State Research and Design Institute of Rare Metal Industry (JSC Giredmet), Moscow, Russia

V. V. Golovko, Expert, Candidate of Technical Sciences, e-mail: VaVasGolovko@rosatom.ru

State Research and Design Institute of Rare Metal Industry (JSC Giredmet), Moscow, Russia¹ ; National University of Science and Technolgoy MISIS, Moscow, Russia²

I. L. Fureev, Head of the Group¹, Postgraduate Student², e-mail: IlLFureev@rosatom.ru

National University of Science and Technolgoy MISIS, Moscow, Russia
O. N. Krivolapova, Associate Professor, Department for Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold, Candidate of Technical Sciences, e-mail: onk@misis.ru

The ore of the Shavazsay deposit is a complex mineral raw material for the creation of a cost-effective technology. In order to reduce operating costs for ore stripping, a sintering technology with phosphogypsum was developed. Productive solutions obtained by sintering have a complex salt composition, so the extraction of battery-grade lithium compounds from such solutions is an urgent scientific problem. As a result of the studies, a sorption technology was developed for obtaining battery-grade lithium carbonate during the processing of poor micaceous ore. The studies used methods of mathematical processing of sorption process parameters, which made it possible to solve the problems of separating elements with similar chemical properties on an industrial scale. Traditional strongly acidic sulfocationites in lithium form can be used for this purpose. The advantages of the proposed technology using a sorbent in lithium form are shown in comparison with the DLE (Direct Lithium Extraction) technology. An assessment of the separation of lithium and impurity elements was carried out using the output sorption curves. Analysis of the output sorption curves showed that the TOKEM-160 cationite has a longer period of protective action with respect to impurities. The lithium concentration in the output solution increases 10 times compared to the initial solution due to lithium displacement from the sorbent by impurity elements that have a higher affinity for it. Analysis of the output desorption curves showed that the TOKEM-160 sorbent is completely regenerated from impurity elements and is suitable for repeated use in sorption-desorption cycles. The developed technology allows to obtain pure sorption mother liquors for producing battery-grade lithium carbonate. The product solution after sorption purification is evaporated and sent for lithium carbonate precipitation with ammonium bicarbonate, then the lithium carbonate suspension is carbonized by bubbling carbon dioxide, after filtration the solution is heated to a temperature of 90 ^oC, whereby the bicarbonate is destroyed and pure lithium carbonate precipitates. After precipitation, two-fold washing with hot distilled water was carried out at a temperature of 90 oC. The obtained lithium carbonate meets the requirements of TU 6-09-3728–83 for the chemically pure grade in terms of standardized impurities and meets the requirements of the Russian enterprise RENERA for the production of lithium-ion batteries.

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