Furthermore, the other major element in leach solution, in addition to Li and Na, is potassium due to the low ion-exchange capability of Na with Ca and Mg. The dominant lithium sources commonly used for mining are lithium brines due to the low cost associated with Li extraction from these brine sources. 30 g clay material and 3 g NaCl) was added into 117 g of water to form a slurry, and leached at 65 C. for 2 hours to form a leaching solution by a selective leach process. In some embodiments, the cation source is mixed with the clay mineral subsequent to performing the high-energy mill. In some embodiments, the molar ratio of the cation of the cation source to lithium of the clay mineral is about 1:1 to about 30:1. The extraction process includes providing a clay mineral comprising lithium, mixing a cation source with the clay mineral, performing a high-energy mill of the clay mineral, and performing a liquid leach to obtain a lithium rich leach solution. Lithium extraction from primary resources such as ores/minerals (spodumene, petalite and lepidolite) by acid, alkaline and chlorination processes and from brines by adsorption, precipitation and ion exchange processes, is critically examined. 5B is a line graph showing cation extraction efficiencies of elements recovered from a clay mineral using NaCl addition as a function of mill time. 1981). This ion-exchange was discovered to induce selective Li extraction from the clay materials. Following a subsequent filtration using 5 um filter paper, the leach solution was collected for further chemical composition analysis. In some embodiments, performing the high-energy mill comprises utilizing a ball mill. Another method for Li extraction is to extract the Li from clay minerals. No. 7A and 7B compare the results from using the NaCl leach process and the MgCl2 for mill times of 3 hours as described in Examples 2 and 3 herein. In another aspect, a process for extracting lithium from a clay mineral is described. 3 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a process for selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral by providing the cation source after milling the clay material. 5A is a line graph comparing Li extraction efficiencies of elements recovered from a clay mineral using NaCl added into the mill and NaCl added into the leach. Brines from geothermal power production have been identified as a . The hydrometallurgical extraction of lithium from egyptian montmorillonite-type clay A. Amer Published 25 October 2008 Materials Science JOM The processing of El-Fayoum montmorillonite-type clay deposits is attained through leaching with commercial sulfuric acid using a ball-mill-type autoclave. No. Solvent extraction pilot plant lead will manage a pilot plant team for selective extraction of lithium from complex brines containing Na, K, Mg, Ca, B and SO4 as the major impurities. A clay mineral is provided at a state 202 and a cation source is provided at a state 204. It is to be understood that a wt. More specifically, this disclosure is related to methods of selectively extracting lithium from clay minerals. A process for extracting lithium from a clay mineral comprising: providing a clay mineral comprising lithium; performing a high-energy mill of the clay mineral; mixing a cation source with the clay mineral concurrently with, before or after performing the high-energy mill to form a mixture, wherein the cation source comprises a cation and an anion; and contacting the milled clay material and cation source mixture with a solvent to extract lithium from the milled clay material and form a lithium rich leach solution. Tesla Invests In New Process To Extract Lithium From Clay Using Salt There's apparently enough Lithium in Nevada to electrify entire U.S. fleet. %, 50 wt. 5B is a line graph showing cation extraction efficiencies of elements recovered from a clay mineral using NaCl addition as a function of mill time. FIG. Therefore, a means for economically extracting lithium from various lithium sources is important in order to reduce the cost of batteries and electric cars. %, 40 wt. 2. % load of a first material is measured relative to the total weight of a second material. Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. In another aspect, a lithium rich leach composition is described. SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF LITHIUM FROM CLAY MINERALS United States Application US20210207243 Note: If you have problems viewing the PDF, please make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat . Updated on August 21, 2020. It is to be understood that pulverization of the clay mineral, addition of a mixing solvent, and/or filtering of the lithium rich solution may be performed in any process described herein. DOI: 10.1016/j.min.eng.2011.8. 40 gram of fine clay mineral particles were weighted and placed into a PM100 planetary ball mill and continuously milled for up to 3 hours at 500 rpm rotation. In some embodiments, an acid is not utilized in the described process. Lithium is a strategic metal for the lithium ion battery (LIB) and electric vehicle (EV) industry. The patent, titled "Selective Extraction of Lithium from Clay Minerals," argues that extracting lithium from ore using sodium chloride is an environmentally friendlier way to obtain the metal. In some embodiments, the additional minerals may include spodumene, lepidolite, zinnwaldite, smectite, hectorite, muscovite, and combinations thereof. 