Making mineral salts from various sources

摘要

Hydrometallurgical systems, methods, and compositions are described in which organic amine-based lixiviants are utilized in the selective recovery of alkaline earth elements. The lixiviant can be regenerated and recycled for use in subsequent iterations of the process. Multiple alkaline earth elements can be recovered from a sample in parallel or in serial applications of the disclosed methods.

主权项

1. A method for extracting a first metal hydroxide forming species, comprising:
contacting a sample comprising the first metal hydroxide forming species with a first lixiviant, the first lixiviant comprising a first organic amine cation and a first counterion; forming a depleted sample and a first supernatant comprising a first uncharged organic amine and a first soluble complex, the first soluble complex comprising a cation of the first metal hydroxide forming species and the first counterion; transferring the first metal hydroxide forming species cation from the first supernatant; and regenerating the first organic amine cation, wherein the first organic amine cation is provided in substoichimetric amounts relative to the first metal hydroxide forming species.