Kinetics and Mechanism of Simultaneous Leaching of Lithium，Rubidium，and Cesium from Lepidolite Smelting Slag AITranslate

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Basic Information:

DOI：10.13373/j.cnki.cjrm.XY25100018

Chinese Library Classification Number:TF84

Citation Information:

Lepidolite smelting slag，a voluminous solid waste generated during lithium extraction from lepidolite，is produced at an annual rate of millions of tons. These slags still retain significant amounts of valuable metals，such as lithium （Li），rubidium （Rb），and cesium （Cs），and therefore possess considerable recovery potential. However，current approaches to their resource utilization face several challenges：conventional methods for use in building materials fail to effectively recover the valuable metals contained in the slag，resulting in resource wastage；meanwhile，existing hydrometallurgical lithium recovery technologies mainly focus on extracting lithium alone，overlooking the synergistic recovery of associated metals such as Rb and Cs. Moreover，the dissolution mechanisms underlying the leaching process remain unclear，which hinders further process optimization. To address these issues，this study developed a synchronous sulfuric acid leaching process. The effects of key parameters-including liquid-to-solid ratio，sulfuric acid concentration，leaching temperature，and leaching time-on the leaching rates of Li，Rb，and Cs were systematically investigated，and the leaching kinetics and synchronous leaching mechanisms were explored in depth. The results showed that efficient and synergistic leaching of Li，Rb，and Cs could be achieved under the following optimal conditions：leaching temperature of 80 ℃，sulfuric acid concentration of 20%，liquid-to-solid ratio of 5∶1 g·ml⁻¹，and leaching time of 2 h. Under these conditions，the leaching rates of Li，Rb，and Cs reached 91.72 %，90.40 %，and 93.16 %，respectively. Through systematic product characterization and kinetic analysis，this study revealed the intrinsic mechanism of the synchronous leaching process. Sulfuric acid primarily disrupted the crystal structure of silicate minerals in the lithium slag，releasing occluded Li⁺，Rb⁺，and Cs⁺ ions into the solution. Concurrently，the calcium sulfate surface coating formed during the reaction played a critical role：it inhibited the inward diffusion of H⁺ and hindered the outward migration of dissolved metal ions such as Li⁺，Rb⁺，and Cs⁺，especially in the later stages of leaching. Kinetic studies indicated that the leaching process followed the shrinking core model，with a rate-controlling mechanism governed by a combination of chemical reaction and internal diffusion. Detailed kinetic analysis yielded apparent activation energies of 37.759，14.076，and 35.015 kJ·mol^-1 for the leaching of Li，Rb，and Cs，respectively. These kinetic parameters offered important insights into the rate-limiting steps of the process and provide a theoretical foundation for its further optimization. The synchronous sulfuric acid leaching process developed in this study offered advantages such as a short flowsheet，simple operation，and high metal recovery. It presented a practical and feasible technical route for the comprehensive resource utilization of lepidolite smelting slag. The successful development of this process not only facilitated the effective recovery of strategic metal resources and reduced solid waste accumulation but also significantly enhanced resource utilization efficiency. Furthermore，this study contributed to strengthening China's supply security for critical strategic metals and promotes the establishment of a high-value recycling system for metallurgical solid wastes，thereby providing new technical support for the sustainable development of the metallurgical industry.