Comprehensive utilization of spodumene ore through pyrometallurgical process with Fe₂O₃ addition

Abstract

The carbothermal reduction process of spodumene ore effectively separates Al and Si components from spodumene ore while also extracting lithium (Li). The high value-added sputum heat reduction process of spodumene ore was proposed. Fe₂O₃ was used as an auxiliary agent. Si is combined with Fe to form Si-Fe alloy and Al is enriched in the slag. The experimental results showed that the addition of Fe₂O₃ could significantly promote the carbothermal reduction of spodumene ore, when the mass ratio of Fe/Si is not less than 2. Experiments confirmed that the optimal experimental conditions were 1823 K and heated for 8 h. During the reduction process, the reduction rate of Li was higher than 90%, and the direct yield of Si-Fe alloy was higher than 85%. In addition, the content of Li in dust could reach 29.5%, about 16 times that of the spodumene ore.

Keywords

spodumene ore / iron oxide / carbothermal reduction / lithium / ferrosilicon alloy

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