	US 12,275,644 B2
	Lithium carbonate production process and apparatus
Amit Patwardhan, Wilmington, DE (US); Sandip Shinde, Wilmington, DE (US); and Allen Wattenbarger, Wilmington, DE (US)
Assigned to U.S. Borax Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by US Borax Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Dec. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/539,825.
Application 17/539,825 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/062844, filed on Dec. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0169522 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. C01D 15/08 (2006.01); B01D 9/00 (2006.01); C01D 7/24 (2006.01); C01D 7/26 (2006.01)

CPC C01D 15/08 (2013.01) [B01D 9/0022 (2013.01); B01D 9/004 (2013.01); C01D 7/24 (2013.01); C01D 7/26 (2013.01); B01D 2009/0086 (2013.01); C01P 2006/80 (2013.01)]

19 Claims

1. A method of forming lithium carbonate from a lithium-bearing solution including:

evaporating the lithium-bearing solution to precipitate a first group of impurities;

removing the first group of impurities to form a first purified solution; and

performing a flash crystallisation step within a predetermined temperature range to crystallise a second group of impurities from the first purified solution;

removing the second group of impurities from the first solution to form a second purified solution, wherein at least 90 wt % of lithium is recovered from the first purified solution; and

reacting the second purified solution with a metal carbonate to form lithium carbonate of at least 90 wt % purity.