Innovative Sustainable Pathways for Lithium Production: Characterisation and Environmental Applications of LieNA® Process Residues

Shilpi Ray Biswas

doi:10.60867/00000167

The LieNA® process is a novel technology for extracting lithium from α-spodumene and was developed by Livium Ltd in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). This process generates metallurgical residues, comprising sodalite byproduct (57%), calcium silicate by-product (40%), and other residues (3%). Sustainable utilisation of these residues is desirable to minimise waste and support resource recovery. The residues used for this study were obtained from pilot-plant scale research and development for the LieNA® process. The residues were provided by Livium Ltd for characterisation and evaluation of their potential reuse. This study begins with characterisation of the residues using x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), scanning electron microscopy paired with energy-dispersive (SEM-EDS), and tescan integrated mineral analyser (TIMA). The chemical composition showed LieNA® residues primarily contain Ca, Na, Si, and Al. The mineralogical composition analysis showed that the sodalite residue is predominantly composed of nosean. The mineralogy of the calcium silicate byproduct (CSB) varied based on whether it was washed or not. The unwashed CSB is comprised mostly of natrite, O-Na-Ca-Si phase, and oyelite, while the washed CSB comprises oyelite and calcite. The particle sizes of all the LieNA® residue samples varied from 3.30 μm to 264 μm, with more than 70% finer than 10 μm. The second phase of this study investigated the potential reuse strategies of LieNA® residues. Special emphasis was placed on utilising the CSB as an adsorbent to remove pollutants from wastewater. Experimental findings demonstrated that CSB could achieve up to 99% phosphorus removal efficiency. Similarly, it was exhibited that CSB also effectively absorbs other contaminants, including Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb from wastewater. Removal efficiency (Re) over 90% was achieved for Hg, Cd, Cu, and Pb. For As and Ni, optimal Re reached were 64% and 87%, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of CSB to be repurposed for wastewater treatment. The outcomes of this research provide valuable insights for industry and policymakers seeking to minimise the environmental impact of critical mineral production while maximising material recovery and reuse.

Innovative Sustainable Pathways for Lithium Production: Characterisation and Environmental Applications of LieNA® Process Residues

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