
Lithium is an element valuable for the production of glass, aluminum products, and batteries. It is mined from ores of petalite (LiAl (Si2O 5) 2, lepidolite K (Li,Al) 3 (Al,Si,Rb) 4 O 10 (F,OH) 2, spodumene LiAl (SiO 3) 2 and also subsurface brines. Australia and Chile are the worlds largest producers of lithium. Mining and mineral-processing industries producing lithium minerals, metals, and salts contribute to the lithium burden in the environment. The processing of lithium-containing minerals such as spodumene, in general, comprises crushing, wet grinding in a ball mill, sizing, gravity concentration, and flotation using a fatty acid (oleic acid) as ...