WO2025029953A1

WO2025029953A1 - Systems and methods for minimizing external water use in lithium production

Info

Publication number: WO2025029953A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/040435
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Henry SNYDACKER; David James ALT; Thomas Anthony Pecoraro; Amos Indranada; Sophia Patricia Mock; Bassam KHALIL; Nicolás Andrés GROSSO GIORDANO
Original assignee: Lilac Solutions Inc
Current assignee: Lilac Solutions Inc
Priority date: 2023-08-01
Filing date: 2024-07-31
Publication date: 2025-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2026-02-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to the extraction of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MINIMIZING EXTERNAL WATER USE IN LITHIUM PRODUCTION

CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/517,082 filed August 1, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Lithium is an essential element for high-energy rechargeable batteries and other technologies. Lithium can be found in a variety of liquid solutions, including natural and synthetic brines and leachate solutions from minerals and recycled products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In one aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the liquid resource or a treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution, wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

[0004] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: (i) an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; (ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithiumselective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (iii) a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

[0005] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: (i) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithiumselective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; b) contact an aqueous wash solution with the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to remove the liquid from the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent; and c) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (ii) an evaporation unit configured to collected water from the liquid resource or the raffinate, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises the collected water, and wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical evaporator.

[0006] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: (i) an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; (ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithiumselective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (iii) a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product; and wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) of the lithium product.

[0007] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: (i) an upstream subsystem configured to: a) yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; and b) reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof; (ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (iii) a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit, wherein the evaporation unit is a mechanical vapor recompression unit, and wherein the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof.

[0008] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: (i) an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; (ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium- selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (iii) a downstream subsystem configured to: a) process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; and b) reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit, wherein the evaporation unit is a mechanical vapor recompression unit, and wherein the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water from the raffinate or a portion thereof.

[0009] In another aspect, provided herein is a system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: (i) an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; (ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithiumselective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (iii) a downstream subsystem configured to: a) process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; and b) reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof; wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a reverse osmosis unit.

[0010] In one aspect, provided herein is a process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: (i) contacting the liquid resource or a treated liquid resource with a lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and (ii) contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution, wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

[0011] In another aspect, provided herein is a process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: (i) treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; (ii) contacting the treated liquid resource with a lithiumselective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; (iii) contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and (iv) processing the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

[0012] In another aspect, provided herein is a process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: (i) contacting the liquid resource with the lithiumselective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; (ii) contacting an aqueous wash solution with the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to remove the liquid from the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent; (iii) contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithiumselective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; (iv) providing an evaporation unit; and (v) collecting water from the liquid resource or the raffinate using the evaporation unit to provide collected water; wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises the collected water, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical evaporator, and wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

[0013] Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0014] All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. To the extent publications and patents or patent applications incorporated by reference contradict the disclosure contained in the specification, the specification is intended to supersede and/or take precedence over any such contradictory material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The novel features of the disclosure are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present disclosure will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the disclosure are utilized, and the accompanying drawings (also “Figure” and “FIG.” herein), of which: [0016] FIG. 1 provides a system, which when in operation can carry out processes for lithium production from a liquid resource according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Operation of the system as depicted can comprise the generation (e.g., collection) of recovered water (e.g., collected water) from wastewater stream 1031 by reverse osmosis system 104, thereby allowing for the system to be operated in the absence of an external water source. [0017] FIG. 2 provides a system, which when in operation can carry out processes for lithium production from a liquid resource according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Operation of the system as depicted comprises the generation (e.g., collection) of recovered water (e g., collected water) from a lithium-depleted brine 2013 by evaporation system 202, thereby allowing for the system to be operated in the absence of an external water source.

[0018] FIG. 3 provides a system, which when in operation can carry out processes for lithium production from a liquid resource according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Operation of the system as depicted comprises the generation (e.g., collection) of recovered water (e g., collected water) from a lithium-depleted brine 3013 by evaporation system 302, thereby allowing for the system to be operated in the absence of an external water source.

[0019] FIG. 4 provides a system, which when in operation can carry out processes for lithium production from a liquid resource according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Operation of the system as depicted comprises the generation (e.g., collection) of recovered water (e g., collected water) from lithium-depleted brine 4014 and high salinity retentate 4042 by evaporation system 402, from synthetic lithium solution 4012 by system 403, and from used wash water 4016 by water recovery system 404, thereby allowing for the system to be operated in the absence of an external water source.

[0020] FIG. 5 provides a system, which when in operation can carry out processes for lithium production from a liquid resource according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Operation of the system as depicted comprises the generation (e.g., collection) of recovered water (e.g., collected water) from lithium-depleted brine 5014 and high salinity retentate 5042 by evaporation system 502, from synthetic lithium solution 5012 by system 503, and from used wash water 5016 by water recovery system 504, thereby allowing for the system to be operated in the absence of an external water source.

[0021] FIG. 6 provides a system for extracting lithium from a liquid resource. The system featuring a filter press. Tithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e.g., a liquid resource) using a lithium-selective ion exchange device 601. Wash water 6011 is supplied to the lithium extraction system for washing of ion exchange beads. Specifically, water (e.g., an aqueous wash solution) is used in lithium extraction system 601 to wash brine entrained in the ion exchange beads, before lithium is eluted from said beads to produce the synthetic lithium solution. The lithium extraction device 601 comprises a filter press filled with a lithium-selective ion exchange material. A low salinity water stream 6013 can be used to wash entrained brine in the extraction step, or can be processed through low-energy water recovery systems such as reverse osmosis, to recover water for subsequent reuse in the lithium production system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Lithium is an essential element for batteries and other technologies. Lithium is found in a variety of liquid resources, including natural and synthetic brines and leachate solutions from minerals, clays, and recycled products. Lithium is optionally extracted from such liquid resources using an ion exchange process based on inorganic ion exchange materials. These inorganic ion exchange materials absorb lithium from a liquid resource while releasing hydrogen, and then elute lithium in acid while absorbing hydrogen. This ion exchange process is optionally repeated to extract lithium from a liquid resource and yield a synthetic lithium solution. The synthetic lithium solution is optionally further processed into chemicals for the battery industry or other industries.

[0023] The present disclosure provides processes and systems for lithium production from liquid resources. In some embodiments, the processes and systems utilize lithium-selective ion exchange. In some embodiments, the processes and systems do not require a source of fresh water, and obtain all water required for the system or process by recovering water from the liquid resource and/or one or more aqueous process streams derived therefrom. In some embodiments, an aqueous process stream comprises a raffinate, a synthetic lithium solution, a used aqueous wash solution, a mother liquor, a retentate, a permeate, a filtrate, or a combination thereof.

Key Terms and Definitions

[0024] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “an agent” includes a plurality of such agents, and reference to “the cell” includes reference to one or more cells (or to a plurality of cells) and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth. When ranges are used herein for physical properties, such as molecular weight, or chemical properties, such as chemical formulae, all combinations and subcombinations of ranges and specific embodiments therein are intended to be included. The term “about” when referring to a number or a numerical range means that the number or numerical range referred to is an approximation within experimental variability (or within statistical experimental error), and thus the number or numerical range, in some instances, will vary between 1% and 15% of the stated number or numerical range. The term “comprising” (and related terms such as “comprise” or “comprises” or “having” or “including”) is not intended to exclude that in other certain embodiments, for example, an embodiment of any composition of matter, composition, method, or process, or the like, described herein, “consist of’ or “consist essentially of’ the described features.

[0025] The terms “lithium”, “lithium ion”, and “Li⁺” are used interchangeably in the present specification and these terms are synonymous unless specifically noted to the contrary. The terms “hydrogen”, “hydrogen ion”, “proton”, and “H⁺” are used interchangeably in the present specification and these terms are synonymous unless specifically noted to the contrary.

[0026] As used herein, the words “column” and “vessel” are used interchangeably. In some embodiments described herein referring to a “vessel”, the vessel is a column. In some embodiments described herein referring to a “column”, the column is a vessel.

[0027] The term “the pH of the system” or “the pH of’ a component of a system, for example one or more tanks, vessels, columns, pH modulating units, or pipes used to establish fluid communication between one or more tanks, vessels, columns, or pH modulating units, refers to the pH of the liquid medium contained or present in the system, or contained or present in one or more components thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid medium contained in the system, or one or more components thereof, is a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the liquid medium contained in the system, or one or more components thereof, is a brine. In some embodiments, the liquid medium contained in the system, or one or more components thereof, is an acid solution, an aqueous solution, a wash solution, a salt solution, a salt solution comprising lithium ions, or a lithium-enriched solution. As used herein, pH is equal to the negative logarithmic value of the concentration of protons in the aqueous solution. The pH of the solutions described herein are preferably determined with a pH probe. However, many of the solutions described herein comprise high concentrations of ions (e.g., sodium) that are known to interfere with pH probe sensors. Therefore, solutions with high ion concentrations can lead to shifted readings. In such cases, pH probe values are confirmed by diluting the test solution, for example by 10X or 100X, and remeasuring via pH probe to ensure that the change in pH is consistent with the change in concentration of protons. Alternative methods of pH determination include chemical tests such as titration with colored indicators or litmus tests.

[0028] The term “concentration”, as used herein, refers to the amount of a chemical species within a given amount of liquid. In some embodiments, said concentration can be specified as the mass of a species dissolved in an amount of liquid (e.g. mg/L), or the number of moles of a species dissolved in an amount of liquid (e g. mol/L). In some embodiments, concentration can be specified by the ratio of moles or mass of the species of interest to one or more other species dissolved in the same liquid. In some embodiments, only the mass concentration of an ionic species is stated; for example, a concentration of sodium (Na) is stated to be 100 milligrams per liter (mg/L). In such cases, the stated concentration refers to the mass concentration of the ion in solution, and does not include the mass of the anion; in the example stated above, such an ion may comprise chloride (C1‘), nitrate (NCh ), or sulfate (SC>4²').

[0029] As used herein, the term “synthetic lithium solution” describes a solution comprising lithium that is not present in nature and obtained by a process for processing, refining, recovering or purifying lithium. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution can be yielded by placing an acid into contact with a lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is a lithium eluate. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is used in place of a liquid resource. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is combined with a liquid resource. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is a leachate solution (e g., a leachate of one or more ores, a leachate of one or more minerals, a leachate of one or more clays, a leachate of waste or recycled materials comprising lithium). In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is a brine concentrated by solar evaporation.

[0030] The term “direct lithium extraction,” as used herein, refers to a process involving the sorption or adsorption of lithium from solution. Direct lithium extraction can be carried out with a lithium-selective sorbent. A lithium-selective sorbent can comprise an ion exchange material.

[0031] The term “eluent,” as used herein, refers to a liquid input to employed for the removal of lithium from a lithium-selective sorbent. An eluent can be acidic. An eluent that has been placed in contact with a lithium-selective sorbent that releases lithium into the eluent is a lithium eluate. A lithium eluate is a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is a lithium eluate. In some embodiments, wherein the lithium-selective sorbent is an ion exchange material than has been exposed to a liquid resource comprising lithium, the eluent is an acidic solution. In such cases, the protons of the acidic eluent displace the lithium on the ion exchange material to yield a synthetic lithium solution.

[0032] As used herein, the term “lithium purity” refers to the chemical purity of a lithium chemical, lithium compound, or a solution that comprises lithium or a lithium compound. In some embodiments, lithium purity can be expressed as the percentage of lithium in a solution as on the basis of the total metal ion content of the solution. In some embodiments, lithium purity is expressed in terms of the quantities or percentages of specific impurities that may be present in a lithium compound or a solution that comprises lithium. [0033] As used herein, the term “process fluid” or “process stream” refers to any liquid or solution that used in any step or process according to the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, the process fluid is the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the process fluid is the raffinate. In some embodiments, the process fluid is water. In some embodiments, the process fluid is acid (e.g., an acidic solution, a solution comprising acid). In some embodiments, the process fluid is base (e g., a basic solution, a solution comprising base). [0034] As used herein, the term “buffer” refers to a solution that can resist pH change upon the addition of an acidic or basic components. A buffer can neutralize small amounts of added acid or base, thus maintaining the pH of a solution comprising the buffer In some embodiments, a buffer is a solution comprising a weak acid and a salt of the corresponding conjugate base. In some embodiments, a buffer is a solution comprising a weak base and a salt of the corresponding conjugate acid. A non-limiting example of a buffer is a solution of boric acid and sodium hydroxide.

