Scharhof 1, 92242 Hirschau
Fon: +49 9622 82-162
E-Mail: anzaplan@dorfner.com
- SEM image of beta-spodumen formed by calcination
- High efficiency Dorfner caolin calciner built in 2009
From Lithium Minerals to Lithium Chemicals
Today, lithium chemicals are produced either from lithium bearing brines or minerals. Lithium enriched brines are mainly harvested and processed in Argentina and Chile where they are partly exploited as a by-product of potash production. Lithium minerals are mainly utilized in China. Almost 50% of spodumene produced in Australia by Talison Lithium is converted to lithium chemicals. Additional production capacity for spodumene conversion is expected in 2011 from Galaxy Resources.
In order to produce lithium chemicals for high tech devices from minerals, conversion to lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide is required. Hydrometallurgical processes which may be applied to release lithium from minerals (spodumene, petalite, lepidolite, jadarite, hectorite or amblygonite) can be divided into the following major steps:
- Calcination (only spodumene)
- Leaching
- Purification
- Precipitation of lithium carbonate or –lithium hydroxide
In contrast to other lithium minerals, natural alpha-spodumene may be converted into beta-spodumene via calcination, offering specific leaching of lithium from the ore. Beta-spodumene may be digested in acid or base conditions. Whilst sulphate extraction is the convention new developments in European projects favor base extraction technologies. After the base leaching step, technical grade chemicals have been produced in ANZAPLAN’s own tests. Further hydrometallurgical purification improved quality to chemical grades with purities in excess of 99% lithium carbonate. Thereafter, conversion to lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide was completed - the base materials for most derivative lithium chemical production.
Besides laboratory scale equipment, ANZAPLAN operates a local test plant for the production of samples, allowing the customer to test the full value chain for their specific pegmatite, from the concentration of the lithium mineral to the refinement and precipitation of lithium carbonate. For more information, please follow these links:
> Pilot Plant Processing of Lithium Minerals
> Download our white paper: Conversion of Spodumene to Lithium
Chemicals
> ANZAPLAN News: ANZAPLAN is technology partner for Australia’s first
lithium carbonate plant
