Preparation of Lithium Carbonate from Manganese-Containing Desorption Solution from Salt Lakes via an Organophosphoric Acid Extraction System

Adsorption is a popular method for the recovery of low-grade lithium. It is a low-cost and highly efficient way to treat solutions with low lithium concentrations. The impurity content determines the industrial application. This study investigated a novel strategy to remove divalent cations from a d...

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Main Authors: Shaolei Xie, Yuze Zhang, Xiaowu Peng, Yong Niu, Hailong Lu, Fugen Song, Dong Shi, Lijuan Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Separations
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/4/98
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Summary:Adsorption is a popular method for the recovery of low-grade lithium. It is a low-cost and highly efficient way to treat solutions with low lithium concentrations. The impurity content determines the industrial application. This study investigated a novel strategy to remove divalent cations from a desorption solution containing Mg<sup>2+</sup>, Ca<sup>2+</sup>, and Mn<sup>2+</sup>, generated by a manganese absorbent using an organophosphoric acid, followed by precipitation of lithium carbonate from the concentrated raffinate by evaporation. Di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (P204) was selected as the preferred extractant. The saponification method and degree of saponification were determined, and the extraction parameters (pH, extractant concentration, and phase ratio) were investigated. A three-stage countercurrent extraction process was tested. Removal efficiencies of Mg<sup>2+</sup>, Ca<sup>2+</sup>, and Mn<sup>2+</sup> from the manganese-containing desorption solution exceeded 99%, leaving <1.0 mg/L divalent cations in the raffinate. The raffinate was evaporated and concentrated to >23 g/L lithium. The total concentration of divalent cations in the lithium-rich solution was approximately 10.0 mg/L. Further conversion with sodium carbonate was carried out to prepare a battery-grade lithium carbonate product with a purity of 99.83%. The present work may provide a novel means of lithium recovery from a manganese-containing desorption solution.
ISSN:2297-8739