[0035] The term “mother liquor,” as used herein, is a liquid byproduct of a process for the generation of solid lithium carbonate from a lithium-containing solution. Mother liquor as described herein is an aqueous solution that comprises lithium and additional salts.

[0036] In some embodiments of the systems and methods and processes disclosed herein, an ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource comprising lithium. The lithium in the liquid resource is absorbed by the ion exchange material to yield an enriched ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the enriched ion exchange material contains a higher lithium content then the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is a protonated ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the protonated ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource comprising lithium. The lithium in the liquid resource is absorbed via an ion exchange process to yield a lithiated ion exchange material. In some cases, the terms "enriched ion exchange material" and "lithiated ion exchange material" are used interchangeably.

[0037] In some embodiments, the chemical formula of the ion exchange material may vary throughout the ion exchange systems and processes described herein in terms of hydrogen and lithium stoichiometries, as the ion exchange materials readily exchange lithium and hydrogen depending on the aqueous solutions and gases that the ion exchange material is exposed to. In addition, fully lithiated or fully protonated ion exchange materials may not be the most stable form of the material, and is therefore commercially sold as another form. For example, many commercially available ion exchange materials benefit from an activation step or an initial treatment in which the material is wetted and activated with an acid wash to produce an ion exchange material that is in an ideal state for lithium absorption (termed pre-activated ion exchange materials herein). In some embodiments, the term “protonated ion exchange material” refers to material that has been activated and is capable of absorbing lithium. In some embodiments, the protonated ion exchange material is at least partially protonated. In some embodiments, the protonated ion exchange material is fully protonated. Following exposure to a liquid resource comprising lithium, the protonated ion exchange material absorbs lithium and releases hydrogen to form the lithiated ion exchange material. The stoichiometries of the ion exchange material and the lithiated ion exchange material may vary with both the lithium concentration of the liquid resource and the pH of the acidic solution. Therefore, in some embodiments, the material is in part best described by the solution or alternate phase the material has been exposed to most recently. As such, the term “ion exchange material” is meant to include the various states that the material may exist as throughout the ion exchange and preparatory process In some embodiments, an ion exchange material comprises a protonated ion exchange material, a lithiated ion exchange material, and a pre-activated ion exchange material. [0038] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material may benefit from an activation process. An ion exchange material that benefits from an activation process is termed “preactivated ion exchange material.” In some embodiments, the pre-activated ion exchange material is selected from an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the pre-activated ion exchange material is selected Li4MnsOi2, Li4Ti50i2, U2MO3 (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiM Ch, Li1.6Mm.6O4, HMO2 (M = Al, Cu, Ti), Li4TiO4, Li?TinO24, Li3VO4, Li2Si3O?, LiFePO4, LiMnPO4, Li2CuP2O?, A1(OH)3, LiCl.xAl(OH)3.yH2O, SnO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, TiO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, solid solutions thereof, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the pre-activated ion exchange material is selected from the following list: Li4Mn50i2, Li4TisOi2, Li1.6Mn1.sO4, Li2MO3 (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiFePO4, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof.

[0039] In some embodiments, the processes described herein utilize lithium-selective sorbents that are exposed to a liquid resource and an acidic solution over the course of two or more cycles. The lithium-selective sorbent can be a protonated ion exchange material following exposure to an acidic solution that subsequently yields a lithiated ion exchange material following exposure to a liquid resource. Although the lithium-selective sorbents described herein are expressed as compounds with discrete stoichiometries, it should be understood that variable amounts of lithium ions and/or hydrogen ions are envisioned in each ion exchange material during the cyclic ion exchange processes described herein. For example, the lithiumselective sorbent that is the ion exchange material Li4TisOi2 may be Li4TisOi2, LisHTisOn, Li2H2TisO 12, LiH3Ti50i2, orH4Ti5Oi2. Combinations of such states are also envisioned, and may be expressed as averages, for example Li21H1 s TisOn, Li22Hi.8TisOi2, Li23Hi.7TisOi2, Li^Hi.eTisOn, etc. Applicant envisions that the lithium-selective sorbents that are the ion exchange materials listed below comprise the chemical entity listed, each compound that replaces one lithium ion for one hydrogen ion, and any combination of such states: Li4MnsOi2, i4TisOi2, U2MO3 (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiM Ch, Li1.6Mm.6O4, HMO2 (M = Al, Cu, Ti), Li4TiO4, Li?TinO24, LisVO4, Li2SisO7, LiFePO4, LiMnP04, and Li2CuP2O?.

[0040] In some embodiments, lithium-selective sorbent comprises an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material comprises a chemical compound capable of exchanging lithium and hydrogen ions. In some embodiments, ion exchange material comprises a chemical compound capable of ion exchange of lithium and hydrogen, wherein the ion exchange material will uptake lithium selectively as opposed to uptaking other metals or metal ions (e.g., sodium, potassium, magnesium, other metal ions present in liquid resources). In some embodiments, ion exchange material is in the form of ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, ion exchange material or ion exchange beads comprise a coating material. In some embodiments, ion exchange material or ion exchange beads do not comprise a coating material. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is in the form of ion exchange beads. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads are porous.

[0041] The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described or preclude the combination of the subject matter of the disclosure under any one section heading with any other subject matter of the disclosure under any other section heading or any other subject matter of the disclosure. Embodiments described herein with any one or more features can be readily combined with the features of any embodiments described further herein. Embodiments described herein are not limiting so as to wholly describe all embodiments of the disclosure.

Ion Exchange Materials, Particles, and Beads

[0042] In an aspect, disclosed herein are methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, producing a lithium product from a liquid resource comprises lithium recovery. In some embodiments, a system, a method, or a process for lithium recovery from a liquid resource may be employed in a system, a method, or a process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the methods and systems disclosed herein utilize ion exchange materials. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is utilized in a variety of forms or as a constituent of a construct that comprises one or more ion exchange materials. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is utilized in a form that specifically enables or optimizes the performance of the method or system in which the ion exchange material is utilized. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is utilized as a constituent of a construct that specifically enables or optimizes the performance of the method or system in which the ion exchange material is utilized. In some embodiments, ion exchange materials are coated. In some embodiments, ion exchange materials comprise a lithium-selective sorbent.

[0043] In some embodiments, ion exchange material is in the form of ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is in the form of uncoated ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is in the form of coated ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles are coated or uncoated. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles are utilized as a mixture that comprises coated ion exchange particles and uncoated ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles comprise one or more ion exchange materials. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles comprise a lithiumselective sorbent.

[0044] In some embodiments, ion exchange beads are a construct that comprises ion exchange material that can be used according to the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is coated or uncoated. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are porous. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise one or more ion exchange materials. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise a lithium-selective sorbent.

[0045] Ion exchange beads can have diameters less than about one millimeter, contributing to a high pressure difference across a packed bed of ion exchange beads as a liquid resource and other fluids are pumped through the packed bed by application of an appropriate force. To minimize pressure across the packed bed of ion exchange beads and to minimize the associated appropriate force and amount of energy associated with applying said appropriate force, vessels with optimized geometries can be used to reduce the flow distance through the packed bed of ion exchange beads. These vessels can be networked with pH modulation units to achieve adequate control of the pH of the liquid resource.

[0046] In some embodiments, a network of vessels loaded with ion exchange beads comprises two vessels, three vessels, four vessels, five vessels, six vessels, seven vessels, eight vessels, nine vessels, 10 vessels, 11 vessels, 12 vessels, 13-14 vessels, 15-20 vessels, 20-30 vessels, 30-50 vessels, 50-70 vessels, 70-100 vessels, or more than 100 vessels.

[0047] In some embodiments, ion exchange material, or a form thereof, or a construct comprised thereof, is loaded into an ion exchange device described herein. In some embodiments, an ion exchange device comprises a column, tank, or vessel. In some embodiments, an ion exchange device is a component of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. Alternating flows of liquid resource, eluent, and other process fluids are optionally flowed through an ion exchange device to extract lithium from the liquid resource and produce a synthetic lithium solution, which is eluted from the ion exchange device using an eluent. As liquid resource flows through the ion exchange device, the ion exchange material absorb lithium while releasing hydrogen, where both the lithium and hydrogen are cations. After the ion exchange material have absorbed lithium, an eluent is used to elute the lithium from the ion exchange material to produce a lithium eluate. A lithium eluate can be a synthetic lithium solution according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, an eluent comprises acid or an acid eluent.

[0048] Lithium is an essential element for batteries and other technologies. Lithium is found in a variety of liquid resources, including natural and synthetic brines and leachate solutions from minerals, clays, and recycled products. Lithium can be extracted from such liquid resources using an ion exchange process that utilizes ion exchange materials. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise ion exchange materials in addition to other components. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads are utilized in methods for lithium recovery and systems for lithium recovery. Ion exchange materials can absorb lithium from a liquid resource while releasing hydrogen, and then elute lithium in acid while absorbing hydrogen. In methods for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the ion exchange process can be repeated to extract lithium from a liquid resource and yield a synthetic lithium solution. The synthetic lithium solution can be further processed into chemicals for the battery industry or other industries.

[0049] In some embodiments, ion exchange particles comprise ion exchange materials. Ion exchange particles can be in the form of small particles, which together constitute a fine powder. Small sizes of ion exchange particles may be required to minimize the diffusion distance that lithium must travel to reach the core of the ion exchange particles and ensure the entirety of the ion exchange material within the ion exchange particle is utilized in the course of an ion exchange process or method for lithium recovery. In some cases, ion exchange particles are coated with coating materials that can minimize dissolution of the ion exchange particles while allowing efficient transfer of lithium and hydrogen to and from the ion exchange particles. [0050] One major challenge for methods of lithium recovery from a liquid resource that comprise use of ion exchange particles is the loading of the ion exchange particles into an ion exchange device in such a way that liquid resource and acid flow through the ion exchange device with minimal clogging. Thus, ion exchange material and/or ion exchange particles can be formed into ion exchange beads that can be loaded into an ion exchange device. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise ion exchange materials in addition to other components and can be utilized in methods for lithium recovery and systems for lithium recovery. The ion exchange beads, as loaded into an ion exchange device, can be loaded such that void spaces are present between the ion exchange beads, and these void spaces can facilitate flow of liquids through the column. In some embodiments, a flow is initiated, modulated, or terminated by pumping. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads hold their constituent ion exchange particles in place and prevent free movement of ion exchange particles throughout the ion exchange device.

[0051] When ion exchange material is formed into ion exchange beads, the penetration of liquid resource and acid into the ion exchange beads by convention and diffusion can become unacceptably slow. A slow rate of convection and diffusion of the acid and liquid resource into the ion exchange beads can slow the kinetics of lithium absorption and release thereby. Slow kinetics of lithium absorption and release can create problems for the operation of an ion exchange device. Slow kinetics of lithium absorption and release can consequently require correspondingly slow flow rates through an ion exchange device. Slow kinetics of lithium absorption and release can also lead to low lithium recovery from the liquid resource and inefficient use of acid to elute the lithium according to the methods and systems described herein.

[0052] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise networks of pores that facilitate the transport of liquids flowed through an ion exchange device into the ion exchange beads. The geometry and physical dimensions of pore networks in ion exchange beads can be strategically controlled to allow for faster and more complete access of liquid resource, washing water, acid, and other process fluids into the interior of the ion exchange bead. Faster and more complete access of liquid resource, washing water, acid, and other process fluids into the interior of the ion exchange bead leads to a more effective delivery lithium and hydrogen to the ion exchange material therein. More effective delivery of lithium and hydrogen to the ion exchange material within an ion exchange bead can lead to greater lithium recovery according to the methods and systems described herein.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed by mixing of ion exchange material, a structural matrix material, and a filler material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed by mixing of ion exchange material and a structural matrix material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed by mixing of ion exchange material and a structural matrix material. In some embodiments, the components of an ion exchange bead combined to form a physical mixture or a composite. In some embodiments wherein an ion exchange bead comprises a filler material, the filler material can be removed therefrom to form network of pores therein and yield a porous ion exchange bead. The filler material is dispersed in the bead in such a way to leave behind a pore structure that enables transport of lithium and hydrogen with fast kinetics. In some embodiments, an ion exchange bead comprises one or more ion exchange materials, one or more structural matrix materials, and one or more filler materials. [0054] Ion exchange beads according to embodiments as described herein can be porous ion exchange beads.

