Method for the treatment of lithium bearing material
AssigneePrimero Group Limited
InventorsDamien A. Krebs, Kong S. Teav
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising the steps of: Subjecting a lithium bearing material to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure and at an elevated temperature of greater than 50° C. but less than 160° C. in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a leaching slurry containing lithium carbonate; Performing a carbonation process on the leaching slurry to convert at least a portion of the lithium carbonate to lithium bicarbonate; Performing a solid-liquid separation process on the leaching slurry to separate a leach residue from a leaching solution; Obtaining solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution; and Separating the solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution.
Claims24
1-98. (canceled)
A method when used for the extraction of lithium from a hard rock lithium mineral, the method comprising:
- subjecting the lithium bearing material to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure, and at a temperature of greater than 50° C. but less than 160° C., in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a leaching slurry containing lithium carbonate.
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising:
- subjecting a lithium bearing material to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure and at an elevated temperature of greater than 50° C. but less than 160° C. in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a leaching slurry containing lithium carbonate;
- performing a carbonation process on the leaching slurry to convert at least a portion of the lithium carbonate to lithium bicarbonate;
- performing a solid-liquid separation process on the leaching slurry to separate a leach residue from a leaching solution;
- obtaining solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution;
- and
- separating the solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution.
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising:
- subjecting a lithium bearing material to a first leaching process at atmospheric pressure in the presence of carbonate ions to produce lithium carbonate;
- subjecting the lithium carbonate to a second leaching process in the presence of hydroxide ions to produce a leaching slurry containing an aqueous solution of lithium hydroxide;
- separating a solid leach residue from the leaching slurry to produce a lithium hydroxide solution that is relatively free of solids;
- and
- producing a solid lithium hydroxide product from the lithium hydroxide solution that is relatively free of solids.
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising:
- subjecting an alpha spodumene containing material to a conversion process at atmospheric pressure to convert at least a portion of the alpha spodumene to beta spodumene;
- subjecting the beta spodumene to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a leaching solution and leached solids containing lithium carbonate;
- subjecting the leached solids containing lithium carbonate to a size reduction and/or classification process in a solution containing the carbonate ions to generate a leaching slurry containing relatively fine solids;
- performing a carbonation process on the leaching slurry to convert at least a portion of the lithium carbonate to lithium bicarbonate;
- performing a solid-liquid separation process on the leaching slurry to separate a leach residue from a leaching solution;
- obtaining solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution;
- and
- separating the solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution.
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising:
- subjecting an alpha spodumene containing material to a conversion process at atmospheric pressure to convert at least a portion of the alpha spodumene to beta spodumene;
- subjecting the beta spodumene to a grinding process to produce ground beta spodumene;
- subjecting the ground beta spodumene to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a leaching slurry containing lithium carbonate and leached solids;
- performing a carbonation process on the leaching slurry to convert at least a portion of the lithium carbonate to lithium bicarbonate;
- performing a solid-liquid separation process on the leaching slurry to separate a leach residue from a leaching solution;
- obtaining solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution;
- and
- separating the solid lithium carbonate from the leaching solution.
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising:
- subjecting a lithium bearing material containing beta spodumene to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a leaching slurry including lithium carbonate;
- performing a carbon dioxide leaching process on the leaching slurry to produce a bicarbonate leaching slurry in which at least a portion of the lithium carbonate is converted to lithium bicarbonate;
- performing a solid-liquid separation process on the bicarbonate leaching slurry to separate a leach residue from a leaching solution;
- precipitating lithium carbonate from the leaching solution;
- and
- separating precipitated lithium carbonate from the leaching solution.
A method for the extraction of lithium, the method comprising:
- subjecting a lithium bearing material containing beta spodumene to a leaching process at atmospheric pressure in the presence of carbonate ions to produce a first leaching slurry including lithium carbonate;
- performing a solid-liquid separation process on the first leaching slurry to separate a first leach residue from a first leaching solution;
- performing a repulping process on the first leach residue in the presence of a carbonate ions to produce a second leaching slurry;
- performing a carbon dioxide leaching process on the second leaching slurry to produce a bicarbonate leaching slurry in which at least a portion of the lithium carbonate is converted to lithium bicarbonate;
- performing a solid-liquid separation process on the bicarbonate leaching slurry to separate a second leach residue from a second leaching solution;
- precipitating lithium carbonate from the second leaching solution;
- and
- separating precipitated lithium carbonate from the second leaching solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.