Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the recovery of lithium products from an aqueous solution, the method comprising the steps of: (i.) contacting the solution with an alkaline material to precipitate a target amount of magnesium in the brine solution and separating the precipitated solids from an intermediate solution; (ii.) contacting the intermediate solution with a controlled amount of a hydroxide salt to precipitate magnesium in the intermediate solution; (iii.) contacting the intermediate solution with a controlled amount of sodium carbonate to precipitate impurities and separating the precipitated solids from a purified solution; and (iv.) recovering lithium products from the purified solution.

IPC Classes  ?

• C01D 15/08 - CarbonatesBicarbonates
• C01D 15/04 - Halides
• C01F 5/22 - Magnesium hydroxide from magnesium compounds with alkali hydroxides or alkaline earth oxides or hydroxides
• C02F 1/52 - Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities
• C22B 3/42 - Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching by ion-exchange extraction
• C22B 26/22 - Obtaining magnesium

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the recovery of lithium products from an aqueous solution, the method comprising the steps of: (i.) contacting the solution with an alkaline material to precipitate a target amount of magnesium in the brine solution and separating the precipitated solids from an intermediate solution; (ii.) contacting the intermediate solution with a controlled amount of a hydroxide salt to precipitate magnesium in the intermediate solution; (iii.) contacting the intermediate solution with a controlled amount of sodium carbonate to precipitate impurities and separating the precipitated solids from a purified solution; and (iv.) recovering lithium products from the purified solution.

IPC Classes  ?

• C01D 15/08 - CarbonatesBicarbonates
• C22B 26/12 - Obtaining lithium
• C22B 3/12 - Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes by leaching in inorganic alkaline solutions
• C22B 3/44 - Treatment or purification of solutions, e.g. obtained by leaching by chemical processes

Abstract

A process for the production of electrolytic manganese dioxide, the process comprising the method steps of: (i) Reducing a manganese dioxide containing ore to produce a manganese oxide product; (ii) Leaching the manganese oxide product with sulphuric acid producing a manganese sulphate containing liquor; (iii) Passing the liquor from step (ii) to a jarositing step producing a precipitate; (iv) Passing the liquor from step (iii) to a goethiting step producing a precipitate; (v) Passing the liquor from step (iv) to a sulphiding step and filtering the resulting liquor to remove heavy metal impurities as heavy metal sulphides; (vi) Passing the remaining liquor from step (v) to an electrowinning step in which electrolytic manganese dioxide is deposited and a spent liquor produced; and (vii) Recycling spent liquor from step (vi) directly or indirectly to the leach of step (ii) to leach manganese oxide thereby contributing favourably to the efficiency of the process.

IPC Classes  ?

• C05D 9/02 - Other inorganic fertilisers containing trace elements
• C25B 1/21 - Manganese oxides
• C22B 3/08 - Sulfuric acid
• C25B 1/10 - Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals of hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water in diaphragm cells

Abstract

1. A process (10) for the production of lithium carbonate, the process characterised by the steps of: (i) Calcining (20) an alpha-spodumene ore or concentrate (12) to produce beta-spodumene; (ii) Sulphating (28) the beta-spodumene at elevated temperature; (iii) Passing the sulphated beta-spodumene to a leach step (30) in which lithium sulphate is leached in water; (iv) Passing the pregnant leach solution from the leach step to a series of impurity removal steps in which iron, alumina, silicates and magnesium are, in large part, precipitated and removed (34, 36 and 38); (v) Adding sodium carbonate (42) to the product of step (iv) by which calcium is precipitated (40); (vi) The product of step (v) is then passed to an ion exchange step (50) in which residual calcium, magnesium and other remaining multivalent cations are substantially removed; and (vii) Passing the purified product of step (vi) to a lithium carbonate precipitation step (56) in which sodium carbonate (54) is added to produce precipitated lithium carbonate and a sodium sulphate mother liquor.

IPC Classes  ?

• C01D 15/08 - CarbonatesBicarbonates
• C01D 7/06 - Preparation via sodium or potassium magnesium carbonate
• C22B 3/04 - Extraction of metal compounds from ores or concentrates by wet processes by leaching

Goods & Services

(1) Alkali metals, compounds of alkali metals, lithium, lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium tantalate; tantalite and tantalum containing compounds; manganese dioxide; alumina and alumina silicate; sodium and sodium salts. (1) Mining extraction; mining services; quarrying services; coal mining; transport of material (metal bearing ore or concentrates, lithium and lithium compounds including lithium carbonate, tantalum and tantalum compounds, manganese and manganese compounds including manganese dioxide, precious and base metals, batteries, battery packs and components of same), namely, by rail, by ship and by air; packaging and storage of metal bearing ore or concentrates, lithium and lithium compounds including lithium carbonate, tantalum and tantalum compounds, manganese and manganese compounds including manganese dioxide, precious and base metals, batteries, battery packs and components of same, fertilisers and soil conditioners; distribution of lithium/tantalum; distribution of base metals, precious metals and iron ore; packaging and storage of chemicals and metals; treatment and blending of minerals, ores, concentrates and mineral substances; metal casting; refining of metals and metal containing compounds from their ores or concentrates; treatment and reprocessing services, all for lithium/tantalum exploration and production, base metals and their alloys and articles made wholly or principally therefrom; dross treatment; electrical power generation; technical research, namely, research in mineral processing and metal refining technologies, and research in batteries and energy storage technologies; consultancy in the field of energy-saving; quality control, namely, providing quality assurance in the mining industry and with regard to the products thereof; geological prospecting; geological surveying; geological research; chemical analysis; materials testing; mining and mineral exploration services; production, processing and finishing of metal bearing ore or concentrates, lithium and lithium compounds including lithium carbonate, tantalum and tantalum compounds, manganese and manganese compounds including manganese dioxide, precious and base metals, batteries, battery packs and components of same; chain of processing and distribution between mine and wholesale and retail outlets; engineering services relating to exploration; development, mining and processing of precious and base materials.