[0055] Another challenge to consider and overcome in a method or system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource using ion exchange materials is the undesired dissolution and degradation of the ion exchange materials. Undesired dissolution and degradation of the ion exchange materials can occur during a step comprising lithium elution from the ion exchange material in acid. Undesired dissolution and degradation of the ion exchange materials can occur during a step comprising lithium extraction from a liquid resource by the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, to yield a synthetic lithium solution from the ion exchange process it is desirable to use a concentrated acid solution as an acid eluent in a step comprising lithium elution from the ion exchange material. However, concentrated acid solutions dissolve and degrade ion exchange materials, which can decrease the performance and useful lifetime of the materials. Therefore, in some embodiments the ion exchange beads contain coated ion exchange particles that are comprised of an ion exchange material and a coating material. The coating material can protect the ion exchange material from undesired dissolution and degradation during lithium elution from the ion exchange material into acid, during lithium uptake from a liquid resource into the ion exchange material, and during other steps of an ion exchange process according to the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, use of ion exchange beads that comprise coated ion exchange particles allows for the use of a concentrated acid as an acid eluent to yield a synthetic lithium solution.

[0056] In one aspect described herein, an ion exchange material is selected for use in ion exchange beads based on one or more properties of the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, desirable properties of the ion exchange material comprise high lithium absorption capacity, high selectivity for lithium extraction from a liquid resource relative to extraction of other ions such as sodium and magnesium, strong lithium uptake in liquid resources including those with low concentrations of lithium, facile elution of lithium with a small excess of acid, fast ionic diffusion throughout the ion exchange material, combinations thereof, and sub-combinations thereof. In one aspect described herein, a coating material is selected for use as a coating for ion exchange particles based on its ability to prevent undesirable dissolution and chemical degradation of the ion exchange particles during lithium elution from the ion exchange particles in acid and also during lithium uptake by the ion exchange particles from liquid resources. In some embodiments, the coating material is selected to facilitate one or more of the following objectives: using a coating material that has minimal negative impacts on the diffusion of lithium and hydrogen between the ion exchange material within the ion exchange particles and the liquid resource, enabling adherence of the ion exchange particles to a structural support or structural matrix material, and suppressing structural and mechanical degradation of the ion exchange particles.

[0057] In some embodiments, wherein ion exchange beads are used in an ion exchange device, the liquid resource containing lithium is flowed through the ion exchange device so that the ion exchange beads absorb lithium from the liquid resource while releasing hydrogen. After the ion exchange beads have absorbed lithium, an acid is pumped through the ion exchange device so that the ion exchange beads release lithium into the acid while absorbing hydrogen. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device is operated in a co-flow mode wherein the liquid resource and acid are alternately flowed through the ion exchange device in the same direction. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device is operated in counter-flow mode wherein the liquid resource and acid are alternately flowed through the ion exchange device in opposite directions. In some embodiments, in between flows of the liquid resource and flows of acid, water or other solutions is flowed through the ion exchange device for purposes such as adjusting pH in the ion exchange device or removing potential contaminants. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads form a fixed bed or a moving bed, wherein the moving bed can move in a direction opposed to the flows of liquid resource and acid. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads are moved between multiple ion exchange devices, wherein the ion exchange beads form a moving bed that can be transferred from one ion exchange device to another. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads are moved between multiple ion exchange devices, wherein different ion exchange devices are independently configured to accommodate a flow of liquid resource, a flow of acid, a flow of water, or a flow of another process fluid. In some embodiments, before or after the liquid resource is flowed through an ion exchange device, the liquid resource is subjected to other processes including other ion exchange processes, solvent extraction, evaporation, chemical treatment, precipitation to remove lithium, precipitation to remove other chemical species, or to otherwise treat the liquid resource.

[0058] In some embodiments, wherein ion exchange particles are used in an ion exchange device, the liquid resource containing lithium is flowed through the ion exchange device so that the ion exchange particles absorb lithium from the liquid resource while releasing hydrogen. After the ion exchange particles have absorbed lithium, an acid is pumped through the ion exchange device so that the ion exchange particles release lithium into the acid while absorbing hydrogen. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device is operated in a co-flow mode wherein the liquid resource and acid are alternately flowed through the ion exchange device in the same direction. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device is operated in counter-flow mode wherein the liquid resource and acid are alternately flowed through the ion exchange device in opposite directions. In some embodiments, in between flows of the liquid resource and flows of acid, water or other solutions are flowed through the ion exchange device for purposes such as adjusting pH in the ion exchange device or removing potential contaminants. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles form a fixed bed or a moving bed, wherein the moving bed can move in a direction opposed to the flows of liquid resource and acid. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles are moved between multiple ion exchange devices, wherein the ion exchange particles form a moving bed that can be transferred from one ion exchange device to another. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles are moved between multiple ion exchange devices, wherein different ion exchange devices are independently configured to accommodate a flow of liquid resource, a flow of acid, a flow of water, or a flow of another process fluid. In some embodiments, before or after the liquid resource is flowed through an ion exchange device, the liquid resource is subjected to other processes including other ion exchange processes, solvent extraction, evaporation, chemical treatment, precipitation to remove lithium, precipitation to remove other chemical species, or to otherwise treat the liquid resource. [0059] In some embodiments, when ion exchange material is treated with acid a synthetic lithium solution is produced. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution is further processed to produce lithium chemicals. In some embodiments, lithium chemicals produced from synthetic lithium solutions are provided for an industrial application. In some embodiments, lithium chemicals produced from synthetic lithium solutions are further processed to produce one or more alternative lithium chemicals that are contemplated for use in an application for which the one or more alternative lithium chemicals is better suited as compared to the lithium chemicals.

[0060] In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, or combinations thereof independently further comprise: (i) lithium, and (ii) manganese or titanium. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is an oxide that further comprises: (i) lithium, and (ii) manganese or titanium. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: Li4Mn50i2, Li4TisOi2, Li2MO3 (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiM Ch, Li1.6Mm 6O4, LiM02 (M = Al, Cu, Ti), Li4TiO4, Li7TinO24, LisVO4, Li2Si3O?, LiFePO4, LiMnPO4, Li2CuP2O?, Al(0H)3, LiCl.xAl(OH)3.yH2O, SnO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, TiO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: Li4MnsOi2, Li4TisOi2, Li1.6Mm.6O4, Li2MOs (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiFePO4, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. [0061] In some embodiments, a coating material used to form a coating on an ion exchange material or on ion exchange particles that comprise an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, a phosphate, a fluoride, a polymer, carbon, a carbonaceous material, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the coating material comprises an oxide different from the oxide of the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, a coating material is selected from the following list: TiOs, ZrCh, M0O2, SnCh, Nb20s, Ta20s, SiCh, i2TiC>3, Li2ZrC>3, Li2SiO3, Li2MnO3, Li2MoC>3, LiNbCh, LiTaCh, AIPO4, LaPC>4, ZrP2O?, MOP2O7, MO2P3O12, BaSO4, AIF3, SiC, TiC, ZrC, Si3N4, ZrN, BN, carbon, graphitic carbon, amorphous carbon, hard carbon, diamond-like carbon, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a coating material is selected from the following list: TiCh, ZrCh, MoO2, SiO₂, Li2TiOs, Li2ZrO3, Li2SiO3, Li2MnO3, LiNbCh, AIF3, SiC, Si?>N4, graphitic carbon, amorphous carbon, diamond-like carbon, or combinations thereof

[0062] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles have an average diameter that is selected from the following list: less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 1,000 nm, less than 10,000 nm, or less than 100,000 nm. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles have an average size that is selected from the following list: less than 200 nm, less than 2,000 nm, or less than 20,000 nm.

[0063] It is recognized that measurements of average particle diameter can vary according to the method of determination utilized. Determination of said average particle diameter according to one method to obtain one or more values shall be understood to inherently encompass all other values that may be obtained using other methods. The average particle diameter can be determined using sieve analysis. The average particle diameter can be determined using optical microscopy. The average particle diameter can be determined using electron microscopy. The average particle diameter can be determined using laser diffraction. In some embodiments, the average particle diameter is determined using laser diffraction, wherein a Bettersizer ST instrument is used. In some embodiments, the average particle diameter is determined using a Bettersizer ST instrument. In some embodiments, the average particle diameter is determined using laser diffraction, wherein an Anton-Parr particle size analyzer (PSA) instrument is used. In some embodiments, the average particle diameter is determined using an Anton-Parr PSA instrument. The average particle diameter can be determined using dynamic light scattering. The average particle diameter can be determined using static image analysis. The average particle diameter can be determined using dynamic image analysis.

[0064] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are secondary particles comprised of smaller primary particles that have an average diameter selected from the following list: less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 1,000 nm, or less than 10,000 nm. In some embodiments, smaller primary particles comprise an ion exchange material.

[0065] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material or the ion exchange particles comprising an ion exchange material have a coating comprising a coating material with a thickness selected from the following list: less than 1 nm, less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, or less than 1,000 nm. In some embodiments, the coating material has a thickness selected from the following list: less than 1 nm, less than 10 nm, or less than 100 nm.

[0066] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material and the coating material form one or more concentration gradients such that the chemical composition of coated ion exchange particles comprising the ion exchange material and the coating material ranges between two or more compositions. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material and the coating material form a concentration gradient within the coated ion exchange particles comprising the ion exchange material and the coating material that extends over a thickness selected from the following list: less than 1 nm, less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 1,000 nm, less than 10,000 nm, or less than 100,000 nm.

[0067] In some embodiments, coating thickness may be measured by any one or more of electron microscopy, optical microscopy, couloscopy, nanoindentation, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray fluorescence. In some embodiments, coating thickness may be inferred or extrapolated from data obtained according to an analytical method that indicates the bulk composition of the coated ion exchange particle, or the ion exchange material that further comprises the coating material. In some embodiments, coating thickness may be inferred by differential analysis of data obtained by analysis of ion exchange material that further comprises a coating material and data obtained by analysis ion exchange material that does not further comprise a coating material. In some embodiments, coating thickness may be inferred by differential analysis of data obtained by analysis of one or more coated ion exchange particles and data obtained by analysis of one or more uncoated ion exchange particles.

[0068] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is synthesized by a method selected from the following list: hydrothermal, solvothermal, sol-gel, solid state, molten salt flux, ion exchange, microwave, ball milling, precipitation, or vapor deposition. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is synthesized by a method selected from the following list: hydrothermal, solid state, or microwave.

[0069] In some embodiments, a coating material is deposited to form a coating by a method selected from the following list: chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, hydrothermal, solvothermal, sol-gel, solid state, molten salt flux, ion exchange, microwave, wet impregnation, precipitation, titration, aging, ball milling, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the coating material is deposited to form a coating by a method selected from the following list: chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal, titration, solvothermal, wet impregnation, sol-gel, precipitation, microwave, or combinations thereof [0070] In some embodiments, a coating material is deposited to form a coating with physical characteristics selected from the following list: crystalline, amorphous, full coverage, partial coverage, uniform, non-uniform, or combinations thereof

[0071] In some embodiments, multiple coating materials are deposited to form multiple coatings on the ion exchange material in an arrangement selected from the following list: concentric, patchwork, or combinations thereof

[0072] In some embodiments, the structural matrix material is selected from the following list: a polymer, an oxide, a phosphate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a structural matrix material is selected from the following list: polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene dichloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polydivinylbenzene, polybutadiene, sulfonated polymer, carboxylated polymer, Nafion, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a structural matrix material is selected from the following list: polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polydivinylbenzene, copolymers thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a structural matrix material is selected from the following list: titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, silicon dioxide, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the structural matrix material is selected for its thermal durability, acid resistance, and/or other chemical resistance.

[0073] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing ion exchange particles, structural matrix material, and filler material together at once. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing the ion exchange particles and the structural matrix material, and then mixing the resulting mixture with the filler material. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing the ion exchange particles and the filler material, and then mixing the resulting mixture with the structural matrix material. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing the structural matrix material and the filler material, and then mixing the resulting mixture with the ion exchange particles.

[0074] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing the ion exchange particles, the structural matrix material, and/or the filler material with a solvent that dissolves one or more of the components of the mixture. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing the ion exchange particles, the structural matrix material, and/or the filler material as dry powders in a mixer or ball mill. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed by a process comprising mixing the ion exchange particles, the structural matrix material, and/or the filler material in a spray drier.

