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US 8,574,519 B2Granted
Processes for preparing highly pure lithium carbonate and other highly pure lithium containing compounds
AssigneeSimbol Inc.
InventorsStephen Harrison, Robert Blanchet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention generally relates to methods of selectively removing lithium from various liquids, methods of producing high purity lithium carbonate, methods of producing high purity lithium hydroxide, and methods of regenerating resin.
Claims14
A method of producing high purity lithium carbonate, comprising the steps of:
- reacting a first aqueous solution comprising a technical grade Li2CO3 with CO2 to form a second aqueous solution comprising LiHCO3;
- separating unreacted CO2 and insoluble compounds from the second aqueous solution using a gas-liquid-solid separator to produce a third aqueous solution;
- removing dissolved impurities from the third aqueous solution;
- and
- supplying the third aqueous solution to a reverse osmosis apparatus.
2 more elements
A method of producing high purity lithium carbonate, comprising the steps of:
- reacting a first aqueous solution comprising an impure lithium salt with carbon dioxide to form a second aqueous solution comprising dissolved LiHCO3;
- separating unreacted CO2 and insoluble compounds from the second aqueous solution using a gas-liquid-solid separator to produce a third aqueous solution,
- supplying the third aqueous solution to a reverse osmosis apparatus to concentrate the Li2CO3, wherein the reverse osmosis apparatus is operable to remove CO2 from the solution;
- removing dissolved impurities from the third aqueous solution by contacting the third aqueous solution with an ion selective medium to produce a fourth aqueous solution;
- and
- precipitating Li2CO3 from the fourth aqueous solution, wherein the Li2CO3 has a purity of at least 99.99%.
3 more elements
A method of regenerating an ion exchange resin, the method comprising the step of contacting the ion exchange resin with a strong acid and a lithium carbonate solution free of divalent ions to convert the resin to a lithium form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.