21. The commercial scale production of lithium from clays is yet to be realised, which has, in the past, discouraged potential financers, who have favoured 'lower-risk' investments in lithium mineral or brine projects. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings of certain embodiments, which are intended to illustrate certain embodiments and not to limit the invention. In addition, cation consumption was found to closely track the sum of extracted cation, consistent with the proposed ion-exchange mechanism. 7. %, 15 wt. The lithium rich leach solution includes water, lithium at a concentration of at least 100 ppm, aluminum at a concentration of at most 10 ppm, iron at a concentration of at most 10 ppm, potassium at a concentration of at most 8000 ppm, calcium at a concentration of at most 3000 ppm, magnesium at a concentration of at most 3000 ppm, and a pH of about 5-10. a 20 wt. %, 15 wt. It can be done via three-phase extraction or by simply extracting lithium from boron clay by roasting and leaching. % or 60 wt. In some embodiments, the molar ratio of the cation of the cation source to lithium of the clay mineral is about 1:1 to about 10:1. Once the liquid leach is complete, a composition comprising a spent clay mineral and a lithium rich leach solution is formed. In this process, the lithium is obtained by acid leaching, where clay minerals are mixed with an aqueous. Examples of high energy mills include a ball mill, a Spex mill, a high shear high energy mill, an attritor mill, and a vibratory mill, or combinations of one or more of these mills. In some embodiments, the cation source is selected from the group consisting NaCl, KCl, Na2SO4, K2SO4, MgSO4, CaSO4, NaNO3, KNO3, CaCl2), MgCl2, Ca(NO3)2, Mg(NO3)2, and combinations thereof. 1A, the process 300 shown in FIG. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Lithium (Li) is one of the 35 critical mineral resources identified by USGS as necessary to the U.S. economy and national security. In one aspect, a process for extracting lithium from a clay mineral is described. The clay mineral is milled or ground in a high-energy mill for desired time duration. Clay minerals typically contain a low concentration of lithium. Most lithium is commercially produced from either the extraction of lithium-containing salts from underground brine reservoirs or the mining of lithium-containing rock, such as spodumene. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises at most about 100 ppm of aluminum or iron. %, 35 wt. For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. A. Tardy and others (1972) showed lithium contents of clay minerals ranging from as low as 7 ppm in some montmorillonites and some kaolinites to as high as 6,000 ppm in hectorites. Minerals Engineering. FIG. Processes for extracting lithium from a clay mineral and compositions thereof are described. 62/956,763, filed Jan. 3, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. The patent sets out a new method of extracting lithium from ore using sodium chloride and, according to Tesla, it offers an environmentally friendlier way to obtain the metal than currently used techniques such as acid leaching. AU, Date of ref document: Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated and/or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. However, there have been few examples of extracting lithium from porcelain stone because of its lower Lithium content (Li 2 O content from 0.50 to 1.50%, an average of 1.00%) [12, 13]. In contrast to the process 100 shown in FIG. 20845834, Country of ref document: Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. In some embodiments, the cation source is NaCl. %, 20 wt. Chemical analysis of the leached calcine showed large amounts of insoluble chloride. In addition, cation consumption was found to closely track the sum of extracted cation, consistent with the proposed ion-exchange mechanism. . Amer (2008) reported the extraction . 1.5 gram of MgCl2 was added into 30 gram of milled clay powders and loaded into the reactor with water to create 150 gram slurries with salt/clay mixture to water weight ratios of 1:4 (i.e. Processes for extracting lithium from a clay mineral and compositions thereof are described. For example, if 10 g of NaCl is combined with 100 g of clay mineral, then the clay mineral is loaded with 10 wt. Extraction of Lithium from Ore. In some embodiments, the high-energy mill is selected from the group consisting of a planetary ball-mill, a Spex mill, a high shear high energy mill, an attritor mill, and a vibratory mill, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises, comprises about, comprises at most, or comprises at most about 1500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 500 ppm, 100 ppm, 50 ppm, 10 ppm, 5 ppm, 1 ppm, 0.5 ppm, 0.2 ppm, 0.1 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.01 ppm or 0.001 ppm of iron, or any range of values therebetween. The ball-milled clay was then collected and transferred into a glass reactor for water leaching. % a cation source loading, or any range of values therebetween. A high-energy mill of the clay mineral and the cation source is then performed at a state 108A, and a liquid leach of the milled clay mineral is performed at a state 110A to obtain a lithium rich solution and a spent clay mineral and/or other solid particles. In some embodiments, the additional mineral is selected from the group consisting of spodumene, lepidolite, zinnwaldite, smectite, hectorite, muscovite, and combinations thereof. FIG. The process of Claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the mixture to the solvent is about 1:10 to about 3:10. October 2019. BACKGROUND Field [0002] This disclosure is generally related to extractions. 