Lithium Extraction from Clay-Type Ore in China: Status and Prospects

This is an essay in the field of metallurgical engineering. With the sharp increase in battery-grade lithium carbonate prices in 2020, research on lithium extraction technology from clay-type lithium ore has become a topic of great interest in the industry. This article takes clay type lithium resources as the research object, outlines the distribution of clay type lithium resources, summarizes the main lithium extraction processes related to clay type lithium mines in China in recent years, and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of different methods. Given the composition of the leachate from clay-type lithium ore, it is emphasized that the comprehensive utilization of valuable components such as aluminum in the leachate and more research on the utilization of leaching residue are important for the development and utilization of clay-type lithium ore. This article looks ahead to potential leaching and lithium extraction methods for clay-type lithium ore and methods for removing impurities and enriching lithium in leachate, with the aim of contributing to the development of more economically reasonable utilization processes for clay-type lithium ore.