[0075] In some embodiments, the structural matrix material is a polymer that is dissolved in a solvent and subsequently mixed with the ion exchange particles and/or filler material using a solvent from the following list: N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, methyl ethyl ketone, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the filler material is a salt that is dissolved in a solvent and subsequently mixed with the ion exchange particles and/or structural matrix material using a solvent from the following list: water, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, or combinations thereof.

[0076] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise a filler material that is a salt that can be dissolved out of the ion exchange bead to form a network of pores within the ion exchange bead. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise a filler material that is a salt that can be dissolved out of the ion exchange bead using a solution selected from the following list: water, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, a surfactant mixture, an acid, a base, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise a filler material that is a material that thermally decomposes to form a gas at high temperature such that the thermal decomposition of the filler material forms a network of pores within the ion exchange bead. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise a filler material that is a material that thermally decomposes to form a gas at high temperature wherein the gas is selected from the following list: water vapor, oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, organic vapors, or combinations thereof.

[0077] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed from dry powder. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed using a mechanical press, a pellet press, a tablet press, a pill press, a rotary press, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed from a solvent slurry by dripping the solvent slurry into a solution comprising a different solvent. In some embodiments, the solvent slurry comprises N-methyl-2- pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, methyl ethyl ketone, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the solution comprising a different solvent comprises water, ethanol, iso-propyl alcohol, acetone, or combinations thereof. [0078] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are approximately spherical with an average diameter selected from the following list: less than 10 pm, less than 100 pm, less than 1 mm, less than 1 cm, or less than 10 cm. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead are approximately spherical with an average diameter selected from the following list: less than 200 pm, less than 2 mm, or less than 20 mm.

[0079] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are tablet-shaped with a diameter of less than 1 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 8 mm, or less than 20 mm and with a height of less than 1 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 8 mm, or less than 20 mm. [0080] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are embedded in a support structure, which can be a membrane, a spiral-wound membrane, a hollow fiber membrane, or a mesh. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are embedded on a support structure comprised of a polymer, a ceramic, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are loaded directly into an ion exchange column with no additional support structure.

[0081] In some embodiments, the liquid resource has a lithium concentration selected from the following list: less than 100,000 mg/L, less than 10,000 mg/L, less than 1,000 mg/L, less than 100 mg/L, less than 10 mg/L, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid resource has a lithium concentration selected from the following list: less than 5,000 mg/L, less than 500 mg/L, less than 50 mg/L, or combinations thereof.

[0082] In some embodiments, the acid used for eluting lithium from the ion exchange material is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acid used for eluting lithium from the ion exchange material is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof.

[0083] In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the ion exchange material has an acid concentration selected from the following list: less than 0.1 M, less than 1.0 M, less than 5 M, less than 10 M, or combinations thereof.

[0084] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is utilized in an ion exchange process repeatedly over a number of cycles selected from the following list: greater than 10 cycles, greater than 30 cycles, greater than 100 cycles, greater than 300 cycles, or greater than 1,000 cycles. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is utilized in an ion exchange process repeatedly over a number of cycles selected from the following list: greater than 50 cycles, greater than 100 cycles, or greater than 200 cycles.

[0085] In some embodiments, a cycle comprises contacting a lithium-selective sorbent with a liquid resource to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and contacting the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent with an acidic solution (e g., acid) to provide a synthetic lithium solution (e g., lithium eluate). In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is used (e.g., a process for generating a synthetic lithium solution is conducted) for at least 10 cycles, at least 50 cycles, at least 100 cycles, at least 250 cycles, at least 500 cycles, at least 1000 cycles, at least 2000 cycles, at least 3000 cycles, at least 4000 cycles, at least 5000 cycles, at least 6000 cycles, at least 7000 cycles, at least 8000 cycles, at least 9000 cycles, or at least 10000 cycles.

[0086] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the ion exchange material is further processed into lithium chemicals, lithium compounds, or lithium raw materials using methods selected from the following list: solvent extraction, ion exchange, chemical precipitation, electrodialysis, electrowinning, evaporation with direct solar energy, evaporation with concentrated solar energy, evaporation with a heat transfer medium heated by concentrated solar energy, evaporation with heat from a geothermal brine, evaporation with heat from combustion, or combinations thereof.

[0087] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the ion exchange material is further processed into lithium chemicals selected from the following list: lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium metal, lithium metal oxide, lithium metal phosphate, lithium sulfide, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the ion exchange material is further processed into lithium chemicals that are solid, liquid, hydrated, or anhydrous.

[0088] In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the synthetic lithium solution are used in an industrial application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, metal alloys, glass, grease, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the synthetic lithium solution derived from the ion exchange material are used in an industrial application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, metal alloys, glass, grease, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the synthetic lithium solution derived from the coated ion exchange particles are used in an application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium sulfur batteries, lithium solid-state batteries, and combinations thereof.

[0089] In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials are synthesized in a lithiated state, wherein a sublattice of the ion exchange material is fully or partially occupied by lithium. In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials are synthesized in a hydrogenated state, wherein a sublattice of the ion exchange material is fully or partially occupied by hydrogen.

The Lithium Selective Sorbent

[0090] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term lithium-selective sorbent comprises all lithium-selective ion exchange materials. Ion exchange materials that selectively absorb and release lithium ions are lithium-selective ion exchange materials. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise a lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, ion exchange particles comprise a lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, lithium-selective sorbents comprise an inorganic material that selectively absorbs lithium over other ions. In some embodiments, a lithium selective sorbent is a crystalline lithium salt aluminate, a lithium aluminum intercalate, LiCb2Al(OH)3, crystalline aluminum trihydroxide (Al(0H)3), gibbsite, beyerite, nordstrandite, alumina hydrate, bauxite, amorphous aluminum trihydroxide, activated alumina layered lithium-aluminum double hydroxides, LiA12(0H)eCl, combinations thereof, compounds thereof, or solid solutions thereof.

[0091] Lithium-selective ion exchange materials can be used in a method for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. Lithium-selective ion exchange materials can be used in a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. Lithium -selective ion exchange materials can be used in an ion exchange device. Lithium-selective ion exchange materials absorb lithium from a liquid resource while releasing hydrogen, and then elute lithium in an eluent while absorbing hydrogen from the eluent. This ion exchange process is optionally repeated to extract lithium from a liquid resource and yield a synthetic lithium solution. The synthetic lithium solution is optionally further processed into chemicals for the battery industry or other industries.

[0092] The performance parameters of lithium recovery by an ion exchange material are reflected in the ability of the ion exchange material to absorb lithium from a liquid resource in high quantity and in high purity over long periods time. When a given amount of an ion exchange material contacts a given amount of liquid resource, wash solution, eluent solution, or other process fluids, the effectiveness of selective lithium absorption, washing, lithium release/elution, or other treatment depends on effective contact of process fluids with the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, effective contact implies that a given amount of ion exchange material is contacted with the same amount of process fluid, and that the composition of said fluid is the same as that contacting the entirety of the ion exchange material. As such, in some embodiments, it is essential that devices for lithium recovery be configured in a manner such that the ion exchange material can make uniform contact with process fluids. In some embodiments, uniform contact implies that a liquid resource from which lithium is extracted uniformly contacts an ion exchange material which absorbs lithium while releasing protons. [0093] Optimizing the performance parameters of lithium recovery is advantageous for lithium production from liquid resources using ion exchange processes that utilize one or more ion exchange materials. Disclosed herein are methods and systems for optimizing the performance parameters of lithium recovery using ion exchange materials that comprise lithiumselective sorbents by adjusting the concentration of lithium and pH of a liquid resource to be placed in contact with the ion exchange material. Adjusting the concentration of lithium in a liquid resource can yield a concentration-adjusted liquid resource according to some embodiments.

[0094] Adjusting the concentration of lithium in a liquid resource can result in the most optimal utilization of an ion exchange material utilized for lithium recovery, and helps ensure a prolonged lifetime of the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a liquid resource is increased to result in the most optimal utilization of an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a liquid resource is decreased to result in the most optimal utilization of an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is adjusted in addition to the concentration of lithium in a liquid resource to result in the most optimal utilization of an ion exchange material. [0095] In some embodiments, the most optimal utilization of an ion exchange material results in improved or optimized performance parameters for lithium recovery. In some embodiments, improved or optimized performance parameters comprise a longer useful lifetime of the ion exchange material used in the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, improved or optimized performance parameters comprise a higher lithium production rate for flow of the same amount of liquid resource across the ion exchange material used in the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, improved or optimized performance parameters comprise a higher lithium purity of the lithium provided by the ion exchange material used in the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, improved or optimized performance parameters comprise a greater quantity of lithium provided by a given quantity of ion exchange material over its useful lifetime when the ion exchange material is used according to the methods and systems described herein. In some embodiments, improved or optimized performance parameters comprise an increase in overall lithium recovery.

Embodiments Comprising Other Lithium-Selective Sorbents

[0096] According to some embodiments of methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, lithium is extracted from the liquid resources using inorganic lithium-selective sorbents that absorb lithium ions preferentially over other ions. In some embodiments, lithiumselective sorbents comprise lithium-selective ion exchange materials. As used herein, the term “lithium-selective ion-exchange material” refers to embodiments of “lithium-selective sorbent”. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is a lithium-selective ion-exchange material. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent comprises lithium-selective ion-exchange beads. In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent comprises ion exchange beads. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent comprises lithium-selective ion-exchange particles. In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent comprises ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is an ion exchange material.

[0097] In some embodiments, lithium-selective sorbents include other inorganic materials that selectively absorb lithium over other ions. In some embodiments, lithium -selective sorbents selectively absorb lithium over other ions by processes that do not comprise ion exchange. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is a crystalline lithium salt aluminate, a lithium aluminum intercalate, LiCl*2Al(OH)3, crystalline aluminum trihydroxide (Al(OH)s), gibbsite, beyerite, nordstrandite, alumina hydrate, bauxite, amorphous aluminum trihydroxide, activated alumina layered lithium-aluminum double hydroxides, LiA12(OH)eCl, combinations thereof, compounds thereof, or solid solutions thereof.

[0098] An aspect of the invention described herein is a device wherein the lithium-selective sorbent comprises an ion exchange material. An aspect of the invention described herein is a process wherein the lithium-selective sorbent comprises an ion-exchange material. An aspect of the invention described herein is a system wherein the lithium-selective sorbent comprises an ion-exchange material. An aspect of the invention described herein is a lithium-selective sorbent which extracts lithium from a liquid resource.

[0099] An aspect of the disclosure is a device, system, and associated process wherein the lithium-selective sorbent comprises a lithium aluminate intercalate. In some embodiments, the lithium aluminate intercalate mixed with a polymer material. In some embodiments, the polymer material comprises a chloro-polymer, a fluoro-polymer, a chloro-fluoro-polymer, a hydrophilic polymer, a hydrophobic polymer, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polymer material comprises a co-polymer, a block copolymer, a linear polymer, a branched polymer, a cross-linked polymer, a heat-treated polymer, a solution processed polymer, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polymer material comprises low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), types of polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), poly (4-vinyl pyridine-co-styrene) (PVPCS), polystyrene (PS), polybutadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer (ETFE), poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PCTFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoro ethylene (Halar), polyvinylfluoride (PVF), fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP), perfluorinated elastomer, chlorotrifluoroethylenevinylidene fluoride (FKM), perfluoropolyether (PFPE), perfluoro-3,6- dioxa-4-methyl-7-octene-sulfonic acid (NAFION® (copolymer of perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4- methyl-7-octene-sulfonic acid and tetrafluoroethylene)), polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polychloroprene (neoprene), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polydivinylbenzene, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof In some embodiments, the polymer material comprises polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene chlorotrifluoro ethylene (Halar), poly (4-vinyl pyridine-co-styrene) (PVPCS), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyphenylene sulfide, sulfonated polymer, carboxylated polymer, other polymers, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polymer material is combined with the lithium aluminate intercalate particles by dry mixing, mixing in solvent, emulsion, extrusion, bubbling one solvent into another, casting, heating, evaporating, vacuum evaporation, spray drying, vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, microwaving, hydrothermal synthesis, polymerization, co-polymerization, cross-linking, irradiation, catalysis, foaming, other deposition methods, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polymer material is combined with the lithium aluminate intercalate particles using a solvent comprising N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, methyl ethyl ketone, ethanol, acetone, other solvents, or combinations thereof. In a further aspect, a coating can be deposited onto the lithium aluminate intercalate particles using a solvent comprising N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, methyl ethyl ketone, ethanol, acetone, or combinations thereof.

