**3. Lithium resources**

In contradistinction to the uses of lithium, it is necessary to discuss the question of responsibility for Li from a variety of sources. The economic efficiency of lithium is found in minerals, clays and brines. High-grade lithium ores and brines are the current sources for all commercial lithium manufacture. **Figure 1(a)** demonstrates the distribution of lithium over different resources. The figure shows that continental brine is the largest resource (59%) for lithium, followed by solid rock (25%). **Figure 1(b)** demonstrates the spread of lithium across countries. The largest of the studied lithium deposits are in Bolivia and Chile. **Figure 1(c)** demonstrates the distribution of lithium production across countries. The main producers and exporters of lithium ores are Chile and Australia. Chile and China have huge resources of lithium ore. Canada, Russia, Serbia and Congo (Kinshasa) have lithium ores of about 1 million tons each, and equal reserve for Brazil is total 180,000 tons [62].

It is estimated that the earth's crust contains an average of about 0.007% lithium. In nature, lithium does not occur freely, but it occurs in small quantities in almost all magmatic breeds and the ocean, in seawater, in the waters of many mineral springs. Of the approximately 20 known minerals containing lithium, only 4, that is, Lepidolite (KLi1.5Al1.5[Si3O10][F,OH]2), Spodumene (LiO2·Al2O3·4SiO2), Petalite (LiO2·Al2O3·8SiO2) and Amblygonite (LiAl[PO4][OH,F]) are known to occur in quantities sufficient for commercial interest as well industrial importance [63–66]. The spodumen (LiAlSi2O6) mineral is the most significant industrial lithium ore mineral. Minerals of lithium also exist as cookeite as (LiAl4(Si3Al)O10(OH)8) in fine hydrothermal veins of quartz. Taeniolite (KLiMg2 Si4O10F2) is present in veins of smoky quartz in recrystallized novaculite, in manganese deposits the appearance of Lithiophorite ((Al, Li) Mn4+O2(OH)) is noted. Pegmatites, Taeniolite, Lithiophorite and Cookeite are considered to be economically inefficient sources of lithium [67–69]. A large part of the lithium is extracted from brine or seawater has a high concentration of lithium carbonate. In the earth's crust, there are brines called continental brines/subsurface brines are the main source for the production of lithium (lithium carbonate). The literature reports that lithium is also present in seawater at about 0.17 mg L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> . Lithium is found in significant quantities in oil well brines and geothermal waters. These sources of brine and seawater are considered less expensive than mining from rocks such as spodumene, lepidolite, amblygonite and petalite containing lithium.

#### **Figure 1.**

*The distribution of lithium (a) different natural resources, (b) worldwide distribution, (c) the number of producers around the world.*

**191**

*Lithium Recovery from Brines Including Seawater, Salt Lake Brine, Underground Water…*

Extracting lithium from brine is an important potential resource. When considered from an economic and scientific perspective, the following points are important to consider lithium recovery from brine: (1) suitability of pond soil and admissibility of the area for solar evaporation; (2) the concentration of lithium in brine; (3) the ratio of alkali metals and alkaline earth elements to lithium and (4) the complexity of the phase chemistry. The resources of brines containing lithium can be divided into three types: evaporative, geothermal and oilfield brines. In the process of evaporation of the brine about 50% of the original natural brine, lithium remains in the residual brine. This expression has been ascribed to the retention of lithium by precipitated salts. Residual brine is highly loaded with Mg2+ as compared with K+

, this makes it difficult to extract lithium from this residual brine [70]. The extraction of lithium from brine does not correspond to any general regularity since each process is specific depending on the composition of the brine field. Typical lithium production technology used for lithium extraction by Outotec®, where different methods such as precipitation, solvent extraction and flotation were used (**Figure 2**). Lithium extraction by Outotec® uses a lithium carbocation process to produce lithium [71]. Various lithium separation and purification methods have been reported in the literature, which is discussed below. By Chagnes and Swiatowska the general technological scheme of lithium production from brine and seawater is proposed [72]. In this method, liquid-liquid extraction, ion exchange, electrodialysis and adsorption are important hydrometallurgical processes necessary to concentrate lithium before production [72]. **Table 1** discusses and summarizes the extraction of lithium from both brine and synthetic brine in various ways.

Pelly et al., Epstein et al. and Kalpan et al. it has been reported that lithium recovery as precipitation of lithium aluminate from Dead sea brine and final brine [73–75]. Pelly et al. have reported, it is necessary to control the pH of the brine through dilution to achieve 90% extraction efficiency end brine and Dead sea brine [73]. As indicated, the optimal pH should be in the range of 6.6–7.2 For Dead sea brine and 6.8–7.0 for end brine. The optimum reaction time should be 3 hours

negative effect was given by higher temperature, but better yields were obtained at room temperature and the yield decreased with increasing temperature [73]. The importance of extracting lithium from the Dead sea by precipitation as lithium aluminate followed by liquid-liquid extraction to separate lithium from aluminum with economic evaluation was reported [74]. Kaplan et al. reported on the process of extracting lithium by lithium aluminate from Dead sea brine by precipitation [75]. A small amount of lithium, which is mainly present as LiCl, was precipitated as a lithium aluminate precipitate using ammonia and aluminum salt at room temperature. Although subsequent reduction processes both by dissolving lithium in sulfuric acid and followed by precipitation with calcium chloride lithium were reduced as alum [75]. An et al. reported on the process of extracting lithium from brine collected in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. Mg and Ca were extracted from the brine as Mg(OH)2 and gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) using sulfate and lime. Both CAO and MgO were extracted using oxalic acid followed by firing using residual Ca and Mg. In the end, by heating at 80–90°C lithium was recovered in the form of Li2CO3.

) was added to the brine. The

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90371*

**4.1 Lithium extraction from brine**

and Na+

**4. Lithium extraction from various resources**

**4.2 Recovery of lithium from brine by precipitation**

at room temperature. AlCl3·6H2O (30–40 g L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>

*Lithium Recovery from Brines Including Seawater, Salt Lake Brine, Underground Water… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90371*
