Australia’s government research agency CSIRO is looking into alternative lithium sources and extraction pathways amid surging demand.
CSIRO researchers are investigating petalite as a potential mineral source for lithium. Sometimes called castorite, petalite is a lithium aluminium phyllosilicate which forms in lithium-rich pegmatites alongside minerals like spodumene and lepidolite.
Spodumene is the most widely used mineral source for lithium due to its high lithium concentration, but this doesn’t mean that petalite’s properties should be ignored for commercial use.
Petalite has a high melting point, making it well-suited for heat-resistant and scratch-resistant glass and ceramics.
“Lithium extraction processes from spodumene are well established, but with petalite, the process is trickier and involves extra steps,” said CSIRO scientist, Dr Leena Melag.
“Petalite must be treated with both heat and pressure to convert it into a form that’s easier to chemically process and liberate the lithium.”
Despite the challenges, Melag said petalite is an attractive option as a supplementary lithium resource.
“We’re looking at different feedstocks, like petalite, to use in our LithSonic process,” said Melag.
CSIRO developed its LithSonic process as a cleaner and greener production alternative to traditional lithium extraction.
It uses super-sonic flow to quench the lithium metal before it can react, making it an attractive route for extracting lithium from minerals like petalite.
