Lithium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal with an atomic number of 3. It has the lowest density of all metals and is highly reactive with water.
Applications
Lithium is used in the electronics and transportation industries, primarily in various battery technologies
Challenges
Traditional lithium mining methods, centered on extraction from hard rock (spodumene) and brine reservoirs, typically present considerable environmental and logistical challenges. Hard rock mining involves physically extracting large volumes of ore, which then undergoes a high-temperature chemical process to separate the lithium. This method is not only land-intensive, potentially leading to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, but it also consumes significant energy.
Lithium extraction from brine resources, mainly found in salt flats (salars) or underground brine sources, is a water-intensive process.
It requires large evaporation ponds where brine is left to evaporate over the course of several months to years, leaving behind lithium salts. This extensive water use, combined with added chemical treatment, can lead to the depletion of local water resources, affecting ecosystems and local communities that depend on these water supplies. In addition, this process is relatively slow, with the potential to cause a supply bottleneck as lithium demand grows.
Solutions
Resin technology is used for two relevant applications.
Lithium Extraction and Purification
Purolite™ Resins play a critical role in the DLE process, with a portfolio of technologies to assist in these key processes.
Puromet™ MTS9300,
Purolite™ MTS9320, and
Purolite S940 may be used in brine decalcification and hardness removal processes to decrease contaminants down to parts per billion level.
Purolite S108 can be used to remove boron to very low levels selectivity. Optimal resin choice depends on the specifics of your plant operation, and Ecolab can help guide you to the best resin selection.
For more information, visit
Direct Lithium Extraction.
Chemical Volume Control (CVCS)
Chemical volume control systems (CVCS) remove contaminants from pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear reactor coolants and compensate for inventory losses. These systems can also maintain reactor power and proper pH to prevent corrosion. The main chemical used for pH control is lithium hydroxide.
Lithium is also formed as a product of the nuclear reaction of neutrons with boron-10 in the coolant. Removing built-up lithium is controlled via a bed of cation resin using
Purolite NRW160. Continuous polishing of the coolant to remove corrosion products while maintaining the proper lithium concentration is accomplished with the lithiated mixed bed resin,
NRW3560XLCLi7.
NRW160Li7 is a lithium form cation resin that can be used for additional selective removal of metals, including Cs, Co, and Ni. The XLC version of the anion resins ensures no chloride issues during PWR startup with high boron and lithium concentrations.
For more information, visit
Nuclear Power Products.
