Separation of manganese from brine

1. A method of selective separation of manganese from a manganese containing brine, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the manganese containing brine with an amine or an ammonium salt at a pH of greater than about 6.8 to precipitate manganese to produce a manganese precipitate and a manganese depleted solution; and

separating the manganese precipitate from the solution;

wherein the manganese precipitate has a purity of at least about 85%.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the brine includes zinc and at least about 95% of the zinc present in the brine remains in the manganese depleted solution after the precipitation of the manganese.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the less than 10% of non-manganese ions precipitates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the amine is ammonia.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the amine or ammonium salt containing solution also includes a base selected from an alkali, an alkaline hydroxide.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of washing the manganese precipitate with an aqueous solution.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein precipitation of manganese occurs without significant co-precipitation of other ions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH is between about 6 and 8.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the manganese precipitate has a purity of at least about 95%.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the geothermal brine is from the Salton Sea.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising injecting the manganese depleted solution into an injection well.

12. A method for the selective precipitation and recovery of manganese and zinc from a geothermal brine, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the geothermal brine with ammonia at a pH of between about 7 and 8.6 to selectively precipitate manganese and produce a manganese depleted brine solution, without the co-precipitation of other metals present in the geothermal brine;

separating the precipitated manganese from the manganese depleted brine solution;

contacting the manganese depleted brine solution with air and lime until a pH of less than 8 is achieved to selectively precipitate zinc from the manganese depleted brine solution, thereby producing a manganese and zinc depleted brine solution;

separating the precipitated zinc from the manganese and zinc depleted brine solution; and

injecting the manganese and zinc depleted brine solution into a geothermal well.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least 95% of the zinc present in the geothermal brine remains in solution after the manganese precipitation step.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the manganese depleted brine solution is contacted with air and lime until a pH of between about 5.5 and 6.5 is achieved.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of ammonia is recovered in the separation step and supplied to the contacting step.

16. A method for the selective removal of manganese and zinc from a geothermal brine, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the geothermal brine with lime until a pH of between about 7.5 and 8 is achieved, thereby selectively precipitating manganese and zinc from a depleted geothermal brine solution;

separating the manganese and zinc precipitates from the depleted geothermal brine solution;

contacting the manganese and zinc precipitates with an ammonium salt at a pH of at least about 8.8 to dissolve the zinc precipitate and produce a zinc containing solution;

separating the manganese precipitate from the zinc containing solution;

contacting the zinc containing solution with air, until the ammonia is removed and adding lime to maintain the pH at between about 7 and 8.5 to precipitate zinc hydroxide or zinc hydroxide derivatives;

and isolating the zinc precipitate.

17. A method for the separation and isolation of manganese from a manganese containing brine solution, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting a manganese containing brine solution with ammonia in a reaction tank at a pH of about 6.5 to 8.5 to selectively precipitate manganese from the solution and produce a manganese depleted brine solution, said manganese precipitate having a purity of at least about 95%;

separating the manganese precipitate from the manganese depleted brine solution;

contacting the manganese depleted brine solution, which includes ammonia, with air to separate the brine solution and the ammonia;

collecting an ammonia and air stream and an ammonia-free manganese depleted brine stream;

separating the air and ammonia to produce an ammonia recycle stream; and recycling the ammonia recycle stream to the step of contacting the manganese containing brine solution.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising reinjecting the manganese depleted brine solution into a geothermal well.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the ion exchange agent is selected from the group consisting of phosphonic acids.

20. A method for the selective removal of manganese and zinc from a geothermal brine, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the geothermal brine with ammonia at a pH of between about 7 and 8.6 to selectively precipitate manganese and produce a manganese depleted brine solution, without co-precipitation of other metals present in the geothermal brine;

separating the precipitated manganese from the manganese depleted brine solution;

contacting the manganese depleted brine solution with a gas and an ion exchange agent until a pH of less than 8 is achieved to selectively precipitate zinc from the manganese depleted brine solution, thereby producing a manganese and zinc depleted brine solution;

separating the precipitated zinc from the manganese and zinc depleted brine solution; and

injecting the manganese and zinc depleted solution into a geothermal well.