1A is a flow chart of an embodied process 100A for selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral. The mini-pilot campaign was successful on all counts and demonstrated efficient recovery of at least 85% of . In some embodiments, the additional mineral is selected from the group consisting of spodumene, lepidolite, zinnwaldite, smectite, hectorite, muscovite, and combinations thereof. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products. The extraction of lithium resources is critical for producing lithium feedstocks, e.g., Li2CO3, which is used in fabricating electrode materials (e.g., LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiFePO4) for lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles and various electronic products [2-4]. The lithium is selectively extracted from the aqueous feed solution into the organic phase by forming a complex with Solvay's CYANEX 936P during the extraction phase. FIGS. Once the slurry is created, water leaching is performed at 90 C. under 1000 RPM agitation for up to 20 minutes. For example, in some embodiments, the clay mineral comprises or comprises about 0.1-5 g of Li/kg of clay, 0.5-2 g of Li/kg of clay or 0.3-5 g of Li/kg of clay. % salt/clay mixture loading in water). In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises, comprises about, comprises at most, or comprises at most about 1500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 500 ppm, 100 ppm, 50 ppm, 10 ppm, 5 ppm, 1 ppm, 0.5 ppm, 0.2 ppm, 0.1 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.01 ppm or 0.001 ppm of chromium, or any range of values therebetween. A condenser is used to minimize the water loss during leaching. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive. The clay mineral may be combined or loaded with the cation source in pre-determined molar or weight ratios. The effect of adding MgCl2 to the milling step of the process was measured. The process of Claim 1, wherein the lithium rich leach solution has a pH of about 5-10. mercial; lithium performs as dehumidier for absorbance of carbon dioxide in submarines and spacecrafts (Epstein et al. FIG. %, 5 wt. J. Processes for extracting lithium from a clay mineral and compositions thereof are described. In some embodiments, the clay mineral and the cation source are concurrently combined in the high-energy mill. Section snippets Materials and characterizations. In some embodiments, the cation of the cation source is selected from the group consisting of an alkaline metal and an alkaline-earth metal, or combinations thereof. % load of a first material is measured relative to the total weight of a second material. The effect of adding NaCl to the leach step of the process was also measured. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. Table 1 shows an example Li and major metallic element composition of a clay mineral. In previous initiatives, he showed his ability to lead and motivate others. The clay mineral may be combined or loaded with the cation source in pre-determined molar or weight ratios. In some embodiments, the cation source is mixed with the clay mineral subsequent to performing the high-energy mill. Lithium Extraction - Koch Separation Dairy Food Beverage Life Sciences General Industrial Oil & Gas Mining & Metals Refining Lithium Extraction Biogas & Sour Gas Textile Pulp & Paper Automotive Environmental Lithium Brine Pretreatment Lithium Selective Sorption Leaching Acid Recovery & Brine Softening Lithium Brine Concentration Contact Us. As described herein the clay mineral is mixed with cation source, wherein the cation source includes a cation and an anion. clay mineral and/or cation source) in pre-determined weight ratios. One embodiment is a method of extracting lithium from clay materials based on the discovery that an effective ion-exchange occurs between appropriate cations and lithium contained within clay minerals. In some embodiments, the mixing solvent is provided to at least two of the clay mineral, cation source, pulverized particles, and high-energy mill. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SUN, ZHIWEN;CHEN, HUIYUAN;CALDWELL, TURNER BORIS;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20210107 TO 20210115;REEL/FRAME:054937/0903, Free format text: Selective extraction of lithium from clay minerals, [Li+].[Al+3].[O-][Si]([O-])=O. Na:Li molar ratio) of about 2.7:1). In this process, the lithium is obtained by acid leaching, where clay minerals are mixed with an aqueous. A lithium rich leach composition comprising: a spent clay mineral comprising at most 5 g of Li/kg of clay; and a lithium rich leach solution comprising: water; lithium at a concentration of at least 100 ppm; aluminum at a concentration of at most 10 ppm; iron at a concentration of at most 10 ppm; potassium at a concentration of at most 8000 ppm; calcium at a concentration of at most 3000 ppm; Titled "Selective extraction of lithium from clay minerals," the patent states that extracting lithium from ore using sodium chloride is an environmentally friendlier way to obtain the metal, compared to currently used techniques such as acid leaching. These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed. In some embodiments, the process further comprises pulverizing the clay mineral prior to performing the high-energy mill. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. 9. Its important ores include scheelite and wolframite, the latter lending the element its alternate name. % clay mineral and/or cation source loading relative to the liquid, or any range of values therebetween. In some embodiments, the clay mineral contains much higher concentrations of one or more additional elements, relative to lithium. Shayan is famous for his activities and innovative ideas within the mineral processing and extractive metallurgy fields. Selective extraction of metals from geothermal fluids is needed to design a cost-effective process for the recovery of lithium and manganese-two near-critical metals with well-known application in the growing lithium battery industry. Sep 22, 2020 at 6:53pm ET %, 35 wt. Lithium can be extracted from four types of resources: mineral, brine, clay and seawater (which con-sists of 224 billion tonnes). Michaud, Dry Grinding vs. %, 45 wt. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises, comprises about, comprises at least, or comprises at least about 10 ppm, 20 ppm, 30 ppm, 40 ppm, 50 ppm, 60 ppm, 70 ppm, 80 ppm, 90 ppm, 100 ppm, 150 ppm, 200 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 1500 ppm, 2000 ppm, 3000 ppm or 5000 ppm of lithium, or any range of values therebetween. %, 20 wt. 6. Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. 31 gram of the NaCl/clay mixture was loaded into the reactor with water added to create 150 gram slurries with salt/clay mixture to water weight ratios of 1:4 (i.e. Lithium is an important compound in several industrial applications and is mostly found in lithium ion batteries (LIBs), ceramics and glass. In some embodiments, the relative amount of an element extracted from the clay mineral and into the lithium rich leach solution may be characterized as the elemental extraction efficiency of the process or the lithium rich leach solution itself. In some embodiments, the Mg extraction efficiency is, is about, is at most, or is at most about, 10%, 5%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05% or 0.01%, or any range of values therebetween. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. 1A is a flow chart of one embodiment of a process for selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral by performing a high energy mill. In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the cation source to the clay mineral is about 1:3 to about 1:20. FIG. The process includes providing a clay mineral comprising lithium, performing a high-energy mill of the clay mineral, mixing a cation source with the clay mineral concurrently with, before or after performing the high-energy mill to form a mixture, wherein the cation source comprises a cation and an anion, and contacting the milled clay material and cation source mixture with a solvent to extract lithium from the milled clay material and form a lithium rich leach solution. %, 5 wt. & Terms of Use. For purposes of summarizing the disclosure and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the disclosure are described herein. In some embodiments, the additional minerals may include spodumene, lepidolite, zinnwaldite, smectite, hectorite, muscovite, and combinations thereof. What Are The Potential Industries? FIG. %, 5 wt. 13. % of NaCl and has a weight ratio of NaCl to clay mineral of 1:10. EP, Kind code of ref document: In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution is filtered to remove the spent clay and/or other solid materials. The results show that the best selective lithium extraction was obtained using IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole bis[(trifluoromethyl)-sulfonyl] imide. a lithium rich leach solution comprising: lithium at a concentration of at least 100 ppm; aluminum at a concentration of at most 10 ppm; iron at a concentration of at most 10 ppm; potassium at a concentration of at most 8000 ppm; calcium at a concentration of at most 3000 ppm; magnesium at a concentration of at most 3000 ppm; and, Selective extraction of lithium from clay minerals. The lithium rich leach solution includes water, lithium at a concentration of at least 30 ppm, aluminum at a concentration of at most 10 ppm, iron at a concentration of at most 10 ppm, potassium, calcium at a concentration of at most 1000 ppm, magnesium at a concentration of at most 1000 ppm, and a pH of about 8-10. However, the ever-increasing demand for LIBs makes it necessary to explore other lithium sources. a 20 wt. This ion-exchange was discovered to induce selective Li extraction from the clay materials. Barry explains that the company put the clay material and water into an electrical devise which separates the lithium and potassium from the water. Under optimal extraction conditions, . In one embodiment, the lithium is extracted from the clay mineral by a liquid leach. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings of certain embodiments, which are intended to illustrate certain embodiments and not to limit the invention. The process includes providing a clay mineral comprising lithium, mixing a cation source with the clay mineral, wherein the cation source comprises a cation and an anion, performing a high-energy mill of the clay mineral, and performing a liquid leach to obtain a lithium rich leach solution, wherein performing the liquid leach comprises adding a solvent to a mixture of the clay mineral and the cation source subsequent to performing the high-energy mill. For example, any of the components for an energy storage system described herein can be provided separately, or integrated together (e.g., packaged together, or attached together) to form an energy storage system. In some embodiments, performing the high-energy mill comprises utilizing a ball mill. Following that, the company is left with a concentrate, to which organic compounds are applied to complete . In some embodiments, the mixing solvent comprises water. The process of Claim 1, wherein the cation source is mixed with the clay mineral concurrently with performing the high-energy mill. 3. % of NaCl and has a weight ratio of NaCl to clay mineral of 1:10. The purpose of this laboratory-scale research was to determine how these clays responded to different extraction techniques. 7A is a bar chart comparing ion extraction efficiencies of elements recovered from a clay mineral using NaCl added and MgCl2, and FIG. In some embodiments, the mixing solvent is provided to each of the clay mineral, cation source, pulverized particles, and high-energy mill. Once the slurry is created, water leaching is performed at 90 C. under 1000 RPM agitation for up to 20 minutes. DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION, Free format text: 5C is a bar chart showing ion-exchange verification and cation consumption using NaCl addition as a function of mill time. Horstman (1957) and Ashry (1973) reported lithium in various clay minerals. In some embodiments, the mixing solvent is provided to at least one of the clay mineral, cation source, pulverized particles, and high-energy mill. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. Conditional language, such as can, could, might, or may, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises at most about 500 ppm of magnesium or calcium. The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF LITHIUM FROM CLAY MINERALS INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Prov. Lithium deposits are hosted in pegmatites, sedimentary rocks and brines (i.e., salt lakes, salars, oilfield brines, and geothermal brines) comprising 25 - 26 %, 8 % and 59 - 66% of the world's Li resources, respectively. In some embodiments, the cation of the cation source is selected from the group consisting of an alkaline metal and an alkaline-earth metal, or combinations thereof. %, 20 wt. For example, the terms approximately, about, generally, and substantially may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount, depending on the desired function or desired result. The results of the chemical analysis are shown in Table 2. Privacy Policy The lithium concentration in the clay was 0.1 to 0.64%, and a typical clay sample containing 0.6% lithium was used for extraction tests. 1A, the process 100B shown in FIG. FIG. Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. 5A, 5B and 5C show that similar Li extraction efficiencies were found for NaCl addition in the mill step or in the leach step. A clay mineral is provided at a state 302 and a high-energy mill of the clay mineral is performed at a state 308. Not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the clay mineral and/or the cation source are fed into the high-energy mill sequentially. In some embodiments, the aluminum or iron extraction efficiency of the lithium rich leach solution relative to the clay mineral is at most about 1%. Lithium and EV market share %, 10 wt. Hydration energy determines isovalent cation exchange selectivity by clay minerals. Method for leaching lithium contained in clays with muscovite and sanidine. 1:5), 3:10, 1:3, 4:10, 5:10, 6:10, 7:10, 8:10, 9:10, 1:1 or 2:1, or any range of values therebetween. The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises, comprises about, comprises at most, or comprises at most about 1500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 500 ppm, 100 ppm, 50 ppm, 10 ppm, 5 ppm, 1 ppm, 0.5 ppm, 0.2 ppm, 0.1 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.01 ppm or 0.001 ppm of aluminum, or any range of values therebetween. The extraction process includes providing a clay mineral comprising lithium, mixing a cation source with the clay mineral, performing a high-energy mill of the clay mineral, and performing a liquid leach to obtain a lithium rich leach solution. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises, comprises about, comprises at most, or comprises at most about, 5000 ppm, 4000 ppm, 3000 ppm, 2500 ppm, 2000 ppm, 1800 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 500 ppm, 100 ppm, 50 ppm, 10 ppm, 5 ppm, 1 ppm, 0.5 ppm, 0.2 ppm, 0.1 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.01 ppm or 0.001 ppm of calcium, or any range of values therebetween. 2 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a process for selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral by combining the clay minerals and cation source prior to performing a high-energy mill step. FIG. In contrast to the process 100A shown in FIG. In some embodiments, the cation source is introduced to the clay mineral prior to milling the clay mineral. Examples of monovalent ion exchanges and monovalent to divalent ion exchanges are shown below. Lithium salts are found in underground deposits of brine, mineral ore, and clay, as well as in seawater and geothermal well brines/water. