Hengyang Minerals Services has experience with complete flowsheet development to
recover high grade lithium products from hard rock lithium
minerals. Hengyang Industrial offers a multi-disciplinary team that
is involved from the initial stages of the characterization of the
lithium deposit to the production of a market sample of a high
grade lithium product.
Hengyang Industrial provides the comprehensive range of test work
capabilities required to extract lithium. These capabilities
include:
• Comprehensive spodumene crushing and screening
• Extensive grind ability test suite
• Mineral separation (gravity, heavy liquid and heavy media)
• Flotation
• Pyrometallury (concentrate roasting and acid roasting)
• Hydrometallurgy
• Pilot plant testing
• Environmental testing.
Lithium forecasts indicate demand will more than triple over the
next decade. With the newest technology, backed by years of
experience in brine and spodumene extraction methods, we are a full
solutions partner for major lithium processing operations.
The two primary production methods for lithium – brine evaporation
and hard rock (e.g. spodumene) processing
– come with their own unique set of challenges. We have more than
20 years of experience in providing cutting- edge technologies that
cover both approaches for lithium production. Our capabilities
include:
• Hard rock concentrators
• Hard rock concentrate refinery facilities
• Brine processing facilities
Lithium is found in very low concentration in igneous rocks. The
largest concentrations of lithium-containing minerals are found in
granitic pegmatites. The most important of these minerals are
spodumene (Li2O, Al2O3. 4SiO2) and petalite (Li2O, Al2O3. 8SiO2).
Spodumene has a theoretical Li2O content of 8.03%. Due to its high
lithium content, spodumene is considered the most important lithium
ore mineral. A typical run of mine ore can contain 1-2% Li2O, while
a typical spodumene concentrate suitable for lithium carbonate
production contains 6-7% Li2O (75% - 87% spodumene). Higher grade
concentrates with 7.6% Li2O and low iron content are used in
ceramics and more demanding industries.
