Production of lithium metal grade lithium chloride from lithium-containing brine

The process of producing from a lithium-containing brine a substantially boron-free lithium chloride which comprises the steps of:

• (a) contacting a lithium chloride containing brine which contains from about 2 to about 7 weight percent lithium, is saturated with respect to metal salt hydrates present in the brine and is substantially free of free water with an organic solution of from about 5 to about 40% by volume of a fatty alcohol containing from 6 to 16 carbon atoms in kerosene at an organic solution to brine volume ratio of between about 1:1 and about 5:1, to extract boron from the brine into the organic solution phase;
• (b) separating said organic solution phase from said aqueous phase of said brine;
• (c) evaporating the aqueous phase at a temperature above about 100.5.degree. C. under a vacuum of from about 590 to 760 mm Hg to crystallize anhydrous lithium chloride, and
• (d) separating the crystallized anhydrous lithium chloride from the remaining aqueous phase.