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Lithium-Based Battery Systems
Published in Muhammad Asif, Handbook of Energy Transitions, 2023
C. M. Costa, J. C. Barbosa, R. Gonçalves, S. Ferdov, S. Lanceros-Mendez
Pegmatite (hard rock) deposits are intrusive igneous rocks formed in the last stage of the crystallization of magma. They consist of minerals rarely found in other types of rocks rich in lithium and other valuable elements such as tin, tantalum, niobium, beryllium, cesium, rare earth, and others (London 2018). Lithium in pegmatites accounts for up to 26% of the world’s resources (Gruber et al. 2011). It concentrates in spodumene (LiAlSi2O6) among other silicate minerals such as petalite (LiAlSi4O10), lepidolite [(KLi2Al(Al,Si)3O10(F,OH)2], and eucryptite (LiAlSiO4) (Gruber et al. 2011). Pegmatite ores contain on an average 0.58%–1.59% of lithium, which is much higher than the richest salar (0.14%, Salar de Atacama, Chile) (Gruber et al. 2011). These deposits are usually smaller and have a shorter lifetime than the brines, but their more regular distribution in the earth’s crust and independence on weather conditions ensures more secure supply lines to lithium end users (Figure 11.3b).
Industrial minerals
Published in Francis P. Gudyanga, Minerals in Africa, 2020
The beneficiation of pegmatites is specific to the pegmatite mineral of interest: lepidolite, lithium, petalite, spodumene. However, the main objective of their beneficiation is to extract lithium.
Global Outlook on the Availability of Critical Metals and Recycling Prospects from Rechargeable Batteries
Published in Abhilash, Ata Akcil, Critical and Rare Earth Elements, 2019
Pratima Meshram, B.D. Pandey, Abhilash
Lithium is produced from a variety of natural sources, for example, minerals such as spodumene, clays such as hectorite, salt lakes, and underground brine reservoirs. Lithium is a minor component of igneous rocks, primarily granite. The most abundant lithium-containing rocks/minerals (Table 2.3) are pegmatites, spodumene, and petalite. Other minerals are lepidolite, amblygonite, zinnwaldite, and eucryptite (Ferrell, 1985). Zinnwaldite is the impure form of lepidolite with a higher FeO content (up to 11.5% Fe as FeO) and MnO (3.2%) (Paukov et al., 2010). Pegmatites contain recoverable amounts of lithium, tin, tantalum, niobium, beryllium, and other elements. The theoretical lithium content in these minerals is 3%–5.53%, but most mineral deposits have around 0.5%–2% Li and the pegmatite-bearing ores that are often exploited have <1% Li (Mohr et al., 2010). Spodumene is the primary lithium mineral being mined.
Beneficiation of lithium bearing pegmatite rock: a review
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2022
Saroj Kumar Sahoo, Sunil Kumar Tripathy, A. Nayak, K. C. Hembrom, S. Dey, R. K. Rath, M. K. Mohanta
Petalite is a preferred input material for glass and ceramic industries because of its zero thermal expansion. Very limited studies were available in the literature for petalite flotation. Based on one investigation on a complex petalite ore containing feldspar, mica, lepidolite, and albite, using dodecyl-amine as a collector between pH 2 and 8 results in little selectivity in petalite flotation (Bulatovic 2014; Tadesse et al. 2019). However, using a reagent scheme involving 500 g/t of HF, NaCl/KCl brine (1:1), and 380 g/t AMG93 (AkzoNobel) collector, 85% petalite recovery with a concentrate grade of 4.7% Li2O was reported (Bulatovic 2014; Tadesse et al. 2019). A study by Prospect Resources Ltd shows that a locked cycle petalite flotation test was successfully performed on pegmatite ore and high-grade ultra-low petalite with a lower iron content of >4.1% Li2O, 0.02% −0.05% Fe2O3 was recovered (Hosack 2020). A further detailed study will be required for petalite flotation.
Review of Lithium Production and Recovery from Minerals, Brines, and Lithium-Ion Batteries
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2021
Fei Meng, James McNeice, Shirin S. Zadeh, Ahmad Ghahreman
Lithium-bearing minerals are mainly divided into two categories: phosphates and complex aluminum silicates. The minerals of commercial importance are spodumene, lepidolite, petalite, and amblygonite (Swain 2017). Spodumene is a stable lithium aluminum silicate (LiAlSi2O6), has a theoretical lithium content of 1.9–3.3% (British Geological Survey 2016; Meshram, Pandey and Mankhand 2014; Salakjani, Singh and Nikoloski 2019). Spodumene is the most important commercial mineral for Li extraction at an industrial scale and is characterized by high lithium content, extensive deposits, and commercially feasible to process (Forster 2011). It is now mostly extracted in the mine of Greenbushes (Australia) as a by-product of rare earth elements (GrosjeGrosjean et al. 2012). Lepidolite is a complex lithium mica, K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10(F,OH)3. It is commonly employed in supplying lithium to special glasses, ceramics, and glazes by direct addition of the ore. Petalite is a monoclinic lithium aluminum silicate, LiAlSi4O10, has a theoretical lithium content of about 1.6–2.1% (GrosjeGrosjean et al. 2012) (British Geological Survey 2016). Large deposits of petalite occur in southern Zimbabwe, Namibia, Brazil, and Australia. Amblygonite is a fluorophosphate mineral (Li,Na)AlPO4(F,OH), which contains about 3.5-4% Li and 20% P2O5, and often does not occur as the primary mineral in large deposits. It is often found in association with spodumene, lepidolite and other lithium-bearing minerals (Colton 1957; Kamienski et al. 2004). Table 2 provides the details of some important lithium minerals (British Geological Survey 2016; Christie and Brathwaite 2002; Clarke 2013; GrosjeGrosjean et al. 2012; Kogel et al. 2006; Meshram, Pandey and Mankhand 2014).