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Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis

Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012.

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Other Authors: Crouse, Philippus L.
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Crouse, Philippus L.
author_browse Crouse, Philippus L.
author_facet Crouse, Philippus L.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2012, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria
description Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/25842
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:40:34.602Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/25842 Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis Crouse, Philippus L. onsitando@yahoo.com Sitando, Onias Lithium chloride Lithium flouride Bikita minerals Lithium carbonate Leaching Lithium extraction Lithium Petalite UCTD Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. Lithium is one of the most strategically important minerals at the time of writing. The demand for lithium and lithium compounds to be used in lithium-ion batteries is increasing day by day. Zimbabwe possesses a considerable resource of lithium ore, estimated at 23 000 mt Li. Beneficiation of this lithium ore could indeed be a very promising business in the near future. This work focuses on processing of petalite concentrate from the Bikita deposit in Zimbabwe for production of Li2CO3, with subsequent preparation of LiF and LiCl. Analysis performed on the petalite showed that the average Li2O content is 4.10 %. The extraction method used involves roasting the pre-heated concentrate with concentrated H2SO4 followed by water leaching of the resulting Li2SO4, solution purification and precipitation of Li2CO3 with subsequent preparation of LiF and LiCl. Investigation of the roasting and leaching showed that the dissolution rates are significantly influenced by roasting temperature and stirring speed. 97.3 % optimum rate of extraction was attained at 320 rpm and roasting temperature of 300 C. Water-washed lithium carbonate with a purity of 99.21 %( metal basis) and an average particle size of 1.4 ìm was produced. Good quality LiF and LiCl can be produced with purity of 99.36 % and 99.02 % respectively. The pH, concentration and agitation have a great influence on the morphology of the precipitated LiF. Lower pH values and optimum concentration of the Li2CO3 solution results in smaller particle size. High recovery of 96.53 % LiF was realised. Anhydrous LiCl was found to absorb moisture when exposed to air at ambient temperature. The synthesised LiCl melts at 606.2 C with a corresponding enthalpy of fusion of 18.4 kJ mol-1, close to the values reported in the literature. Copyright Chemical Engineering unrestricted 2013-09-07T00:52:55Z 2012-06-26 2013-09-07T00:52:55Z 2012-04-17 2012-06-26 2012-06-25 Dissertation Sitando, O 2012, Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/25842 > E12/4/427/gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/25842 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06252012-161841/ © 2012, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Lithium chloride
Lithium flouride
Bikita minerals
Lithium carbonate
Leaching
Lithium extraction
Lithium
Petalite
UCTD
Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis
title Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis
title_full Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis
title_fullStr Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis
title_full_unstemmed Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis
title_short Beneficiation of Zimbabwean petalite : extraction, purification and compound synthesis
title_sort beneficiation of zimbabwean petalite extraction purification and compound synthesis
topic Lithium chloride
Lithium flouride
Bikita minerals
Lithium carbonate
Leaching
Lithium extraction
Lithium
Petalite
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/25842
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06252012-161841/