Abstract: A process of preparing an alkali salt solution for the production of catalysts or promoters of catalysts, the process comprising the steps of: (i) Passing a solution containing a mixture of potassium, rubidium and caesium sulfates through an evaporative crystallisation step to obtain a potassium containing salt, and a solution comprising rubidium and caesium sulfate; (ii) Further evaporative crystallisation of the liquid product of step (i) to obtain a rubidium containing salt and a solution enriched in caesium sulfate; and (iii) Mixing one or more of the obtained salts and the solution at a desired ratio to prepare the alkali salt solution.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of lithium from lithium bearing mica rich minerals, the process comprising passing an ore containing one or more lithium bearing mica rich minerals to at least one pre-treatment step, passing the pre-treated ore to an acid leach step thereby producing a pregnant leach solution, subjecting the pregnant leach solution to a series of process steps in which one or more impurity metals are removed, and recovering lithium as a lithium containing salt product.