TECHNOLOGIES FOR LITHIUM RECOVERY FROM MINERAL AND HYDROMINERAL RAW MATERIALS

Abstract

This paper provides a literature-based review and comparative assessment of lithium extraction technologies from mineral raw materials (spodumene, lepidolite, petalite) and hydromineral sources (saline brines, produced water from oil and gas fields, mineralized waters, and geothermal waters). For hard-rock ores, beneficiation stages (dense media separation, DMS, and froth flotation) and subsequent chemical processing routes are discussed, including thermal activation (α→β conversion), sulfuric acid sulfation followed by leaching, alkaline NaOH treatment, and HF-assisted leaching in fluoride-containing media. For hydromineral feedstocks, conventional solar evaporation and precipitation are analyzed alongside emerging direct lithium extraction (DLE) approaches based on sorption/ion exchange, membrane processes (NF/RO/ED), and solvent extraction methods for low-concentration solutions. The review shows that selecting an optimal process flowsheet depends on the feed type, lithium concentration, and the impact of Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺/SO₄²⁻ impurities, which significantly constrain selectivity and process economics.