[00100] In some embodiments, the lithium aluminate intercalate comprises particles that have an average diameter less than about 10 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 1,000 nm, less than about 10,000 nm, or less than about 100,000 nm. In some embodiments, the lithium aluminate intercalate comprises particles that have an average size less than about 100 nm, less than about 1,000 nm, or less than about 10,000 nm. In some embodiments, the lithium aluminate intercalate particles comprise secondary particles comprised of smaller primary particles wherein the smaller primary particles have an average diameter less than about 10 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 1,000 nm, less than about 10,000 nm, or less than about 100,000 nm.

[00101] In a further aspect described herein, the lithium aluminate intercalate particles have an average diameter less than about 10 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 1,000 nm, less than about 10,000 nm, or less than about 100,000 nm. In a further aspect, the lithium aluminate intercalate particles have an average size less than about 100 nm, less than about 1,000 nm, or less than about 10,000 nm. In a further aspect, the lithium aluminate intercalate particles are optionally secondary particles comprised of smaller primary particles that have an average diameter less than about 10 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 1,000 nm, less than about 10,000 nm, or less than about 100,000 nm.

Embodiments Comprising One or More Filler Materials Mixed within a Bed of Lithium- Selective Sorbent

[00102] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is loaded into an ion exchange device as described herein, wherein the ion exchange material absorbs lithium from a liquid resource placed into contact therewith. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is loaded into an ion exchange device as described herein, and a non-sorbent material is co-loaded into the same ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to all process fluids used in a method or system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to liquid resource. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to acid. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to washing water. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to base.

[00103] In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is loaded into an ion exchange device as described herein, wherein the lithium-selective sorbent absorbs lithium from a liquid resource placed into contact therewith. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent comprises an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is loaded into an ion exchange device as described herein, and a non-sorbent material is co-loaded into the same ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to all process fluids used in a method or system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to liquid resource. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to acid. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to washing water. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is inert to base.

[00104] In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is termed a “filler material”, “inert material”, “packing material”, or “packing” such that these terms can be used interchangeably in the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is co-loaded into an ion exchange device with a lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is loaded into the ion exchange device first, and the non-sorbent material is subsequently loaded into the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is loaded into the ion exchange device first, and the lithium-selective sorbent is subsequently loaded into the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, loading of the ion exchange device is alternated between non-sorbent material, lithium-selective sorbent, or a mixture thereof, until the ion exchange device is loaded to the intended loading-level. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is removed from the ion exchange device after the ion exchange device is loaded with the lithium-selective sorbent.

[00105] In some embodiments, the fdler material comprises glass, silica, gravel, activated carbon, ceramic, alumina, zeolite, calcite, diatomaceous earth, cellulose, polymers, copolymers, titanium foam, titanium sponge, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the fdler material comprises a porous material. In some embodiments, the fdler material is diatomaceous earth. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “diatomaceous earth” also refers to “diatomite” or “kieselgur / kieselguhr”, or “celite”. In some embodiments, the fdler material comprises polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polylactic acid, polyimide, poly(methyl methacrylate), polypropylene, polyvinylidene difluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyether ether ketone, copolymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the fdler material is placed on top of the vessel, on the bottom of the vessel, or both. In some embodiments, the fdler material is mixed with the ion exchange material, a form thereof, or a construct comprised thereof. Another aspect described herein are ion exchange devices for use according to the methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource as described herein, wherein the ion exchange device comprises a vessel loaded with one or more beds comprising ion exchange material and a fdler material, wherein the fdler material is mixed with the one or more beds of ion exchange material, thereby providing support for the one or more beds and/or enabling for better flow distribution of the liquid resource or process fluid entering, passing through, or exiting the vessel. In some embodiments, better flow distribution ensures that each quantity or incremental sub-quantity of the ion exchange material within the ion exchange bed contacts the same amount of liquid resource or process fluid and that the hydrostatic pressure required to achieve the desired rate of flow across the bed is about uniform across the surface and within cross sections of the ion exchange bed. In some embodiments, better flow distribution is efficient flow distribution.

[00106] In some embodiments, efficient flow distribution within the ion exchange device occurs via one or more shaped objects or particles that are packed within one or more of the compartments that comprise the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the filler material comprises one or more shaped objects or particles. In some embodiments, the filler material is comprised of objects or particles shaped as a sphere, spheroid, ovaloid, cross, tube, torus, ring, saddle ring, tubes, triangles, other complex geometric shape, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the filler material is distributed in an ion exchange device with a random particle density. In some embodiments, the filler material is distributed in an ion exchange device with a uniform particle density. In some embodiments, the filler material comprises one of more types of filler material, randomly added and distributed within the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the filler material consists of one of more types of filler material, added and distributed within the ion exchange device within well-defined regions In some embodiments, parts, chambers, compartments, or vessels of the of the ion exchange device are empty while other parts, chambers, compartments, or vessels of the same ion exchange device contain filler material.

[00107] In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material increases the flow uniformity of the liquid resource through the bed of lithium-selective sorbent mixed with the non-sorbent material, as compared to the flow uniformity when the liquid resource flows through a bed of lithiumselective sorbent that is not mixed with a non-sorbent material. In some embodiments, the fluid pressure required to flow a liquid resource through a bed of lithium-selective sorbent mixed with the non-sorbent material is lower than the fluid pressure required to flow a liquid resource through a bed of lithium-selective sorbent with similar length and at a similar flow rate.

[00108] In some embodiments, the filler material is shaped as a sphere, spheroid, ovaloid, cross, tube, torus, ring, saddle ring, tubes, triangles, other complex geometric shape, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the filler material is distributed with a random particle density. In some embodiments, the filler material is distributed with uniform particle density. In some embodiments, the filler material comprises one of more types of filler material, randomly added and distributed within the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the non- sorbent material comprises one of more types of non-sorbent material, randomly added and distributed within the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the filler material comprises one of more types of filler material, added and distributed within the ion exchange device within well-defined regions. In some embodiments, parts, chambers, compartments, or vessels of the of the ion exchange device are empty, and parts, chambers, compartments, or vessels of the same ion exchange device contain filler material. In some embodiments, one end of the ion exchange device containing the lithium-selective sorbent comprises a packed bed of non-sorbent material, such that the liquid resource comprising lithium enters the ion exchange device and first contacts the lithium-selective sorbent, followed by the non-sorbent material. In some embodiments, one end of the ion exchange device containing the lithium-selective sorbent comprises a packed bed of non-sorbent material, such that the liquid resource comprising lithium enters the ion exchange device and first contacts the non-sorbent material, followed by the lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, both ends of the ion exchange device containing the lithium-selective sorbent comprise a packed bed of non-sorbent material, such that the liquid resource comprising lithium enters the ion exchange device and first contacts the non-sorbent material, followed by the lithium-selective sorbent, followed by the same or a different non-sorbent material. In some embodiments, one or more parts, chambers, compartments, or vessels of the ion exchange device containing the lithium-selective sorbent comprise a packed bed of non-sorbent material, such that the liquid resource comprising lithium enters the parts, chambers, compartments, or vessels of the ion exchange device and alternates between contacting the non-sorbent material, followed by the lithium-selective sorbent.

[00109] In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material comprises particles with an average diameter of less than about 10 pm, less than about 20 pm, less than about 30 pm, less than about 40 pm, less than about 50 pm, less than about 60 pm, less than about 70 pm, less than about 80 pm, less than about 90 pm, less than about 100 pm, less than about 200 pm, less than about 300 pm, less than about 400 pm, less than about 500 pm, less than about 600 pm, less than about 700 pm, less than about 800 pm, less than about 900 pm, less than about 1000 pm, less than about 2000 pm; more than about 10 pm, more than about 20 pm, more than about 30 pm, more than about 40 pm, more than about 50 pm, more than about 60 pm, more than about 70 pm, more than about 80 pm, more than about 90 pm, more than about 100 pm, more than about 200 pm, more than about 300 pm, more than about 400 pm, more than about 500 pm, more than about 600 pm, more than about 700 pm, more than about 800 pm, more than about 900 pm, more than about 1000 pm, more than about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material comprises particles with an average diameter of from about 1 pm to about 5 pm, from about 5 pm to about 10 pm, from about 10 pm to about 20 pm, from about 20 pm to about 40 pm, from about 40 pm to about 80 pm, from about 80 pm to about 200 pm, from about 100 pm to about 400 pm, from about 200 pm to about 800 pm, from about 400 pm to about 1000 pm, from about 600 pm to about 2000 pm, from about 1000 pm to about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material comprises particles with an average diameter from about 10 pm to about 200 pm.

[00110] In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is porous. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material has an average pore opening size of less than about 0.1 nm, less than about 1 nm, less than about 10 nm, less than about 100 nm, less than about 1 pm, less than about 10 pm, less than about 20 pm, less than about 30 pm, less than about 40 pm, less than about 50 pm, less than about 60 pm, less than about 70 pm, less than about 80 pm, less than about 90 pm, less than about 100 pm, less than about 200 pm, less than about 300 pm, less than about 400 pm, less than about 500 pm, less than about 600 pm, less than about 700 pm, less than about 800 pm, less than about 900 pm, less than about 1000 pm, less than about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material has an average pore opening size of more than about 0.1 nm, more than about 1 nm, more than about 10 nm, more than about 100 nm, more than about 1 pm, more than about 10 pm, more than about 20 pm, more than about 30 pm, more than about 40 pm, more than about 50 pm, more than about 60 pm, more than about 70 pm, more than about 80 pm, more than about 90 pm, more than about 100 pm, more than about 200 pm, more than about 300 pm, more than about 400 pm, more than about 500 pm, more than about 600 pm, more than about 700 m, more than about 800 pm, more than about 900 pm, more than about 1000 pm, more than about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material has an average pore opening size of rom about 0.1 nm to about 1 nm, from about 1 nm to about 10 nm, from about 10 nm to about 100 nm, from about 100 nm to about 1 pm, from 1 pm to about 10 pm, from about 1 pm to about 5 pm, from about 5 pm to about 10 pm, from about 10 pm to about 20 pm, from about 20 pm to about 40 pm, from about 40 pm to about 80 pm, from about 80 pm to about 200 pm, from about 100 pm to about 400 pm, from about 200 pm to about 800 pm, from about 400 pm to about 1000 pm, from about 600 pm to about 2000 pm, from about 1000 pm to about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material comprises particles with an average diameter from about 10 pm to about 200 pm.

[00111] In some embodiments, the packed density of the non-sorbent material is less than about 0.1 g/mL, less than about 0.5 g/mL, less than about 1 g/mL, less than about 3 g/mL nm, less than about 5 g/mL, less than about 10 g/mL. In some embodiments, the packed density of the non-sorbent material is more than about 0.1 g/mL, more than about 0.5 g/mL, more than about 1 g/mL, more than about 3 g/mL nm, more than about 5 g/mL, more than about 10 g/mL. In some embodiments, the packed density of the non-sorbent material is from about 0.1 g/mL to about 0.5 g/mL, from about 0.5 g/mL to about 1 g/mL, from about 0.5 g/mL to about 3 g/mL nm, from about 3 g/mL to about 5 g/mL, from about 5 g/mL to about 10 g/mL.

[00112] In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is loaded into the ion exchange device as a slurry or suspension. In some embodiments, the liquid component of the slurry is water, acid, base, or a solvent. In some embodiments, the percentage of liquid in the slurry is less than about 1 %, less than about, 2%, less than about 5 %, less than about 10 %, less than about 20%, less than about 50 %, less than about 75 %, less than about 90 %, more than about 1 %, more than about, 2%, more than about 5 %, more than about 10 %, more than about 20%, more than about 50 %, more than about 75 %, more than about 90 %, between about 0 % and 5%, between about 5 % and 10 %, between about 10% and 20 %, between about 20 % and 50 %, between about 50 % and 75 %, between about 75 % and 90 %, between about 90 % and 100 %. In some embodiments, the percentage of solids in the slurry is less than about 1 %, less than about, 2%, less than about 5 %, less than about 10 %, less than about 20%, less than about 50 %, less than about 75 %, less than about 90 %, more than about 1 %, more than about, 2%, more than about 5 %, more than about 10 %, more than about 20%, more than about 50 %, more than about 75 %, more than about 90 %, between about 0 % and 5%, between about 5 % and 10 %, between about 10% and 20 %, between about 20 % and 50 %, between about 50 % and 75 %, between about 75 % and 90 %, between about 90 % and 100 %. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are loaded into the ion exchange device as a dry powder. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are loaded into the ion exchange device as a dry powder. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is loaded into the ion exchange device as a dry powder.

