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Article | REF: M2500 V1

Lithium metallurgy

Authors: Pierre BLAZY, El-Aïd JDID

Publication date: September 10, 2011 | Lire en français

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    6. Industrial lithium mining

    Whether it's rock or brine, the first step in lithium extraction is preconcentration.

    In the case of pegmatitic ores, a spodumene concentrate is produced with a lithium enrichment ratio of around 4 to 6.

    In the case of brines, solar evaporation can multiply Li concentration by a factor of 10 to 12.

    From mineral concentrates or brines, lithium carbonate is obtained by essentially chemical processing.

    6.1 Treatment of lithium pegmatites

    Lithium deposits are represented by clusters within aplo-pegmatitic rocks. Mines are either quarried (Greenbushes in Western Australia, Bikita in Zimbabwe) or mined underground using the "room and pillar" method (Bernic Lake, Manitoba, Canada). Mined ore...

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