Mechanochemical Extraction of Lithium from α-Spodumene at Low Temperatures

The growing commitment to green energy technologies coupled with the rising usage of portable electronic devices has caused a rapid increase in lithium market demand. Currently, in the USA brines are the primary source for lithium due to their utilization of cheap and inexpensive processes; however, long lead times and low extraction yields raise concerns for potential supply chain disruptions. In this work, we examine a novel mechanochemical process for rapid lithium extraction from lithium-rich spodumene ore. We demonstrate multiple mechanochemically assisted ion-exchange reactions between α-spodumene and various solid leaching agents resulting in lithium extraction yields of up to 40 or 77% without or with a secondary dilute hydrochloric acid leach, respectively. Furthermore, we propose mechanisms for this enhanced lithium extraction from α-spodumene both with and without a secondary acid leach.