rich solution, wherein the first mineral-rich solution comprises the first mineral; distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation to increase the concentration of the first mineral in the first mineral-rich solution; and subsequently removing the first mineral from the first mineral-rich solution. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, comprising increasing the concentration of the first mineral in the solution prior to selectively extracting the first mineral from the solution, optionally wherein the step of increasing the concentration of the first mineral in the solution prior to selectively extracting the first mineral comprises increasing the concentration of the first mineral in the solution by membrane distillation. ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selectively extracting the first mineral comprises adsorbing the first mineral from the solution onto material with selective affinity for the first mineral and applying an acidic solution to the material to desorb the first mineral by ion-exchange thereby providing the first mineral-rich solution, optionally comprising rinsing material with selective affinity for the first mineral with water after adsorption of the first mineral onto the material and prior to desorption of the first mineral. ### Claim 5 (canceled) ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, comprising increasing the concentration of the first mineral in the solution prior to selectively extracting the first mineral from the solution; comprising rinsing material with selective affinity for the first mineral with water after adsorption of the first mineral onto the material and prior to desorption of the first mineral; wherein the water comprises water extracted from the solution in the step of increasing the concentration of first mineral in the solution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of removing the first mineral from the first mineral-rich solution comprises crystallising compounds comprising the first mineral and collecting the crystallised compounds. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, comprising rinsing the crystallised compounds using water removed from the first mineral-rich solution in the step of distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, comprising recovering enthalpy of crystallisation using a heat exchanger. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein crystallising the compounds occurs on a surface of a membrane used for membrane distillation and wherein the membrane is configured to initiate nucleation of crystals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, comprising adding seed crystals, non-solvents or precipitants to encourage crystallisation of the compounds within the first mineral-rich solution or the method may comprise using temperature control to encourage crystallisation of the compounds within the first mineral-rich-solution. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation to increase the concentration of the first mineral in the first mineral-rich solution comprises concentrating the first mineral-rich solution to a supersaturated state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the solution comprises heating the solution to a temperature from 20 to 90° C. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, comprising polishing the first mineral-rich solution to remove other solutes prior to membrane distillation, optionally wherein the step of polishing comprises adding a precipitate to the change the pH of the first mineral-rich solution or wherein the step of polishing comprises ion exchange or precipitation. ### Claim 15 (canceled) ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation comprises providing membrane distillation apparatus comprising: an outer conduit; at least one inner conduit disposed within the outer conduit; and a plurality of hollow fibre membranes disposed within the at least one inner conduit; wherein a first fluid passageway is provided between the outer conduit and the at least one inner conduit; at least one second fluid passageway is provided between the at least one inner conduit and the plurality of hollow fibre membranes; and a plurality of third fluid passageways are provided within the plurality of hollow fibre membranes; wherein each of the plurality of the hollow fibre membranes comprises a hydrophobic material through which vapour and gas is passable such that, during use, a vaporous permeate is separable from a fluid that is within one of the at least one second fluid passageway and the plurality of third fluid passageways; and wherein the step of distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation comprises distilling the first mineral-rich solution using the membrane distillation apparatus, optionally wherein the step of distilling the first mineral-rich solution comprises feeding the first mineral-rich solution through the plurality of third fluid passageways; and extracting a permeate of the first mineral-rich solution from the at least one second fluid passageway; wherein the vapour pressure in the plurality of third fluid passageways is greater than the vapour pressure in the at least one second fluid passageway, or optionally wherein the step of distilling the first mineral-rich solution comprises feeding the first mineral-rich solution through the at least one second fluid passageway; and extracting a permeate of the first mineral-rich solution from the plurality of third fluid passageways; wherein the vapour pressure in the at least one second fluid passageway is greater than the vapour pressure in the plurality of third fluid passageways. ### Claim at position 17 -18. (canceled) ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 comprising: selectively extracting a second mineral from the solution by adsorption to provide a second mineral-rich solution; distilling the second mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation to increase the concentration of the second mineral in the second mineral-rich solution; and subsequently removing the second mineral from the second mineral-rich solution. ### Claim 20 An apparatus for mineral extraction comprising: means for selectively extracting a first mineral from a solution by adsorption to provide a first mineral-rich solution, wherein the solution comprises a plurality of solutes; means for distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation to increase the concentration of the first mineral in the first mineral-rich solution; and means for removing the first mineral from the distilled first mineral-rich solution. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for distilling the first mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation comprises a membrane distillation apparatus comprising: an outer conduit; at least one inner conduit disposed within the outer conduit; and a plurality of hollow fibre membranes disposed within the at least one inner conduit; wherein a first fluid passageway is provided between the outer conduit and the at least one inner conduit; at least one second fluid passageway is provided between the at least one inner conduit and the plurality of hollow fibre membranes; and a plurality of third fluid passageways are provided within the plurality of hollow fibre membranes; wherein each of the plurality of the hollow fibre membranes comprises a hydrophobic material through which vapour and gas is passable such that, during use, a vaporous permeate is separable from or a gas is combinable with a fluid that is within one of the at least one second fluid passageway and the plurality of third fluid passageways, or wherein means for selectively extracting the first mineral from a solution by adsorption comprises at least one adsorption column comprising a material with selective affinity for the first mineral. ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) An apparatus according to claim 20, comprising means for polishing the first mineral-rich solution to remove other solutes, or comprising: means for selectively extracting a second mineral from the solution by adsorption to provide a second mineral-rich solution; means for distilling the second mineral-rich solution by membrane distillation to increase the concentration of the second mineral in the second mineral-rich solution; and means for removing the second mineral from the distilled second mineral-rich solution. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a surface of the plurality of hollow fibre membranes are configured to initiate nucleation of crystals. ### Claim 25 (canceled) ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) A method of claim 1, wherein the first mineral is an alkali metal, an alkali earth metal, a transition metal, a rare earth element or an organic compound, or wherein the first mineral is lithium, potassium, calcium or magnesium. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) An apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first mineral is an alkali metal, an alkali earth metal, a transition metal, a rare earth element or an organic compound, or wherein the first mineral is lithium, potassium, calcium or magnesium.