Separating lithium and magnesium in brine by aluminum-based materials

• Published in: Hydrometallurgy 2018-03, Vol.176, p.73-77
• Main Authors: Liu, Xuheng, Zhong, Maoli, Chen, Xingyu, Zhao, Zhongwei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum-based materials; High Mg/Li mass ratio; Salt lake brine; Separating lithium and magnesium
• ISSN: 0304-386X; 1879-1158
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.01.005

Separating lithium and magnesium from high Mg/Li mass ratio brine is an internationally recognized concern. The following study used the reaction between the aluminum-based material with the brine in order to investigate the reaction process of the lithium precipitation as well as the influences on the lithium precipitation rate and Mg/Li mass ratio in precipitation. The results showed that the direct reaction process of the aluminum-based material with the brine helped to eliminate the product coating on the surface of the raw material while enhancing the lithium precipitation rate. Aluminum-based materials exhibit the excellent performance of precipitating lithium and separating lithium and magnesium. The lithium precipitation rate reached 78.3%. The Mg/Li mass ratio in the precipitate was only 0.02, under the optimal conditions. The results were informative for the separation of lithium and magnesium in a salt lake brine. [Display omitted] •Li+ in solution was efficiently transferred to precipitate by aluminum-based materials.•Direct reaction process is beneficial to the lithium precipitation process.•Aluminum-based materials showed excellent performance of separating lithium and magnesium.•Mg/Li mass ratio in precipitate was only 0.02 and lithium precipitation rate reached 78.3%.