Lithium extraction from beta-spodumene through chlorination with chlorine gas

Abstract

The extraction of lithium by means of the chlorination roasting of beta-spodumene has been studied in the temperature range from 1000 to 1100 °C for periods of time from 0 to 180 min. The roasting was carried out in a fixed bed reactor using pure gaseous Cl2 as chlorinating agent. The reactants and products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The roasting of beta-spodumene with pure Cl2 at 1100 °C for the period of 150 min led to quantitative extraction of lithium as lithium chloride. The solid products of the reaction of beta-spodumene with Cl2 were found to be Al6Si2O13 (mullite), and Si2O (cristobalite).