Process for direct lithium extraction

A process for direct lithium extraction, comprising steps of:

• a) displacing a lithium-bearing feed solution from a lithium-loaded adsorbent bed in a salt wash displacement process zone using an elution volume of a lithium-containing eluant solution or a portion of a lithium product eluate from an elution process zone to a monovalent solution vessel;
• b) displacing the residual impurities from the adsorbent bed in the salt wash displacement process zone using the salt wash solution from the monovalent solution vessel;
• c) displacing an elution volume of the salt wash solution from the adsorbent bed in a brine displacement process zone to a combined feed solution vessel;
• d) passing a combined feed solution/salt wash solution through an adsorption loading process zone with a predetermined contact time sufficient to load the adsorbent bed in the adsorption loading process zone and forming a lithium-depleted raffinate;
• e) displacing a latent eluate solution from the adsorbent bed in a strip displacement process zone with a portion of the lithium-depleted raffinate from the adsorbent loading process zone and into a lithium product elution process zone;
• f) flowing a lithium strip solution through the lithium product elution process zone stripping a portion of the lithium ions adsorbed on the adsorbent bed in the lithium product elution process zone;
• and
• g) collecting a portion of the eluate having the increased lithium to impurity ratio.

A process for direct lithium extraction, comprising:

• concentrating lithium in a lithium-containing feed solution by flowing the feed solution through a direct lithium extraction process circuit, wherein the direct lithium extraction process circuit comprises a plurality of process zones, each process zone comprises a lithium selective adsorbent;
• displacing residual impurities from the lithium selective adsorbent by flowing a chloride salt wash solution;
• displacing the chloride salt wash solution and the lithium from the lithium selective adsorbent to form a lithium product eluate with an increased lithium-to-impurity ratio;
• and
• recycling at least a portion of the displaced chloride salt wash solution containing impurities to the feed solution or the direct lithium extraction process circuit.