US 12,391,566 B2
Lithium extraction improvements
Ankur D. Jariwala, Katy, TX (US); and Gary W. Sams, Spring, TX (US)
Assigned to SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed by Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/444,072.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/068,394, filed on Aug. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0055910 A1, Feb. 24, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C01D 15/08 (2006.01); B01D 15/18 (2006.01); B01D 15/42 (2006.01); C01D 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC C01D 15/08 (2013.01) [B01D 15/1871 (2013.01); B01D 15/426 (2013.01); C01D 15/02 (2013.01); C01P 2006/80 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of recovering lithium from an aqueous source, comprising:
extracting lithium from the aqueous source using a sorption process followed by a desorption process to form a lithium extract, wherein the sorption process comprises adsorbing lithium ions from the aqueous source using a sorption medium to yield a first lithium-depleted brine and a lithium-loaded sorption medium, and the desorption process comprises contacting the lithium-loaded sorption medium with an eluent to form the lithium extract;
recovering a first water stream from the first lithium-depleted brine using a filtration or membrane process;
adding the first water stream to the eluent;
concentrating the lithium extract using a water removal process to form a lithium concentrate and a second water stream;
converting lithium in the lithium concentrate to form a product stream and one or more third water streams, wherein the product stream includes lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, or both; and
recycling, to the eluent, a recycled stream comprising at least a portion of the lithium extract, the lithium concentrate, the first water stream, the second water stream, at least one of the third water streams, or a combination thereof, wherein the recycling includes controlling a composition of the recycled stream.