Process for recovering lithium from brine by salting out lithium sulfate monohydrate
AssigneesSaline Processors, Inc., Corporacion De Fomento De La Produccion
InventorsDonald E. Garrett, Martin Laborde
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Abstract
A salting-out process for recovering lithium from brines which have been concentrated by solar or thermal evaporation. Soluble sulfate salts are added to the strong brine solutions containing lithium to yield lithium sulfate monohydrate. Subsequent treatment of some residual brines with a strong acid will crystallize quantities of boron present as boric acid. Depending on the time of year and type of brine being used, a brine solar heating or plant evaporation system is provided to enhance the recovery processes.
Claims17
A process for recovering lithium values from sulfate-containing brines having a lithium ion concentration of at least 0.4 weight percent and at least about 30 moles MgCl.sub.2 per 1000 moles H.sub.2 O comprising adding to said brines a soluble sulfate salt and recovering therefrom lithium sulfate monohydrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.