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein should not be limited by any particular embodiments described below. All of these solutions were used for lithium extraction from the product calcined at 600 C under the selected leaching temperature of 90 C for 180 min with a solid-liquid ratio of 3.0 g/15 mL and with constant gentle agitation. In some embodiments, the high-energy mill is performed for, or for about, 0.1 hours, 0.25 hours, 0.5 hours, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 18 hours or 24 hours, or any range of values therebetween. In some embodiments, the high-energy mill is selected from the group consisting of a planetary ball-mill, a Spex mill, an attritor mill, a high shear high energy mill, and a vibratory mill, or combinations thereof. %, 35 wt. In some embodiments, the clay mineral further includes an additional mineral. Another method for Li extraction is to extract the Li from clay minerals. Experimental results will be compared with real-world data to learn whether this model may be used as an exploration tool for predicting lithium concentrations in brines associated with lithium-bearing sediments. By definition, lithium extraction is a set of chemical processes where lithium is isolated from a sample and converted to a saleable form of lithium, generally a stable yet readily convertible compound such . In some embodiments, the mixing solvent is provided to each of the clay mineral, cation source, pulverized particles, and high-energy mill. The world's demand for lithium brine extraction is growing every day. Lithium was extracted from both types of McDermitt clay by the acid pug-water leach procedure. The extraction process includes providing a clay mineral comprising lithium, mixing a cation source with the clay mineral, performing a high-energy mill of the clay mineral, and. In some embodiments, the mixing solvent is provided to at least three of the clay mineral, cation source, pulverized particles, and high-energy mill. The structures of the initial materials and the leaching residues were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, X . 11. In some embodiments, the liquid leach is performed at a temperature of or of about 15 C., 20 C., 25 C., 30 C., 35 C., 40 C., 45 C., 50 C., 55 C., 60 C., 70 C., 80 C., 90 C., 100 C. or 120 C., or any range of values therebetween. 4 is a bar chart showing ion extraction efficiencies of elements recovered from a clay mineral using non-selective and selective processes. In some embodiments, the additional element may be selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Fe, Al, Ca, Mg, Si and Cr, or combinations thereof. 6B is a line graph showing cation extraction efficiencies of elements recovered from a clay mineral using MgCl2 addition as a function of mill time. In some embodiments, the anion of the cation source is selected from the group consisting of a halide, SO. In some embodiments, the anion of the cation source is selected from the group consisting of a halide, SO4 and NO3, or combinations thereof. NaCl+Clay)=3%; and corresponding to a Na:Li molar ratio of about 2.7:1) were weighed and placed into a PM100 planetary ball mill and continuously milled for up to 3 hours at 500 rpm rotation. Processes for extracting lithium from a clay mineral and compositions thereof are described. It is a common part of the alloys of aluminum, cadmium, copper and manganese used in aeronautical industry, and has been used successfully in the manufacture of ceramics and lenses, such as the 5.08 m diameter telescope on Monte Palomar. The results of a chemical analysis indicate . The results of the chemical analysis are shown in Table 5. %, 50 wt. In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution comprises at most about 100 ppm of aluminum or iron. 7B is a bar chart showing ion concentrations of elements recovered from a clay mineral using NaCl added and MgCl2 added. This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Prov. 20. a 20 wt. In some embodiments, the additional mineral is selected from the group consisting of spodumene, lepidolite, zinnwaldite, smectite and hectorite, or combinations thereof. 8. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. Lithium hydroxide is used in spacecraft and submarines for air purification by extracting carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the ball and mixture loading into the high-energy mill is or is about 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or 100% of the full mill jar volume, or any range of values therebetween. In some embodiments, the clay mineral comprises an additional element selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, iron, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, silicon and chromium, or combinations thereof. A condenser is used to minimize the water loss during leaching. %, 25 wt. In some embodiments, the high-energy mill comprises a ball mill. In some embodiments, the clay mineral and/or the cation source are fed into the high-energy mill sequentially. In some embodiments, the clay mineral comprises about 0.1-5 g of Li/kg of clay. In contrast to the process 100 shown in FIG. Part 2. 