Goods & Services

(1) Alkali metals, compounds of alkali metals, lithium, lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium tantalate; tantalite and tantalum containing compounds; manganese dioxide; alumina and alumina silicate; sodium and sodium salts. (1) Mining extraction; mining services; quarrying services; coal mining; transport of metal bearing ore or concentrates, lithium and lithium compounds including lithium carbonate, tantalum and tantulum compounds, manganese and manganese compounds including manganese dioxide, precious and base metals, batteries, battery packs and components of same, namely, by rail, by ship and by air; packaging and storage of metal bearing ore or concentrates, lithium and lithium compounds including lithium carbonate, tantalum and tantulum compounds, manganese and manganese compounds including manganese dioxide, precious and base metals, batteries, battery packs and components of same, fertilisers and soil conditioners; distribution of lithium/tantalum; distribution of alkali metals, base metals, precious metals and iron ore; packaging and storage of chemicals, metals and metal containing compounds; treatment and blending of minerals, ores, concentrates and mineral substances; mineral processing services; metal casting; refining of metals and metal containing compounds from their ores or concentrates; treatment and reprocessing services, all for lithium, tantalum and/or manganese metal, precious and base metals, or compounds of those metals; exploration and production services, namely, mine exploration, mine production of metal bearing ores and concentrates; treatment of metals and their alloys, including alkali and base metals and articles made wholly or principally therefrom; dross treatment; electrical power generation; technical research, namely, research in mineral processing and metal refining technologies, and research in batteries and energy storage technologies; consultancy in the field of energy-saving; quality control, namely, providing quality assurance in the mining industry and with regard to the products thereof; geological prospecting; geological suveying; geological research; chemical analysis; materials testing; mining and mineral exploration services; production, processing and finishing of metal bearing ore or concentrates, lithium and lithium compounds including lithium carbonate, tantalum and tantulum compounds, manganese and manganese compounds including manganese dioxide, precious and base metals, batteries, battery packs and components of same; chain of processing and distribution between mine and wholesale and retail outlets; engineering services relating to exploration; development, mining, processing and marketing of alkali, precious and base metals, including in relation to materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals.

Goods & Services

[ Alkali metals, compounds of alkali metals, lithium, lithium compounds, namely, lithium carbonate, lithium tantalate; manganese dioxide; alumina and alumina silicate; sodium and sodium salts for non-medical purposes ] [ Tantalite and tantalum containing compounds ] Mining extraction; quarrying services; coal mining extraction; mining extraction of alkali, precious metals, base metals, materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals Packaging and storage of chemicals, metals and metal containing compounds Blending of minerals, ores; mineral processing services, namely, crushing, grinding, milling, beneficiating, mixing, reduction, leaching, filtration, dense media separation, drying, solvent extraction, electrowinning, granulating, digesting, condensing, crystallizing and precipitating and dross treatment; metal casting; mineral refining services; treatment of metals and their alloys, namely, alkali and base metals and articles made wholly or principally therefrom; treatment of metal, namely, removal of dross; electrical power generation; processing alkali, precious metals, base metals, materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals Technical research in the fields of battery technology, mining and mineral processing technologies; quality control for others; geological prospecting; geological surveying; geological research; chemical analysis; materials testing; mining and mineral exploration services; engineering services relating to mining exploration; development of products containing alkali, precious metals, base metals, materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals

Goods & Services

Mining extraction; quarrying services; coal mining extraction; mining extraction of alkali, precious metals, base metals, materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals Packaging and storage of chemicals, metals and metal containing compounds Blending of minerals, ores; mineral processing services, namely, crushing, grinding, milling, beneficiating, mixing, reduction, leaching, filtration, dense media separation, drying, solvent extraction, electrowinning, granulating, digesting, condensing, crystallizing and precipitating and dross treatment; metal casting; mineral refining services; treatment of metals and their alloys, namely, alkali and base metals and articles made wholly or principally therefrom; treatment of metal, namely, removal of dross; electrical power generation; processing alkali, precious metals, base metals, materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals Technical research in the fields of battery technology, mining and mineral processing technologies; quality control for others; geological prospecting; geological surveying; geological research; chemical analysis; materials testing; mining and mineral exploration services; engineering services relating to mining exploration; development of products containing alkali, precious metals, base metals, materials containing these metals and compounds of these metals

Goods & Services

Alkali metals, compounds of alkali metals, lithium, lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium tantalate; tantalite and tantalum containing compounds; manganese dioxide; alumina and alumina silicate; sodium and sodium salts.

Goods & Services

Alkali metals, compounds of alkali metals, lithium, lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium tantalate; tantalite and tantalum containing compounds; manganese dioxide; alumina and alumina silicate; sodium and sodium salts.