Low impact lithium recovery from aqueous solutions

摘要

An efficient and low environmental impact method is disclosed for the recovery of lithium from aqueous solution, for example., brines from high altitude salt lakes. The method comprises the use of an electrochemical reactor with electrodes which are highly selective for lithium, where lithium ions are inserted in the crystal structure of manganese oxide in the cathode, and extracted from the crystal structure of manganese oxide in the anode. Also disclosed are three-dimensional carbon electrodes embedded in manganese oxides formed by impregnating a porous support, for example a carbon felt, with a manganese oxide/carbon black slurry.