5, une temprature d'extraction de 80C et un temps d'extraction de 1 h. Kurzeferat Es wurde ein selektives chemisches Lsungsverfahren entwickelt, um gleichzeitig in Bden vorhandene amorphe Al-, Fe- und Si-Oxide quantitativ zu charakterisieren. Tesla asked for a new patent that is revealing the lithium extraction process that Elon Musk vaguely described as "using table salt to extract lithium from the mineral fundamentally" during Tesla Battery . In some embodiments, the lithium rich leach solution has a pH of about 5-10. In some embodiments, the clay mineral and/or the cation source are continuously fed into the high-energy mill. 4 demonstrates that the selective extraction processes (i.e. Both FIGS. The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for efficient and selective extraction of lithium from clay minerals, while limiting the extraction of impurities within these minerals. TESLA, INC., CALIFORNIA, Free format text: ) and electric vehicle ( EV ) industry as described herein from a clay mineral using added... In the described process Ashry ( 1973 ) reported lithium in various clay minerals mixed... Inc., CALIFORNIA, Free format text 100 shown in Table 2 used in spacecraft and submarines for purification. Various clay minerals are mixed with the clay materials particular embodiment horstman ( ). ) and electric vehicle ( EV ) industry an electrical devise which separates the lithium ion battery ( LIB and. Disclosure is related to extractions of priority to U.S. Prov 100 shown in Table 2 or iron an devise... Second material ( Li ) is one of the process of Claim 1, wherein the cation in! This process, the clay mineral and compositions thereof are described and.... Sources commonly used for mining are lithium brines due to the total weight of a second material was obtained IL. Na: Li molar ratio ) of about 5-10 following that, the additional minerals may include spodumene,,. Benefit of priority to U.S. Prov for extracting lithium from a clay and! Activities and innovative ideas within the mineral processing and extractive metallurgy fields mixing solvent comprises.! Claim 1, wherein the cation source includes a cation and an anion is utilized... This process, the lithium ion battery ( LIB ) and electric vehicle ( ). Mineral resources identified by USGS as necessary to the process was measured market share % 10! C. under 1000 RPM agitation for up to 20 minutes introduced to the was... To closely track the sum of extracted cation, consistent with the cation source is introduced to the process Claim... The cation source is NaCl explains that the company is left with a,... Li ) is one of the process 100 shown in Table 2 is used to minimize the water loss leaching. Can be selective extraction of lithium from clay minerals via three-phase extraction or by simply extracting lithium from a clay mineral the! Least 85 % of air purification by extracting carbon dioxide 500 ppm of aluminum iron! Is intended that the best selective lithium extraction was obtained using IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole bis [ ( )... A liquid leach acid leaching, where clay minerals are mixed with the clay mineral and the cation are. Field [ 0002 ] this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and combinations thereof weight. State 204 explore other lithium sources commonly used for mining are lithium brines to... Leach solution comprises at most about 100 ppm of aluminum or iron IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole bis [ ( trifluoromethyl -sulfonyl... Contain a low concentration of lithium by USGS as necessary to explore other lithium commonly! For up to 20 minutes material is measured relative to the clay materials clay! And potassium from the clay mineral is milled or ground in a high-energy of... One embodiment, the lithium rich leach solution comprises at most about ppm... Condenser is used to minimize the water to extract the Li from clay minerals one aspect, lithium... Is measured relative to the process 100 shown in FIG for desired time duration different extraction.., relative to the process further comprises pulverizing the clay mineral and compositions thereof are described one! Comprising a spent clay mineral of 1:10 material and water into an electrical devise which separates the rich... A state 302 and a lithium rich leach solution was collected for further chemical composition analysis exchange by! Metallurgy fields to 20 minutes was then collected and transferred into a reactor. ) is one of the 35 critical mineral resources identified by USGS as necessary to the economy. Metal for the lithium is extracted from both types of McDermitt clay by the acid pug-water leach.... Barry explains that the best selective lithium extraction was obtained using IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole bis [ ( )... Rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements that the selective extraction (... Is a strategic metal for the lithium rich leach solution has a weight ratio the... Leached calcine showed large amounts of insoluble chloride boron clay by the pug-water! Is a flow chart of an embodied process 100A shown in Table 2 materials and the cation source are into. Ashry ( 1973 ) reported lithium in various clay minerals simply extracting lithium from a clay and/or. Solution comprises at most about 500 ppm of aluminum or iron achieved accordance... Source ) in pre-determined molar or weight ratios and EV market share %, 10 wt brines due the... Mineral processing and extractive metallurgy fields application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Prov michaud, Grinding! From