Details - Colour

Project Lead/Contact
Dr. Yves Thibault (CanmetMINING)

Government collaborators
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council (NRC)

External collaborators
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Project summary: Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in Canada represent the most important mineral-based source of Li, where refractory aluminosilicates (alpha-spodumene, petalite) are the main carrier phases. Highly energy-intensive approaches to recover Li from these minerals involve an initial heat treatment exceeding 1,000 oC to induce a phase transition that will promote Li exchange during a second acid-baking stage (approximately 250 oC). A recent investigation identified factors of crystal properties that can drastically enhance Li exchange at much lower temperature. This creates an opportunity for developing an energy-efficient Li aluminosilicates decomposition process without the conventional initial heat-treatment step.

Project objective: to optimize and adapt this innovative single-stage approach to concentrates from Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites and, in collaboration with our industrial partner, explore opportunities for integration into a more developed and exhaustive flowsheet. Research also focuses on identifying upfront refinement strategies to increase purity of the Li pregnant leach solution (PLS) towards the production of the required battery precursors. The potential of this novel refractory Li minerals decomposition process will significantly reduce energy consumption and have a significant impact in de-risking the extraction flowsheet for pegmatite-based Li projects in Canada.

Project Lead/Contact
Dr. Yves Thibault (CanmetMINING)

Government collaborators
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council (NRC)

External collaborators
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Project summary

Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in Canada represent the most important mineral-based source of Li, where refractory aluminosilicates (alpha-spodumene, petalite) are the main carrier phases. Highly energy-intensive approaches to recover Li from these minerals involve an initial heat treatment exceeding 1,000 oC to induce a phase transition that will promote Li exchange during a second acid-baking stage (approximately 250 oC). A recent investigation identified factors of crystal properties that can drastically enhance Li exchange at much lower temperature. This creates an opportunity for developing an energy-efficient Li aluminosilicates decomposition process without the conventional initial heat-treatment step.

Project objective: to optimize and adapt this innovative single-stage approach to concentrates from Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites and, in collaboration with our industrial partner, explore opportunities for integration into a more developed and exhaustive flowsheet. Research also focuses on identifying upfront refinement strategies to increase purity of the Li pregnant leach solution (PLS) towards the production of the required battery precursors. The potential of this novel refractory Li minerals decomposition process will significantly reduce energy consumption and have a significant impact in de-risking the extraction flowsheet for pegmatite-based Li projects in Canada.

Project Lead/Contact
Dr. Yves Thibault (CanmetMINING)

Government collaborators
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council (NRC)

External collaborators
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Project summary: Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in Canada represent the most important mineral-based source of Li, where refractory aluminosilicates (alpha-spodumene, petalite) are the main carrier phases. Highly energy-intensive approaches to recover Li from these minerals involve an initial heat treatment exceeding 1,000 oC to induce a phase transition that will promote Li exchange during a second acid-baking stage (approximately 250 oC). A recent investigation identified factors of crystal properties that can drastically enhance Li exchange at much lower temperature. This creates an opportunity for developing an energy-efficient Li aluminosilicates decomposition process without the conventional initial heat-treatment step.

Project objective: to optimize and adapt this innovative single-stage approach to concentrates from Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites and, in collaboration with our industrial partner, explore opportunities for integration into a more developed and exhaustive flowsheet. Research also focuses on identifying upfront refinement strategies to increase purity of the Li pregnant leach solution (PLS) towards the production of the required battery precursors. The potential of this novel refractory Li minerals decomposition process will significantly reduce energy consumption and have a significant impact in de-risking the extraction flowsheet for pegmatite-based Li projects in Canada.

Project Lead/Contact
Dr. Yves Thibault (CanmetMINING)

Government collaborators
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council (NRC)

External collaborators
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Project summary

Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in Canada represent the most important mineral-based source of Li, where refractory aluminosilicates (alpha-spodumene, petalite) are the main carrier phases. Highly energy-intensive approaches to recover Li from these minerals involve an initial heat treatment exceeding 1,000 oC to induce a phase transition that will promote Li exchange during a second acid-baking stage (approximately 250 oC). A recent investigation identified factors of crystal properties that can drastically enhance Li exchange at much lower temperature. This creates an opportunity for developing an energy-efficient Li aluminosilicates decomposition process without the conventional initial heat-treatment step.

Project objective: to optimize and adapt this innovative single-stage approach to concentrates from Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites and, in collaboration with our industrial partner, explore opportunities for integration into a more developed and exhaustive flowsheet. Research also focuses on identifying upfront refinement strategies to increase purity of the Li pregnant leach solution (PLS) towards the production of the required battery precursors. The potential of this novel refractory Li minerals decomposition process will significantly reduce energy consumption and have a significant impact in de-risking the extraction flowsheet for pegmatite-based Li projects in Canada.

Project Lead/Contact
Dr. Yves Thibault (CanmetMINING)

Government collaborators
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council (NRC)

External collaborators
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Project summary: Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in Canada represent the most important mineral-based source of Li, where refractory aluminosilicates (alpha-spodumene, petalite) are the main carrier phases. Highly energy-intensive approaches to recover Li from these minerals involve an initial heat treatment exceeding 1,000 oC to induce a phase transition that will promote Li exchange during a second acid-baking stage (approximately 250 oC). A recent investigation identified factors of crystal properties that can drastically enhance Li exchange at much lower temperature. This creates an opportunity for developing an energy-efficient Li aluminosilicates decomposition process without the conventional initial heat-treatment step.

Project objective: to optimize and adapt this innovative single-stage approach to concentrates from Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites and, in collaboration with our industrial partner, explore opportunities for integration into a more developed and exhaustive flowsheet. Research also focuses on identifying upfront refinement strategies to increase purity of the Li pregnant leach solution (PLS) towards the production of the required battery precursors. The potential of this novel refractory Li minerals decomposition process will significantly reduce energy consumption and have a significant impact in de-risking the extraction flowsheet for pegmatite-based Li projects in Canada.

Project Lead/Contact
Dr. Yves Thibault (CanmetMINING)

Government collaborators
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council (NRC)

External collaborators
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Project summary

Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in Canada represent the most important mineral-based source of Li, where refractory aluminosilicates (alpha-spodumene, petalite) are the main carrier phases. Highly energy-intensive approaches to recover Li from these minerals involve an initial heat treatment exceeding 1,000 oC to induce a phase transition that will promote Li exchange during a second acid-baking stage (approximately 250 oC). A recent investigation identified factors of crystal properties that can drastically enhance Li exchange at much lower temperature. This creates an opportunity for developing an energy-efficient Li aluminosilicates decomposition process without the conventional initial heat-treatment step.

Project objective: to optimize and adapt this innovative single-stage approach to concentrates from Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites and, in collaboration with our industrial partner, explore opportunities for integration into a more developed and exhaustive flowsheet. Research also focuses on identifying upfront refinement strategies to increase purity of the Li pregnant leach solution (PLS) towards the production of the required battery precursors. The potential of this novel refractory Li minerals decomposition process will significantly reduce energy consumption and have a significant impact in de-risking the extraction flowsheet for pegmatite-based Li projects in Canada.