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GSA Connects 2022 meeting in Denver, Colorado

Paper No. 257-8
Presentation Time: 3:40 PM

STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY OF LITHIUM EXTRACTION FROM SPODUMENE


CHISCHI, J.1, OSKIERSKI, Hans1, NCUBE, T.1, ALHADAD, M.F.1, ABDULLAH, A.1, SENANAYAKE, G.2 and DLUGOGORSKI, B.Z.3, (1)Sustainable Geochemistry and Mineral Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia, (2)Discipline of Math, Statistics, Chemistry and Physics, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia, (3)Energy and Resources Institute, Charles Darwin University, Ellengowan Drive, Purple 12.01.08, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia

With the rising demand for lithium-ion batteries, mining of lithium minerals and their refining to lithium chemicals has grown rapidly over the last years. At the same time, environmental impact and sustainability are increasingly important for lithium extraction from mineral sources to remain viable in the future.

The conventional extraction of lithium from spodumene via calcination, acid roasting, leaching, purification and crystallisation achieves high lithium recoveries and lithium hydroxide purities but is also energy- and chemical-intense and produces large amounts of low-value by-products. Large proportions of spodumene ore are discarded as waste during mining and processing because of the strict quality specifications for spodumene concentrate imposed by the calcination step. Furthermore, melting and clinker formation during calcination can degrade lithium recovery from spodumene that has been partly altered to muscovite and cookeite.

The presentation will illustrate strategies that address the above challenges, including improved understanding of calcination and the effect of alteration and low grades on lithium recovery, as well as an alternative extraction route that results in marketable by-products.

Session No. 257

T82. The Geology and Environmental Impacts of Lithium Resources in North America and other Globally Significant Deposits II
Wednesday, 12 October 2022: 1:30 PM-5:30 PM
603 (Colorado Convention Center)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol 54, No. 5
doi: 10.1130/abs/2022AM-383830
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