The main difference in processing is the very low saturation of lithium carbonate in the solution.
This affects the design of evaporation-crystallization plants for Li₂CO₃, requiring high specific evaporation performances (amounts of water/kg crystalline Li₂CO₃) to be evaporated. This results in high specific energy consumption concerning the produced unit of Li₂CO₃.
Also, it is essential to ensure that the apparatus of the plant is optimally designed to avoid build-ups on the walls of the plant and the need for frequent flushing requirements.