Abstract: A method for the recovery of metals from a feed stream (1) containing one or more value metals, the method comprising: (i) passing the feed stream (1) to an alkaline leach (20) to form a slurry (5) including a pregnant leach liquor of soluble metal salts and a solid residue; (ii) separating the pregnant leach liquor (8) and the solid residue (7) of step (i); (iii) passing the separated pregnant leach liquor (8) of step (ii) to a solvent extraction step (42), wherein a loaded extractant (9) containing copper and nickel, and a raffinate (19) containing cobalt and lithium, are produced; (iv) recovering cobalt (24) from the raffinate (19) of step (iii); and (v) recovering lithium (38), ammonia (28) and ammonium chloride (39) from the cobalt depleted liquor (21) of step (iv).

Abstract: A process for the recovery of lithium carbonate from a solution (1) containing a mixture of lithium sulfate and lithium hydroxide, the process comprising the precipitation of lithium carbonate (3) from the solution (1) containing a mixture of lithium sulfate and lithium hydroxide through the addition of carbon dioxide (2).

Abstract: A process for the recovery of lithium hydroxide from lithium sulfate containing solutions, the process characterised by the following method steps: precipitating ettringite from a lithium sulfate containing solution in a primary ettringite precipitation step (100); subsequent recovery of a liquor (7, 11) containing lithium hydroxide; and producing a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (22) from the lithium hydroxide liquor (7, 11).

Abstract: A method to produce a brine from mixed alum salts, the method comprising the steps of: (i) Dissolving or pulping alum salts (1) containing rubidium alum, cesium alum and/or potassium alum in water or a recycled liquor and adding a neutralising agent to precipitate (20) aluminium as aluminium hydroxide and some sulfate; (ii) Passing the product of step (i) to a solid liquid separation stage (21) to remove precipitated solids (5) from step (i); (iii) A decant or filtrate (6) from step (ii) is passed to a solvent extraction stage (24-27) whereby any contained cesium and rubidium is selectively extracted into the organic phase to form a loaded organic solution (16); (iv) Contacting the loaded organic solution (16) of step (iii) with a scrub solution (17), which is at a pH lower than the extraction pH, to effectively scrub co-loaded potassium from the organic phase; (v) Contacting the scrubbed organic (19) of step (iv) with formic acid (20) to strip cesium and rubidium from the organic, the stripped cesium and rub

Abstract: A process for the recovery of lithium from minerals rich in lithium and phosphate, the process comprising passing an ore containing one or more minerals rich in lithium and phosphate to an acid leach step thereby producing a pregnant leach solution, subjecting the pregnant leach solution to a series of process steps by which one or more impurity elements are removed, and recovering lithium as a lithium containing salt product, wherein the series of process steps by which one or more impurity elements are removed includes a low pH impurity removal step conducted at an elevated temperature for the precipitation of one or more impurities.

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.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of lithium from minerals rich in lithium and phosphate, the process comprising passing an ore containing one or more minerals rich in lithium and phosphate to an acid leach step thereby producing a pregnant leach solution, subjecting the pregnant leach solution to a series of process steps by which one or more impurity elements are removed, and recovering lithium as a lithium containing salt product, wherein the series of process steps by which one or more impurity elements are removed includes a low pH impurity removal step conducted at an elevated temperature for the precipitation of one or more impurities.

Abstract: A method for the processing of potassium containing materials comprises: (i) Separation of a potassium containing mineral from gangue minerals; (ii) Acid leaching whereby substantially all potassium, iron, aluminum and magnesium is solubilized and mixed potassium/iron double salt formed; (iii) Selectively crystallizing the mixed potassium/iron double salt formed in the leach step (ii); (iv) Second separation to separate the mixed potassium/iron double salt formed in step (iii); (v) Thermal decomposition to produce an iron oxide, a potassium salt and one or more phosphates; (vi) Leaching the product of the thermal decomposition; (vii) Third separation to separate the iron oxide and phosphate from the potassium salt; (viii) Recovering the potassium salt by crystallization; (ix) Separating the iron oxide and phosphate of step (vii) by leaching and subsequent solid liquid separation; and (x) Precipitating phosphate from liquor produced in step (ix) through the addition of a base.

Abstract: A method for the processing of potassium containing materials comprises: (i) Separation of a potassium containing mineral from gangue minerals; (ii) Acid leaching whereby substantially all potassium, iron, aluminium and magnesium is solubilised and mixed potassium/iron double salt formed; (iii) Selectively crystallising the mixed potassium/iron double salt formed in the leach step (ii); (iv) Second separation to separate the mixed potassium/iron double salt formed in step (iii); (v) Thermal decomposition to produce an iron oxide, a potassium salt and one or more phosphates; (vi) Leaching the product of the thermal decomposition; (vii) Third separation to separate the iron oxide and phosphate from the potassium salt; (viii) Recovering the potassium salt by crystallisation; (ix) Separating the iron oxide and phosphate of step (vii) by leaching and subsequent solid liquid separation; and (x) Precipitating phosphate from liquor produced in step (ix) through the addition of a base.

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.