Research Progress on Lithium Extraction and Comprehensive Utilization from Lepidolite

Lithium is an important strategic metal resource. With the rapid development of the electronic chemical industry, the demand for lithium is gradually increasing. Due to the scarcity of primary resources, lepidolite is one of the main sources of lithium extraction products. The clean, efficient and comprehensive utilization of lithium extraction from ore is the focus of research in this field. Based on the understanding of the use of lithium products, the attached deposits and the composition and structural characteristics of their lepidolite, several methods and extraction principles for the comprehensive recovery of lithium and its valuable metals from lepidolite are discussed and compared. The advantages and disadvantages of various process methods are discussed. The acid process technology is simple and mature, and the cost is relatively low, but its application is limited by excessive impurities in the leaching solution; the alkaline process can reduce energy consumption, but in terms of reaction mechanism, process optimization, equipment corrosion, reagent recovery and safety control, etc. More work needs to be done; the salt method or high-pressure steam method consumes a lot of energy, but can reduce the impurity content; removing aluminum and fluorine from the lepidolite can reduce the impurities in lithium. In the future, efforts should be made to explore low-cost, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly recycling processes to achieve efficient recycling of lithium and valuable metals in lepidolite.