Hydrate-based concentration of dilute lithium mine waters for downstream recovery

Zhang, Yibo; Deen, Kashif Mairaj; Asselin, Edouard

Abstract

Recovering lithium from dilute mine waters is often uneconomical because of the low concentrations and high volumes associated with direct extraction. Hydrate-based desalination (HBD) offers an alternative front-end approach that can both reduce brine volume and upgrade lithium concentration before downstream processing. HBD is a low-temperature, low-energy desalination method that has shown strong potential for seawater and industrial effluent treatment, particularly in regions with naturally cold climates. In this study, CO₂ HBD was applied to real mine water to evaluate its potential as a concentration step for lithium recovery. Hydrate formation effectively rejected dissolved ions and increased lithium concentration from 180 ppm to approximately 500 ppm using a three-stage configuration operated at 3.58 MPa, 1 °C, and 600 rpm. Along with concentration, the HBD process also recovered clean water, with a desalting efficiency of up to 81%, thus offering an opportunity for internal water reuse within mining operations. Overall, the results show that HBD can serve as a practical pre-treatment step that can upgrade dilute mine waters into suitable feeds for lithium extraction and recovery technologies.

Menu

Hydrate-based concentration of dilute lithium mine waters for downstream recovery

Abstract