[00113] In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is loaded into the ion-exchange vessel as a slurry or suspension. In some embodiments, the liquid component of such slurry is water, acid, base, or a solvent. In some embodiments, the percentage of liquid in the slurry is less than about 1 %, less than about, 2%, less than about 5 %, less than about 10 %, less than about 20%, less than about 50 %, less than about 75 %, less than about 90 %, more than about 1 %, more than about, 2%, more than about 5 %, more than about 10 %, more than about 20%, more than about 50 %, more than about 75 %, more than about 90 %, between about 0 % and 5%, between about 5 % and 10 %, between about 10% and 20 %, between about 20 % and 50 %, between about 50 % and 75 %, between about 75 % and 90 %, between about 90 % and 100 %. In some embodiments, the percentage of solids in the slurry is less than about 1 %, less than about, 2%, less than about 5 %, less than about 10 %, less than about 20%, less than about 50 %, less than about 75 %, less than about 90 %, more than about 1 %, more than about, 2%, more than about 5 %, more than about 10 %, more than about 20%, more than about 50 %, more than about 75 %, more than about 90 %, between about 0 % and 5%, between about 5 % and 10 %, between about 10% and 20 %, between about 20 % and 50 %, between about 50 % and 75 %, between about 75 % and 90 %, between about 90 % and 100 %. In some embodiments, the non- sorbent material is loaded into the ion-exchange vessel as a dry powder.

[00114] In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material is mixed with the lithium-selective sorbent in a tank, then liquid is added and the contents are agitated to make a suspension, and the resulting suspension is loaded into the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the liquid added to make the suspension is water, acid, base, or a solvent. In some embodiments, the percentage of liquid in the suspension is less than about 1 %, less than about, 2%, less than about 5 %, less than about 10 %, less than about 20%, less than about 50 %, less than about 75 %, less than about 90 %, more than about 1 %, more than about, 2%, more than about 5 %, more than about 10 %, more than about 20%, more than about 50 %, more than about 75 %, more than about 90 %, between about 0 % and 5%, between about 5 % and 10 %, between about 10% and 20 %, between about 20 % and 50 %, between about 50 % and 75 %, between about 75 % and 90 %, between about 90 % and 100 %. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are loaded into the ion-exchange vessel as a dry mixture. In some embodiments, the percentage of solids in the suspension is less than about 1 %, less than about, 2%, less than about 5 %, less than about 10 %, less than about 20%, less than about 50 %, less than about 75 %, less than about 90 %, more than about 1 %, more than about, 2%, more than about 5 %, more than about 10 %, more than about 20%, more than about 50 %, more than about 75 %, more than about 90 %, between about 0 % and 5%, between about 5 % and 10 %, between about 10% and 20 %, between about 20 % and 50 %, between about 50 % and 75 %, between about 75 % and 90 %, between about 90 % and 100 %. In some embodiments, the non-sorbent material and the lithium-selective sorbent are loaded into the ion exchange device as a dry mixture.

The Liquid Resource

[00115] As a liquid resource flows through an ion exchange device, the ion exchange material absorbs lithium while releasing hydrogen, causing a decrease in the pH of the liquid resource from which lithium is being extracted. pH values of less than about 6 in said liquid resource result in sub-optimal performance of the ion-exchange process because the higher hydrogen concentrations found at low pH result in the reversal of ion-exchange, wherein hydrogen is absorbed while lithium is released. Said sub-optimal process performance is manifested as, but is not limited to, a slower uptake of lithium by the ion exchange material, lower purity of the lithium eluted from the ion exchange material, lower lithium uptake capacity of the ion exchange material, degradation of the ion exchange material, decreased lifetime of the ion exchange material which necessitates more frequent replacement thereof, slower elution of lithium from the ion exchange material in the presence of acid, and higher amounts of acid being required for the elution of lithium from the ion exchange material.

[00116] In some embodiments, the pH value of the liquid resource can be maintained above a value of 6 by addition of an alkali. In some embodiments, said alkali is added before flow of the liquid resource through a bed or ion exchange material, or after flow of said liquid resource through a bed of ion exchange material, but not within the bed of ion exchange material where the lithium extraction process occurs. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource decreases to a suboptimal value of less than about 6 during the time it takes for the liquid resource to flow through a bed of ion exchange material. Thus, in some embodiments systems and methods described herein are used to moderate the decrease in pH of the liquid resource during contact of the liquid resource with ion exchange material.

[00117] In some embodiments, a system (e.g., a concentration modulation unit) is used to adjust the concentration of lithium in the liquid resource before it contacts an ion exchange material that extracts lithium from the liquid resource while releasing protons into the liquid resource. In some embodiments, said system decreases the lithium concentration of the liquid resource, such that less lithium is absorbed by the ion exchange material over the same amount of contact time, and therefore fewer protons are released into the liquid resource by the ion exchange material during this absorption process, leading to a higher pH of the liquid resource as it contacts the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, adjustment of the lithium concentration in the liquid resource is achieved by mixing the liquid resource with a raffinate stream, said raffinate stream comprising the liquid resource which has contacted ion exchange material to absorb a portion of the lithium. Raffinate or a raffinate stream can comprise a lithium-depleted liquid resource. A solution comprising a liquid resource and a raffinate can comprise a concentration-adjusted liquid resource according to some embodiments. As a result of combining a raffinate stream with a liquid resource, the lithium remaining in the raffinate stream will be put into contact with the ion exchange material more than once, leading to multiple contacts of said lithium with the ion exchange material and multiple opportunities for uptake of said lithium by the ion exchange material. The result is an increase in the overall recovery of lithium by the methods and systems described herein as compared to methods and systems that do not comprise combining a raffinate with a liquid resource prior to placing the resulting mixture in contact with an ion exchange material.

[00118] The production of lithium chemicals and lithium feedstocks suitable for industrial applications can involve the recovery of lithium from resources that contain lithium in addition to other components. Resources containing lithium in addition to other components can be a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is selected from the following list: a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a geothermal brine, seawater, concentrated seawater, desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, liquid from an ion exchange process, liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, leachate from ores, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from sediments, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a liquid resource is selected from the following list: a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, a synthetic brine, a geothermal brine, liquid from an ion exchange process, liquid from a solvent extraction process, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is optionally pre-treated prior to entering the ion exchange reactor to remove suspended solids, hydrocarbons, organic molecules, iron, certain metals, or other chemical or ionic species. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is optionally fed into the ion exchange reactor without any pre-treatment. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is injected into a reservoir, salt lake, salt flat, basin, or other geologic deposit after lithium has been removed from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, other species are recovered from the liquid resource before or after lithium recovery. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is adjusted before, during, or after lithium recovery. In some embodiments, a method for lithium recovery comprises placing a liquid resource or a solution comprising a liquid resource into contact with ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the lithium concentration of the liquid resource is adjusted before, during, or after lithium recovery. In some embodiments, a liquid resource is an aqueous solution comprising lithium suitable for use according to the methods and systems for lithium recovery disclosed herein.

[00119] In one embodiment, the liquid resource is a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a geothermal brine, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is a brine.

[00120] In one embodiment, the liquid resource is at a temperature of -20 to 20 °C, 20 to 50 °C, 50 to 100 °C, 100 to 200 °C, or 200 to 400 °C. In one embodiment, the liquid resource is heated or cooled to precipitate or dissolve species in the brine, or to facilitate removal of metals from the liquid resource.

[00121] In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains lithium at a concentration of less than 1 mg/L, 1 to 50 mg/L, 50 to 200 mg/L, 200 to 500 mg/L, 500 to 2,000 mg/L, 2,000 to 5,000 mg/L, 5,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 20,000 mg/L, 20,000 to 80,000 mg/L, or greater than 80,000 mg/L.

[00122] In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains magnesium at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains calcium at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains strontium at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains barium at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. [00123] In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains multivalent cations at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains multivalent ions at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains non-lithium impurities at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains transition metals at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains iron at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the liquid resource contains manganese at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, 0.1 to 1 mg/L, 1 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L, 10,000 to 50,000 mg/L, 50,000 to 100,000 mg/L, 100,000 to 150,000 mg/L, or greater than 150,000 mg/L.

[00124] In one embodiment, the liquid resource is treated to produce a pre-treated liquid resource which has certain metals removed. The term liquid resource as used in this disclosure shall be understood to also encompass a pre-treated liquid resource as described herein. In one embodiment, the pre-treated liquid resource contains iron at a concentration of less than 0.01, 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, mg/L, 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L, 1.0 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, or 100 to 1,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the pre-treated liquid resource contains manganese at a concentration of less than 0.01, 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, mg/L, 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L, 1.0 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, or 100 to 1,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the pre-treated liquid resource contains lead at a concentration of less than 0.01, 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, mg/L, 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L, 1.0 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, or 100 to 1,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the pre-treated liquid resource contains zinc at a concentration of less than 0.01, 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, mg/L, 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L, 1.0 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, or 100 to 1,000 mg/L. In one embodiment, the pre-treated liquid resource contains lithium at a concentration of 1 to 50 mg/L, 50 to 200 mg/L, 200 to 500 mg/L, 500 to 2,000 mg/L, or greater than 2,000 mg/L. [00125] In one embodiment, the pre-treated liquid resource (e.g., the treated liquid resource) is processed to recover metals such as lithium and yield a lithium-depleted liquid resource. In some embodiments, a lithium-depleted liquid resource is a raffinate. In one embodiment, the lithium-depleted liquid resource contains residual quantities of the recovered metals at a concentration of less than 0.01, 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L, mg/L, 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L, 1.0 to 10 mg/L, 10 to 100 mg/L, 100 to 1,000 mg/L, or 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L.

[00126] In one embodiment, the pH of the liquid resource is corrected to less than 0, 0 to 1, 1 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 6, 6 to 8, 4 to 8, 8 to 9, 9 to 10, 9 to 11, or 10 to 12. In one embodiment, the pH of the liquid resource is corrected to 2 to 4, 4 to 6, 6 to 8, 4 to 8, 8 to 9, 9 to 10, 9 to 11, or 10 to 12. In one embodiment, the pH of the liquid resource is corrected to precipitate or dissolve metals.

[00127] In one embodiment, metals are precipitated from the liquid resource to form precipitates. In one embodiment, precipitates include transition metal hydroxides, oxyhydroxides, sulfide, flocculants, aggregate, agglomerates, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the precipitates comprise Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Sc, Y, Ti, ,Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W ,Mn, Tc, Fe, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, Se, Te, Po, Br, I, At, other metals, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the precipitates are concentrated into a slurry, a filter cake, a wet filter cake, a dry filter cake, a dense slurry, or a dilute slurry.

[00128] In one embodiment, the precipitates contain iron at a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/kg, 0.01 to 1 mg/kg, 1 to 100 mg/kg, 100 to 10,000 mg/kg, or 10,000 to 800,000 mg/kg. In one embodiment, the precipitates contain manganese at a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/kg, 0.01 to 1 mg/kg, 1 to 100 mg/kg, 100 to 10,000 mg/kg, or 10,000 to 800,000 mg/kg. In one embodiment, the precipitates contain lead at a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/kg, 0.01 to 1 mg/kg, 1 to 100 mg/kg, 100 to 10,000 mg/kg, or 10,000 to 800,000 mg/kg. In one embodiment, the precipitates contain arsenic at a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/kg, 0.01 to 1 mg/kg, 1 to 100 mg/kg, 100 to 10,000 mg/kg, or 10,000 to 800,000 mg/kg. In one embodiment, the precipitates contain magnesium at a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/kg, 0.01 to 1 mg/kg, 1 to 100 mg/kg, 100 to 10,000 mg/kg, or 10,000 to 800,000 mg/kg. In one embodiment, the precipitates contain Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Sc, Y, Ti, ,Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W ,Mn, Tc, Fe, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, Se, Te, Po, Br, I, At, or other metals at a concentration of less than 0.01 mg/kg, 0.01 to 1 mg/kg, 1 to 100 mg/kg, 100 to 10,000 mg/kg, or 10,000 to 800,000 mg/kg. In some embodiments, the precipitates are toxic and/or radioactive. In some embodiments, precipitates are redissolved by combining the precipitates with an acidic solution. In one embodiment, precipitates are redissolved by combining the precipitates with an acidic solution in a mixing apparatus. In one embodiment, precipitates are redissolved by combining the precipitates with an acidic solution using a high-shear mixer.

