Abstract: A method for desorbing lithium from an adsorbent having lithium adsorbed thereon comprising: 1) providing an adsorbent having lithium adsorbed thereon, 2) contacting the adsorbent with an acid medium to desorb the lithium from the adsorbent, and 3) recovering the desorbed lithium, wherein the acid medium comprises an organic acid having a lowest pKa value of at least about 4 and/or a dicarboxylic acid which i) comprises 3 or more carbon atoms and/or ii) has a lowest pKa value of at least about 3.5.

Abstract: A method for extracting a metal of interest from a mineral substrate comprising: 1) providing a mineral substrate containing a metal of interest, 2) contacting the mineral substrate with a leaching medium comprising a pH reducing microorganism and/or an acid or proton produced by a pH reducing microorganism, and 3) recovering a leachate comprising the metal of interest.