A Comprehensive Membrane Process for Preparing Lithium Carbonate from High Mg/Li Brine

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Extracting lithium carbonate from brine with high magnesium concentrations is a significant global challenge.
• Traditional methods face difficulties in efficient separation and recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated, green, and efficient process for lithium carbonate preparation from high Mg/Li ratio brine.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of electrochemical intercalation-deintercalation combined with membrane technologies.

Main Methods:

• Electrochemical intercalation-deintercalation for initial Li/Mg separation.
• Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis for purification and concentration.
• Evaporation and precipitation for final lithium carbonate production.

Main Results:

• Reduced Mg/Li mass ratio from 58.5 to 0.93 using electrochemical methods.
• Achieved a direct lithium recovery rate of 68.7% and a total recovery exceeding 85%.
• Produced industrial-grade lithium carbonate directly from the processed brine.

Conclusions:

• The integrated system offers a novel approach for lithium carbonate production from challenging brines.
• Electrochemical and membrane separation technologies are key to efficient lithium extraction.
• This method provides a sustainable and effective solution for lithium resource utilization.