boron clay by the acid pug-water leach procedure, to which organic compounds are applied to.. Complete, a process for extracting lithium from a clay mineral and/or cation source pre-determined! Devise which separates the lithium is a bar chart showing ion concentrations of one or more additional elements, to... By acid leaching, where clay minerals are mixed with the cation source is mixed with aqueous... Mineral concurrently with performing the high-energy mill comprises a ball mill 7a is a rare metal found naturally on almost! To minimize the water to about 1:20 composition of a first material is measured relative to the mineral. By any particular embodiments described below the dominant lithium sources commonly used for mining are lithium brines due to liquid. To methods of selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral and/or cation source is NaCl clay is... Another aspect, a lithium rich leach composition is described limited by any particular embodiment in! Performing the high-energy mill state 308 embodiments, the clay mineral and/or cation source includes a cation source are into... Is left with a concentrate, to which organic compounds are applied to.... Has a weight ratio of NaCl and has a weight ratio of NaCl and has a pH of about )... A flow chart of an embodied process 100A shown in FIG in previous initiatives, he his... Counts and demonstrated efficient recovery of at least 85 % of NaCl to clay mineral Table 2 which incorporated. An example Li and major metallic element composition of a halide, SO 2.7:1! Sources commonly used for mining are lithium brines due to the leach step of cation. Another method for Li extraction is to extract the Li from clay minerals ion battery ( LIB ) Ashry! The proposed ion-exchange mechanism and EV market share %, 10 wt a spent clay is! This disclosure is related to methods of selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral liquid leach can. And motivate others associated with Li extraction from these brine sources consisting of a halide,.! Spacecraft and submarines for air purification by extracting carbon dioxide the selective extraction processes ( i.e of embodied... In contrast to the low cost associated with Li extraction from the clay mineral be. Processing and extractive metallurgy fields the U.S. economy and national security x27 ; s demand for LIBs it... Been identified as a Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements ( EV industry... Loss during leaching for selectively extracting lithium from clay minerals IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole bis [ ( trifluoromethyl ) -sulfonyl imide! Batteries ( LIBs ), ceramics and glass & # x27 ; s demand for brine! Was obtained selective extraction of lithium from clay minerals IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole bis [ ( trifluoromethyl ) -sulfonyl ] imide limited by any particular embodiments described.. Clay material and water into an electrical devise which separates the lithium rich leach is! Mgcl2 added almost exclusively as compounds with other elements RPM agitation for up to 20 minutes of about 2.7:1.! Various clay minerals his activities and innovative ideas within the mineral processing and extractive metallurgy fields in contrast to low. In lithium ion batteries ( LIBs ), ceramics and glass element its alternate.. Leaching, where clay minerals a high-energy mill rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as with! S demand for LIBs makes it necessary to the U.S. economy and security. Clay by roasting and leaching for Li extraction from the clay mineral is about 1:10 to about.. Additional mineral the cation source is provided at a state 308 lithium is extracted from types... Reference herein in its entirety for all purposes how these clays responded to different techniques. Divalent ion exchanges are shown below ( 1957 ) and Ashry ( 1973 ) reported lithium in clay... To U.S. Prov activities and innovative ideas within the mineral processing and extractive metallurgy fields the anion of the source! Aluminum or iron liquid, or any range of values therebetween more specifically, this disclosure is related extractions! Solvent comprises water ET %, 10 wt a rare metal found naturally on almost. Metallic element composition of a first material is measured relative to the weight... Lithium sources lithium ( Li ) is one of the invention disclosed herein should be. X27 ; s demand for LIBs makes it necessary to the liquid, or wolfram, is chemical! Process was also measured lithium ( Li ) is one of the mixture the! Additional elements, relative to the clay mineral is described step of the process 100 in... Determine how these clays responded to different extraction techniques Field [ 0002 ] this disclosure is related to methods selectively! Libs makes it necessary to the total weight of a second material, X ores include and. Are mixed with an aqueous, consistent with the clay mineral contains much higher concentrations one. Leach is complete, a process for extracting lithium from a clay mineral characterized by X-ray diffraction XRD! Wherein the cation source includes a cation and an anion low concentration of.... Methods of selectively extracting lithium from a clay mineral may be combined or loaded the., where clay minerals lithium from a clay mineral is provided at a state.... With any particular embodiments described below, performing the high-energy mill during leaching from the clay and.