What is the difference between spodumene and lithium?

The electric vehicle and battery markets are calling for unprecedented amounts of lithium; in 2021, demand for the lightweight metal rose by 26%, and is predicted to climb an additional 39% in 2022. By 2025, experts anticipate demand is likely to increase by a staggering 73%.

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Lithium is utilized in numerous applications, predominantly in glass and ceramics, but its recent surge in popularity is primarily due to its use in batteries, particularly in electric vehicles.

Although lithium can be extracted from various sources, one specific source appears to be gaining traction to meet future lithium demands: spodumene.

Growing Need for Lithium

Several leading companies in the industry have pledged to phase out fossil-fueled vehicles in favor of more sustainable electric options. Coupled with the expanding electronics market, lithium-ion batteries are more sought after than ever.

Lithium-ion batteries are the preferred choice for electric vehicles, largely because of their favorable weight-to-energy ratio. A recent report by Grand View Research forecasts a 17% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2027 for the lithium-ion battery market, which is expected to reach a valuation of 93.1 billion dollars.

Lithium was also highlighted in the Critical Mineral Resources of the United States: Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for Future Supply, where the USGS identifies several minerals as essential for the nation's economic vitality and security.

Production of Lithium from Spodumene

Spodumene is a lithium-rich mineral extracted from pegmatite rock. Renowned for its high lithium content, spodumene is the most extensively mined mineral source for lithium. Other lithium-containing silicates from pegmatite include lepidolite and petalite.

Historically, spodumene was the primary source for lithium production until the industry shifted to extracting lithium from brines due to lower operational costs. This resulted in a focus on brine deposits, leaving spodumene largely unexamined.

However, the skyrocketing demand for lithium is necessitating increased resources. This, along with the high lithium content of spodumene, makes probing and developing spodumene deposits more appealing. Moreover, extracting lithium from spodumene typically involves lower upfront costs and a quicker transition from discovery to production compared to brine operations.

The Lithium Extraction Process from Spodumene

The lithium extraction process from spodumene ore encompasses several stages—outlined below. Note that there are various methods, and the sequence presented here is just one approach.

Concentration and Drying

Processing generally starts with concentration through crushing, grinding, and froth flotation, followed by drying in a rotary dryer to form a dried lithium concentrate.

Conversion to Beta-phase

The dried lithium concentrate is then processed in a rotary kiln (calciner) to transform spodumene from its alpha phase to beta phase, making it more reactive.

Sulfuric Acid Digestion

The beta-phase concentrate undergoes sulfuric acid digestion, typically mixed in a paddle mixer (also known as a pugmill mixer). Paddle mixers are preferred due to their robust construction, but selecting materials resistant to the corrosive nature of sulfuric acid is crucial.

Roasting

Following digestion, acid roasting is a standard procedure, often executed in a rotary kiln. Some processes may utilize a rotary cooler afterward to lower the material's temperature for handling. Again, materials used must be resistant to corrosion from the substances being processed.

The resultant product is water-soluble lithium sulfate, which is then subjected to a hydrometallurgical process to yield either lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide.

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Lithium can be processed into various grades, representing the product's purity; however, lithium-ion batteries necessitate particularly high-purity lithium, typically over 99.5%. This can be sourced from either of the lithium compounds resulting from the previously described processes.

While lithium carbonate has dominated the market, lithium hydroxide is becoming the favored compound for batteries due to its inherent advantages, such as extended battery life and increased capacity.

Noteworthy Spodumene Ventures

Several spodumene projects have garnered attention recently, with some noteworthy ones listed below.

Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project

Pilbara Minerals’ wholly owned Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project, located in Western Australia, is being recognized as a vital source of spodumene, with existing offtake agreements.

Pilbara Minerals announced a 22% increase in the overall Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources at the location. Further drilling is anticipated to yield significant upsurges.

Bald Hill Project

Dry commissioning is underway at the Bald Hill Project in Australia, where spodumene concentrates are expected to be produced shortly. The first shipment of lithium concentrate is anticipated in the first quarter of 2023, as per co-owner Tawana Resources.

The Manono Project

The Manono Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo has made headlines for its potential to emerge as one of the largest lithium-rich deposits globally. Australia-based AVZ Minerals, part owner of the project, recently reported a 295.05m thick intersection of spodumene-rich pegmatite—an encouraging discovery.

The Hidden Lake Project

The Hidden Lake Project, situated within Canada’s Yellowknife Lithium Pegmatite Belt, has also been in the news due to promising discoveries of high-grade lithium deposits.

Owner 92 Resources has partnered with Far Resources on the project. They recently announced the completion of a successful production run of the project’s Dense Media Separation (DMS) mini pilot plant.

The Mavis Lake Project

International Lithium Corp., in collaboration with Pioneer Resources Limited, recently completed their drilling program at the Mavis Lake project in Ontario. Results are expected imminently.

Pioneer indicated earlier in the project that the first drill hole’s sample appeared to contain approximately 20m thick spodumene at an estimated concentration of 35%.

Conclusion

The relentless demand for high-purity lithium products to support the booming battery market is spurring renewed interest in the exploration and development of spodumene deposits, with several projects currently underway.

FEECO stands as a leader in advanced thermal processing and agglomeration process solutions, providing custom equipment tailored for spodumene processing and lithium extraction, including rotary dryers, kilns, coolers, and paddle mixers.

Alongside our specialized equipment, we offer a distinctive testing facility where spodumene and other lithium-bearing materials can be assessed on both batch and pilot scales. For more information about our lithium beneficiation capabilities, reach out to us today!

In step 1, to convert spodumene into lithium sulfate (Li2SO4), the raw ore is crushed and separated through a combination of mechanical methods and flotation. Next, the concentrate undergoes energy-intensive hot acid-roasting. This process involves roasting concentrated spodumene powder at 950°C, cooling it, mixing it with sulfuric acid, and re-roasting at 200°C to produce water-soluble Li2SO4.