Methods for extracting lithium from spodumene
Systems and methods for extracting lithium metal ions from a lithium containing ore such as spodumene or lithium salts are provided. The lithium ore or salt is suspended in a hydroxide salt or eutectic and heated to produce a molten salt suspension that is used to electroplate lithiated transition metal oxides on an electrode. Lithium metal or lithium ions can be isolated from the deposited lithiated transition metal oxides. A second metal ore may be included in the suspension and processed with the lithium ore.
1 . A method for extracting lithium metal ions from a lithium containing ore or from lithium salts, the method comprising:
(a) preparing a suspension of lithium containing ore or lithium salts in a hydroxide salt or eutectic;
(b) adding a second lithium containing ore or lithium salt to the suspension of hydroxide salt and said lithium containing ore or lithium salt;
(c) heating the suspension to a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the hydroxide salt to produce a molten salt suspension of ore or lithium salt;
(d) adding a source of transition metal ions;
(e) electroplating the molten salt suspension to produce a lithiated transition metal oxide; and
(f) isolating lithium metal ions from the heated suspension.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium containing ore comprises one or more ores selected from the group consisting of lepidolite, petalite, amblygonite, hectorite, eucryptite, alpha-spodumene, and beta-spodumene.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium containing salts comprise LiOH or Li 2 CO 3 with a purity of between 30% and 99.5%.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydroxide salt is a salt selected from the group of hydroxide salts consisting of LiOH, KOH, NaOH, RbOH, CsOH, KOH:NaOH, KOH:NaCl, and KOH:KCl.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic is selected from the group consisting of LiNO 3 , NaNO 3 , KNO 3 , LiNO 2 , NaNO 2 and KNO 2 .
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic is selected from the group consisting of Li 2 SO 4 , Na 2 SO 4 and K 2 SO 4 .
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic is selected from the group consisting of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, AlCl 3 , ZnCl, LiBr, NaBr, KBr, LiF, KF and NaF.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore of a second metal comprises an ore selected from the group of ores consisting of CoCu, Co 2 CuS 4 , and (Cu 2 CO 3 (OH) 2 .
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ore of a second metal comprises an ore selected from the group of ores consisting of garnierite, braunite, and heterogenite and mixtures thereof.