METHOD OF PRODUCING LITHIUM CONCENTRATE FROM LITHIUM-BEARING NATURAL BRINES Russian patent published in 2025 - IPC C01D3/06 C01D15/04 C22B26/12 C02F1/04 C02F103/06 B01D1/00 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to selective extraction of lithium concentrate from lithium-bearing natural brines (geothermal water, underground water, incidentally produced water during oil and gas production, etc.). Method involves heating a stream of lithium-bearing natural brine with evaporation of water and obtaining a stream of aqueous salt concentrate and a stream of steam with dissolved lithium in conditions of insulation from the environment, accompanied by ultimate saturation of the air stream with steam. Steam stream is separated from the stream of the aqueous salt concentrate and the steam stream is cooled with transfer of its condensate into the stream. Lithium-bearing natural brine is subjected to analysis for lithium content. After that, brine flow is heated for evaporation at pressure of 1.5 MPa ±0.3% to produce said steam with dissolved lithium to water boiling point and to obtain lithium concentration in liquid concentrate of 1-5% of initial lithium content in lithium-containing natural brine.

EFFECT: method enables to obtain lithium concentrate in a single step due to use of properties of high-pressure steam to dissolve alkali metals depending on atomic mass.

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