Patent SG-11201804573X-A (SG)
Title: Recovery of lithium from silicate minerals
Inventor: HUNWICK RICHARD
IPC: C22B3/06
Filed: 2016-12-22
Abstract: INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) CORRECTED VERSION (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 29 June 2017 (29.06.2017) 111111111111111111E111111E11111111 010101 /1011111 RE MI ID (10) International Publication Number WO 2017/106925 A9 WIPO I PCT (51) International Patent Classification: C22B 26/12 (2006.01) C22B 3/06 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU2016/051278 (22) International Filing Date: 22 December 2016 (22.12.2016) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 2015905317 22 December 2015 (22.12.2015) AU 2016900774 02 March 2016 (02.03.2016) AU (72) Inventor; and (71) Applicant: HUNWICK, Richard [AU/AU]; 59 Abingdon Road, Roseville, New South Wales 2069 (AU). (74) Agent: GRIFFITH HACK; GPO Box 4164, Sydney, New South Wales 2001 (AU). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, OF LITHIUM Spodumene FROM SILICATE MINERALS Figure 1 Tailings (pyrophyllite-rich) (54) Title: RECOVERY Water Lithium 1. Spodumene to 4. Lithium Natural gas pure lithium hydroxide hydroxide nitrate production Carbon 2. Decompose Lithium dioxide 5. Lithium Lithium lithium nitrate to oxide carbonate carbonate pp. lithium oxide production 'Volatiles Coke Lithium metal 3. Re-form 6. Lithium AtC Nitric acid nitric acid from volatiles metal production 1-1 O (57) : A process and system are disclosed for recovering lithium from a lithium-containing silicate mineral. The process and system comprise mixing the silicate mineral with nitric acid. The process and system also comprise subjecting the mixture to a leaching process having conditions such that lithium values in the silicate mineral are leached from the silicate mineral as lithium nitrate. The nitric acid can be in aqueous, gaseous or precursor gaseous form. 1-1 O [Continued on next page] WO 2017/106925 A9 IV EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Published: with international search report (Art. 21(3)) with amended claims (Art. 19(1)) (48) Date of publication of this corrected version: 26 October 2017 (26.10.2017) (15) Information about Correction: see Notice of 26 October 2017 (26.10.2017)