Rosatom has developed a zero-waste lithium extraction technology in Uzbekistan
The technology for the Nurlikon deposit will make it possible to extract 94.44% of lithium and annually utilize about 225 thousand tons of phosphogypsum.
Rosatom Has Created a Zero-Waste Lithium Extraction Technology in Uzbekistan
Scientists from the Rosatom State Corporation have developed a zero-waste method for processing lithium-bearing micaceous ores from the Nurlikon deposit in Uzbekistan. The new method allows for the extraction of 94.44% of lithium into finished products, as well as the utilization of industrial waste in the production cycle.
The technology was developed by specialists from JSC Giredmet, which is part of Rosatom's scientific division. It is designed to process ore with a lithium oxide content of about 0.5%.
According to the developers, traditional beneficiation methods do not allow for the efficient separation of the mineral and the host rock due to the similarity of their properties. The high carbonate content in the raw material creates additional complexity.
One of the features of the new technology is the use of phosphogypsum—industrial waste from the Almalyk Chemical Plant—as a raw material for an intermediate stage of processing. This will allow for the annual disposal of approximately 225,000 tons of such waste.
The designed processing capacity is 750,000 tons of ore per year. According to JSC Giredmet's estimates, this will ensure the production of more than 8,500 tons of high-purity chemically pure (CP) grade lithium carbonate.
The technology provides for the complete absence of liquid and solid waste. The processing tailings are planned to be used as raw materials for the cement industry.
"We consciously aimed for a zero-waste model: for lean micaceous ores, this is not just an environmental requirement, but an economic necessity. Phosphogypsum, which today is industrial waste, becomes a reagent, and the processing tailings become raw materials for the cement industry. As a result, we get high-purity lithium carbonate," stated Valery Golovko, Head of the Technical Department at JSC Giredmet.
According to him, pilot testing is planned for next year to prepare the technology for implementation on an industrial scale.