About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Rare Metal Extraction & Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
Optimized Separation of Lithium from Montebrasite Ore via Sulfuric Acid Leaching and Thermal Pretreatment: A Response Surface Methodology Approach |
| Author(s) |
Abdulmalik Hamza Bichi |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Abdulmalik Hamza Bichi |
| Abstract Scope |
This study presents an optimized method for lithium recovery from montebrasite ore through a combination of thermal pretreatment and sulfuric acid leaching, guided by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Montebrasite, a lithium-rich phosphate mineral, was subjected to controlled two steps-roasting at varying temperatures to enhance lithium accessibility by decomposing interfering gangue phases. Subsequently, leaching was performed using dilute sulfuric acid under different conditions of acid concentration, solid-to-liquid ratio, temperature, and time. RSM was employed to design experiments and identify optimal conditions for maximum aluminum removal efficiency. The combined process achieved significant lithium recovery with reduced reagent consumption and minimal aluminum co-precipitation. The optimized parameters derived from the statistical model demonstrated strong agreement with experimental results, confirming the approach’s reliability and effectiveness. This integrated method offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly route for selective lithium extraction from montebrasite ores. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Hydrometallurgy, Modeling and Simulation, Extraction and Processing |