Chemical Phase Analysis of Lithium in Pegmatitic Lithium Ores

Chemical phase analysis can provide important technical guidance for geological exploration, deposit evaluation and high efficiency metallurgy of lithium ore. Because many lithium minerals are very similar in chemical properties, there are no reports related to the chemical phase analysis of lithium ores. Pegmatitic lithium ore is an important kind of lithium ore, in which lepidolite and spodumene are important raw materials for extracting lithium. In this research, a method for chemical phase analysis of lithium in pegmatitic lithium ores was established to determine the content of lithium in each lithium mineral. The lithium was divided into three phases: zinnwaldite, lithium mica, and spodumene. Dilute hydrochloric acid was used to selectively leach lithium from zinnwaldite, concentrated sulfuric acid was used to dissolve lithium from lithium mica, and aqua regia was used to dissolve lithium from spodumene. The optimal leaching conditions of each phase was explored and established. According to the analysis of lithium phase in lithium ores in Western Sichuan for 6 repetitions, the relative standard deviation of each phase was 1.27%−3.79% and the relative deviation of the sum and the total lithium was 1.22%, all less than 5%, indicating that this method is suitable for the chemical phase analysis of lithium in pegmatitic lithium ores.