Treatment of the Liquid Resource

[00129] In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is adjusted (e g., modulated, regulated) before, during and/or after contact with ion exchange material to maintain the pH within a range that is suitable, preferred, or ideal for lithium recovery.

[00130] To adjust the pH of a liquid resource to be within a range that is suitable, preferred, or ideal for lithium recovery, bases such as NaOH, LiOH, KOH, Mg(OH)2, Ca(OH)2, CaO, NH3, Na₂SO₄, K2SO4, NaHSCU, KHSO₄, NaOCl, KOC1, NaClO₄, KC1O₄, NaH₂BO₃, Na₂HBO₃, Na₃BO₃, KH2BO3, K2HBO3, K3BO3, MgHBO₃, CaHBO₃, NaHCO₃, KHCO₃, NaCO₃, KCO₃, MgCO₃, CaCO₃, Na₂O, K2O, Na₂CO₃, K2CO3, Na₃PO₄, Na₂HPO₄, NaH₂PO₄, K₃PO₄, K2HPO4, KH2PO4, CaHPO4, MgHPO4, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, magnesium acetate, poly(vinylpyridine), poly(vinylamine), polyacrylonitrile are optionally added to the liquid resource as solids, aqueous solutions, or other forms. For liquid resources that contain divalent ions such as Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba, addition of base to the liquid resource can cause the formation of precipitates, such as Mg(OH)2 or Ca(OH)2, which can hinder lithium recovery. These precipitates hinder lithium recovery in at least three ways. First, formation of precipitates can remove base from solution, leaving less base available in solution to neutralize protons and maintain pH within a range that is suitable, preferred, or ideal for lithium recovery. Second, precipitates that form due to base addition can hinder flow through an ion exchange device, including hindering flow over the surfaces of ion exchange material, through the pores of porous ion exchange beads, and through the voids between ion exchange material. This hindering of flow can prevent lithium from being absorbed by the ion exchange material utilized in lithium recovery. The hindering of flow can also cause large pressure differences between the inlet and outlet of an ion exchange device utilized for lithium recovery. Third, precipitates in an ion exchange device utilized for lithium recovery can dissolve when placed in contact with an acid eluent, and thereby contaminate the synthetic lithium solution produced by the ion exchange device utilized for lithium recovery.

[00131] For ion exchange material to absorb lithium from a liquid resource for the purpose of lithium recovery, an ideal pH range for the liquid resource is optionally 5 to 7, a preferred pH range is optionally 4 to 8, and a suitable pH range is optionally 1 to 9. In one embodiment, an pH range for the liquid resource is optionally about 1 to about 14, about 2 to about 13, about 3 to about 12, about 4 to about 12, about 4.5 to about 11, about 5 to about 10, about 5 to about 9, about 2 to about 5, about 2 to about 4, about 2 to about 3, about 3 to about 8, about 3 to about 7, about 3 to about 6, about 3 to about 5, about 3 to about 4, about 4 to about 10, about 4 to about 9, about 4 to about 8, about 4 to about 7, about 4 to about 6, about 4 to about 5, about 5 to about 6, about 5 to about 7, about 5 to about 8, about 6 to about 7, about 6 to about 8, or about 7 to about 8.

[00132] In one embodiment, the liquid resource is subjected to treatment prior to ion exchange. In some embodiments, said treatment comprises filtration, gravity sedimentation, centrifugal sedimentation, magnetic fields, other methods of solid-liquid separation, or combinations thereof In some embodiments, precipitated metals are removed from the liquid resource using a filter. In some embodiments, the filter is a belt filter, plate-and-frame filter press, pressure vessel containing filter elements, rotary drum filter, rotary disc filter, cartridge filter, a centrifugal filter with a fixed or moving bed, a metal screen, a perforate basket centrifuge, a three-point centrifuge, a peeler type centrifuge, or a pusher centrifuge. In some embodiments, the filter uses a scroll or a vibrating device. In some embodiments, the filter is horizontal, vertical, or uses a siphon.

[00133] In some embodiments, a filter cake is prevented, limited, or removed by using gravity, centrifugal force, an electric field, vibration, brushes, liquid jets, scrapers, intermittent reverse flow, vibration, crow-flow filtration, or pumping suspensions across the surface of the filter. In some embodiments, the precipitated metals and a liquid is moved tangentially to the filter to limit filter cake growth. In some embodiments, gravitational, magnetic, centrifugal sedimentation, or other means of solid-liquid separation are used before, during, or after filtering to prevent filter cake formation.

[00134] In some embodiments, a filter comprises a screen, a metal screen, a sieve, a sieve bend, a bent sieve, a high frequency electromagnetic screen, a resonance screen, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are a solid-liquid separation apparatus. [00135] In some embodiments, one or more solid-liquid separation apparatuses are used in series or in parallel. In some embodiments, a dilute slurry is removed from the tank, transferred to an external solid-liquid separation apparatus, and separated into a concentrated slurry and a solution with low or no suspended solids. In some embodiments, the concentrated slurry is returned to the tank or transferred to a different tank. In some embodiments, precipitate metals are transferred from a liquid resource tank to another liquid resource tank, from an acid tank to another acid tank, from a washing tank to another washing tank, from a liquid resource tank to a washing tank, from a washing tank to an acid tank, from an acid tank to a washing tank, or from an acid tank to a liquid resource tank. [00136] In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses use gravitational sedimentation. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a settling tank, a thickener, a clarifier, a gravity thickener. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses are operated in batch mode, semi-batch mode, semi-continuous mode, or continuous mode. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a circular basin thickener with slurry entering through a central inlet such that the slurry is dispersed into the thickener with one or more raking components that rotate and concentrate the ion exchange particles into a zone where the particles can leave through the bottom of the thickener.

[00137] In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses comprise a deep cone, a deep cone tank, a deep cone compression tank, or a tank wherein the slurry is compacted by weight. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses comprise a tray thickener with a series of thickeners oriented vertically with a center axle and raking components. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses comprise a lamella type thickener with inclined plates or tubes that are smooth, flat, rough, or corrugated. In some embodiments, solidliquid separation apparatuses comprise a gravity clarifier that comprises a rectangular basin with feed at one end and overflow at the opposite end optionally with paddles and/or a chain mechanism to move particles. In some embodiments, the solid-liquid separation apparatuses comprise a particle trap.

[00138] In some embodiments, the solid-liquid separation apparatuses use centrifugal sedimentation. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses comprise a tubular centrifuge, a multi-chamber centrifuge, a conical basket centrifuge, a scroll-type centrifuge, a sedimenting centrifuge, or a disc centrifuge. In some embodiments, precipitated metals are discharged continuously or intermittently from the centrifuge. In some embodiments, the solidliquid separation apparatus is a hydrocyclone. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatus is an array of hydrocyclones or centrifuges in series and/or in parallel. In some embodiments, sumps are used to reslurry the precipitated metals. In some embodiments, the hydrocyclones comprise multiple feed points. In some embodiments, a hydrocyclone is used upside down. In some embodiments, liquid is injected near the apex of the cone of a hydrocyclone to improve sharpness of cut. In some embodiments, a weir rotates in the center of the particle trap with a feed of slurried precipitated metals entering near the middle of the apparatus such that precipitated metals get trapped at the bottom and center of the apparatus due to a “teacup effect”.

[00139] Disclosed herein is a system, and associated methods and processes comprising use of a chemical additive. In some embodiments, a chemical additive is added to the liquid resource. In some embodiments, a chemical additive is added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, a chemical additive is added to the aqueous wash solution. In some embodiments, treatment of the liquid resource comprises adding a chemical additive to the liquid resource. In some embodiments, a redox modulation unit is configured to add a chemical additive to the liquid resource, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, a system configured to treat the liquid resource is configured to add a chemical additive to the liquid resource. In some embodiments, a chemical additive is a redox agent. In some embodiments, a chemical additive is an oxidant. In some embodiments, a chemical additive is a reductant.

[00140] In some embodiments, the chemical additive comprises an oxidant. An oxidant is a chemical agent that adjusts the oxidation-reduction potential of a liquid to a higher value, leading to a chemical environment that is more oxidizing. For example, an oxidant such as sodium hypochlorite adjusts the oxidation-reduction potential of water from a value of about 350 mV to a value of about 600 mV, when dosed at about 600 mg/L. The resulting oxidizing chemical environment may cause species in contact in said environments to undergo oxidation reactions. Such oxidation reactions involve the loss of electrons of those species, resulting in them acquiring a higher oxidation state or valence state. In some embodiments, the resulting oxidizing environments prevent species in contact with said environment from undergoing reduction reactions. In some embodiments, said oxidant comprises one of more of oxygen, air, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, nitric acid, a nitrate compound, sodium hypochlorite, bleach, a chlorite, a chlorate, a perchlorate, potassium permanganate, a permanganate, sodium perborate, a perborate, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said oxidant comprises one of more of oxygen, air, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, nitric acid, a nitrate compound, sodium hypochlorite, bleach, potassium permanganate, a permanganate (e.g., a permanganate compound, a permanganate salt, a solution comprising permanganate), sodium perborate, a perborate (e.g., a perborate compound , a perborate salt, a solution comprising perborate), hypochlorous acid, lithium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, magnesium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, strontium hypochlorite, a persulfate (e.g., a persulfate compound, , a persulfate salt, a solution comprising persulfate), hexavalent chromium compounds (e.g., a compound comprising chromium in a 6+ oxidation state, a solution comprising chromium in a 6+ oxidation state), nitrous oxide, sodium bismuthate, potassium peroxymonosulfate, sulfuric acid, peroxydisulfuric acid, peroxymonosulfuric acid, combinations thereof, or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the chemical additive does not comprise air. In some embodiments, the chemical additive is not air. [00141] In some embodiments, oxidants comprising bromine include bromine, hypobromite, hypobromous acid, bromite, bromate, tribromide, and perbromate, including salts thereof with countercations comprising lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or strontium, and including solutions thereof. In some embodiments, oxidants comprising fluorine include fluorine, hypofluorous acid, hypoflurite, fluorite, fluorate, and perfluorate, including salts thereof with countercations comprising lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or strontium, and including solutions thereof. In some embodiments, oxidants comprising iodine include iodine, hypoiodous acid, hypoiodite, iodiite, iodate, periodate, and triiodine, including salts thereof with countercations comprising lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or strontium, and including solutions thereof. In some embodiments, oxidants comprising chlorine include chlorine, hypochlorite, chlorite, chlorate, and perchlorate, including salts thereof with countercations comprising lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, or strontium, and including solutions thereof.

[00142] In some embodiments, the chemical additive does not include air, ozone, or hydrogen sulfide scavengers.

[00143] In some embodiments, the chemical additive comprises a reductant. A reductant is a chemical agent that adjusts the oxidation-reduction potential of a liquid to a lower value, leading to a chemical environment that is more reducing. For example, a reductant such as hydrogen adjusts the oxidation-reduction potential of water from a value of about 350 mV to a value of about 0 mV, when bubbled through water. The resulting reducing chemical environment may cause species in contact in said environments to undergo reduction reactions. Such reduction reactions involve the gain of electrons of those species, resulting in them acquiring a lower oxidation state or valence state. In some embodiments, the resulting reducing environments prevent species in contact with said environment from undergoing oxidation reactions. In some embodiments, said reductant comprises one of more of sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, sodium borohydride, formic acid, ascorbic acid, oxalic acid, potassium iodide, hydrogen, other reducing species, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, one or more of the chemical additives are contacted with the ion exchange material as a pure gas, as a pure liquid, a mixture thereof, or a solution thereof.

