Novel process for the extraction of lithium from beta-spodumene by leaching with HF

GUSTAVO D. ROSALES; M. DEL C. RUIZ; MARIO H. RODRIGUEZ

HYDROMETALLURGY (AMSTERDAM)

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2014 vol. 147 p. 1 - 6

0304-386X

In this study lithiumwas extracted from β-spodumene with hydrofluoric acid leaching. The operating parametersstudied were: solid?liquid ratio, stirring speed, particle size, temperature, reaction time and HF concentration.Reagents and productswere characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), atomic absorptionspectroscopy (AAS), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Thelithium extraction efficiency of 90% could be reached with solid?liquid ratio, 1.82% (w/v); temperature, 75 °C;HF concentration, 7% (v/v); stirring speed, 330 rpm and reaction time, 20 min. Al and Si can be precipitated asNa3AlF6 and Na2SiF6with a recovery of 92%. Lithium carbonatewas separated from leach liquor by carbonatationand crystallization during water evaporation, with recovery values of 90%, approximately.