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Abstract

A process for extracting lithium from lithium-bearing salt brines including: (i) subjecting a feed brine to a primary evaporation step using mechanical evaporators, to form a first concentrated brine and sodium chloride; (ii) separating the sodium chloride in a salt removal step; (iii) reacting lime with the first concentrated brine in a liming step to precipitate out and discard magnesium and sulphate ions and other contaminants and to form a limed brine; (iv) subjecting the limed brine to a secondary evaporation step, to form a second concentrated brine and precipitating calcium chloride; (v) separating the calcium chloride from the second concentrated brine; (vi) reacting sodium sulphate with the second concentrated brine to precipitate out and discard calcium sulphate, to form a lithium-rich brine; (vii) reacting soda ash with the lithium rich brine thereby forming a precipitate of lithium carbonate; and (viii) separating the lithium carbonate.

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First Claim