System for Extracting Lithium from a Liquid Resource

[00144] In one aspect described herein, is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprising an ion exchange device wherein one or more vessels are independently configured to simultaneously accommodate porous ion exchange beads moving in one direction and alternately acid, liquid resource, and optionally other process fluids moving in the net opposite direction. This lithium recovery system produces an eluate that comprises lithium and optionally contains other ions.

[00145] In one aspect described herein, is an ion exchange device for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprising a stirred tank reactor, an ion exchange material, and a pH modulating unit for increasing the pH of the liquid resource in the stirred tank reactor.

[00146] In one aspect described herein, is an ion exchange device for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprising a stirred rank reactor, an ion exchange material, a pH modulating unit for increasing the pH of the liquid resource in the stirred tank reactor, and a compartment for containing the ion exchange material in the stirred tank reactor while allowing for removal of liquid resource, washing fluid, acid, and other process fluids from the stirred tank reactor. [00147] In one embodiment, at least one of the one or more vessels are fitted with a conveyer system suitably outfitted to move porous ion exchange beads upward and simultaneously allow a net flow of acid, liquid resource, and optionally other process fluids, downward. In one embodiment, the conveyor system comprises fins with holes. In one embodiment, the fins slide upward over a sliding surface that is fixed in place In one embodiment, all of the one or more vessels are fitted with a conveyor system suitably outfitted to move porous ion exchange beads upward and simultaneously allow a net flow of acid, liquid resource, and optionally other process solutions, downward. In one embodiment, there are an even number of vessels. In one embodiment, there are an odd number of vessels. In one embodiment, the vessels are columns. [00148] In some embodiments, structures with holes are used to move the ion exchange material through one or more vessels. In some embodiments, the holes in the structures with holes are less than 10 microns, less than 100 microns, less than 1,000 microns, or less than 10,000 microns in diameter. In some embodiments, the structures with holes are attached to a conveyer system. In some embodiments, the structures with holes comprise a porous compartment, porous partition, or another porous structure. In some embodiments, the structures with holes contain a bed of fixed or fluidized ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the structures with holes contain ion exchange material while allowing liquid resource, aqueous solution, acid solution, or other process fluids to pass through the structures with holes.

[00149] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange beads comprise one or more ion exchange materials that reversibly exchange lithium and hydrogen and a structural matrix material sufficient to form and support a pore network. In some embodiments, the liquid resource comprises a natural brine, a dissolve salt flat, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, a filtered brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, leachate from ores, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. lon Exchange Devices

[00150] In some embodiments, an ion exchange device comprises a column loaded with ion exchange material, or a form thereof, or a construct comprised thereof. In some embodiments, a pH modulating unit is connected to an ion exchange device loaded with ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the pH modulating unit comprises one or more tanks.

[00151] In some embodiments, an ion exchange device comprises a vessel loaded with ion exchange material, or a form thereof, or a construct comprised thereof . In some embodiments, the pH modulating unit is in fluid communication with the vessel loaded with ion exchange material.

[00152] In some embodiments, an ion exchange device comprises one or more columns loaded with a fixed or fluidized bed of ion exchange beads. In some embodiments, a column comprises a cylindrical construct with an inlet and an outlet. In some embodiments, a column comprises a non-cylindrical construct with an inlet and an outlet. In some embodiments, a column comprises inlets and outlets for pumping of the liquid resource and other process fluids, and additional doors or hatches for loading and unloading ion exchange beads to and from the column. In some embodiments, the column comprises one or more security devices to decrease the risk of theft of the ion exchange beads the column may contain. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise one or more ion exchange materials that can reversibly absorb lithium from a liquid resource and release lithium in an eluent. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is comprised of ion exchange particles that are optionally protected with coating material such as SiCh, ZrCh, TiCh, polyvinyl chloride, or polyvinyl fluoride to limit dissolution or degradation of the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise a structural matrix material such as an acid-resistant polymer that binds the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads contain pores that facilitate penetration of liquid resource, acid, aqueous solutions, and other process fluids into the ion exchange beads to, for example, deliver lithium and hydrogen to and from the bead or to wash the bead. In one embodiment, the pores of the ion exchange beads are structured to form a connected network of pores with a distribution of pore sizes. In one embodiment, the pores of the ion exchange beads are structured by incorporating fdler materials into the ion exchange beads during production and later removing the fdler material using a liquid or gas.

Embodiments wherein the Ion Exchange Device Comprises a Filter Press

[00153] An aspect of the disclosure herein is a device for lithium extraction from a liquid resource, wherein said device comprises one or more fdter banks containing a lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said lithium extraction comprises a filter press. A filter press is a filtration device known in the field of filtration and solids-liquid separation. An aspect of the disclosure herein is the use of a filter press to extract lithium, wherein said filter press is filled with a lithium-selective sorbent, and said sorbent is contacted with a liquid resource comprising lithium in said filter press. In some embodiments, said sorbent is an ion-exchange material. [00154] In some embodiments, a filter press comprises multiple filter plates, wherein said filter two filter plates come together to form a filter chamber or filter bank. In some embodiments, each filter bank comprises a compartment containing a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein said compartment is contained within porous partitions In some embodiments, said compartment contains a bed or cake of said sorbent. In some embodiments, said filter bank contains pipes, shapes, and flow paths that connect said sorbent-containing compartment to a fluid distribution manifold that the delivers flow to and form said sorbent. In some embodiments, two porous partitions are located at opposing ends of the compartment containing a lithium-selective sorbent, such that fluid can flow from one partition, through the sorbent, and out of the second partition. In some embodiments, more than two such partitions are located within a filter bank. In some embodiments, said porous partition is a mesh, cloth, other woven material, a screen, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said porous partition is attached a mechanical device, plate, flow distributor, or scaffolding.

[00155] In some embodiments, the porous partition is a filter cloth. In some embodiments, said partition comprises a filter, a solid-liquid separation device, or other solid-retaining material. In some embodiments, a partition is in contact with the lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said partition is a permeable partition. In some embodiments, said permeable partition is a porous partition. In some embodiments, said permeable partition is a slitted partition that provides support for the ion-exchange bead bed, chemical protection, aids filtration, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said permeable partition is a porous partition that provides structural support for the bed of lithium-selective sorbent, chemical protection, aids filtration, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the partition between the flow distribution compartment and the compartment containing the ion-exchange beads consists of a porous partition that provides structural support for the ion-exchange bead bed, chemical protection, aids filtration, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a porous polymer partition. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a mesh or polymer membrane. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises one or more meshes of similar or different composition, of similar or different aperture sizes, of similar or different percent open area. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises one or more meshes to provide structural support and/or filtration capabilities. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a v-wire screen, a sintered metal screen, a sintered polymer screen, a flat screen, a cylindrical screen, a screen comprised of wire with cylindrical cross section, a screen comprised of wire with square cross section, a screen comprised of wire with rectangular cross section, a screen comprised of wire with rhomboidal cross section, a screen comprised of wire with triangular cross section, a screen comprised of wire with irregular cross section, a slotted wire screen, a mesh, or a combination thereof, wherein said porous partition is coarse, fine, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises polyether ether ketone, polypropylene, polyethylene, polysulfone mesh, polyester mesh, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer, stainless steel, stainless steel mesh coated in polymer, stainless steel mesh coated in ceramic, titanium, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises porous ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a mixture of ion exchange particles with other polymers described above. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises multiple layers.

[00156] In some embodiments, the porous partition is a single layer filtration fabric. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a double layer filtration fabric. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a multi-layer filtration fabric. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a spun fabric. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a is a mixture of fabrics. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a woven fabric. In some embodiments, said fabric is manufactured with one or more weave patterns, including but not limited to a plain, twill, satin, oxford, leno or basket-weave.

[00157] In some embodiments, the porous partition consists of openings in that are of a typical characteristic size of less than about 1 pm, less than about 2 pm, less than about 5 pm, less than about 10 pm, less than about 20 pm, less than about 30 pm, less than about 40 pm, less than about 50 pm, less than about 60 pm, less than about 70 pm, less than about 80 pm, less than about 90 pm, less than about 100 pm, less than about 200 pm, less than about 300 pm, less than about 400 pm, less than about 500 pm, less than about 600 pm, less than about 700 pm, less than about 800 pm, less than about 900 pm, less than about 1000 pm, less than about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the porous partition consists of openings in that are of a typical characteristic size of more than about 1 pm, more than about 2 pm, more than about 5 pm, more than about 10 pm, more than about 20 pm, more than about 30 pm, more than about 40 pm, more than about 50 pm, more than about 60 pm, more than about 70 pm, more than about 80 pm, more than about 90 pm, more than about 100 pm, more than about 200 pm, more than about 300 pm, more than about 400 pm, more than about 500 pm, more than about 600 pm, more than about 700 pm, more than about 800 pm, more than about 900 pm, more than about 1000 pm, more than about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the porous partition consists of openings in that are of a typical characteristic size from about 20 pm to about 40 pm, from about 40 pm to about 80 pm, from about 80 pm to about 200 pm, from about 100 pm to about 400 pm, from about 200 pm to about 800 pm, from about 400 pm to about 1000 pm, from about 600 pm to about 2000 pm, from about 1000 pm to about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the porous partition consists of openings in that are of a typical characteristic size of from about 1 pm to about 2 pm, from about 2 pm to about 4 pm, from about 4 pm to about 10 pm, from about 10 pm to about 20 pm, from about 20 pm to about 40 pm, from about 40 pm to about 100 pm, from about 100 pm to about 200 pm, from about 200 pm to about 400 pm, from about 400 pm to about 1000 pm, from about 1000 pm to about 2000 pm. In some embodiments, the porous partition consists of openings in that are of a typical characteristic size of from about 1 pm to about 10 pm, from about 10 pm to about 100 pm, from about 100 pm to about 1000 pm, from about 1000 pm to about 10000 pm.

[00158] In some embodiments, the air permeability of said permeable partition, measured at 200 Pa, in units of liters per meter square per second, is less than about 1, less than about 5, less than about 10, less than about 50, less than about 100, less than about 500, less than about 1000, less than about 5000, less than about 10,000. In some embodiments, the air permeability of said permeable partition, measured at 200 Pa, in units of liters per meter square per second, is more than about 1, more than about 5, more than about 10, more than about 50, more than about 100, more than about 500, more than about 1000, more than about 5000, more than about 10,000. In some embodiments, the air permeability of said permeable partition, measured at 200 Pa, in units of liters per meter square per second, is from about 0.1 to about 1, from about 1 to about 5, from about 5 to about 10, from about 10 to about 50, from about 50 to about 100, from about 100 to about 500, from about 500 to about 1000, from about 1000 to about 5000, from about 5,000 about 10,000.

[00159] In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material and a porous polymer. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material and a porous fiber. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material and cellulose. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material and a mesh or polymer membrane. In some embodiments, said partition comprises one or more meshes of similar or different composition, of similar or different aperture sizes, of similar or different percent open area. In some embodiments, side porous partition comprises one or more meshes to provide structural support and/or filtration capabilities. In some embodiments, side porous partition comprises one or partitions, one or more of which comprise an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a v-wire screen, a sintered metal screen, a sintered polymer screen, a flat screen, a cylindrical screen, a screen comprised of wire with cylindrical cross section, a screen comprised of wire with square cross section, a screen comprised of wire with rectangular cross section, a screen comprised of wire with rhomboidal cross section, a screen comprised of wire with triangular cross section, a screen comprised of wire with irregular cross section, a slotted wire screen, a mesh, or a combination thereof, wherein said porous partition is coarse, fine, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said porous partition comprises polyether ether ketone, polypropylene, polyethylene, polysulfone mesh, polyester mesh, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer, stainless steel, stainless steel mesh coated in polymer, stainless steel mesh coated in ceramic, titanium, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises porous ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a mixture of ion exchange particles with other polymers described above. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises multiple layers. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprising an ion exchange material extracts lithium in the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprising an ion exchange material is the only component that extracts lithium in the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material, while the filter bank is filled with a packed bed of the same ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material, while the filter bank is filled with a packed bed a different ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises an ion exchange material, while the filter bank is filled with a packed bed a different lithium selective sorbent.

[00160] In some embodiments, said porous partition optionally contains structures to enable said partition to be incorporated into the assembly of the filter bank. In some embodiments, these structures comprise, but are not limited to, holes, slits, cutouts, perforations, protrusions, gaskets, or rings. In some embodiments, said structures comprise a flexible cylinder that forms an octagonal shape spanning the entire porous partition, providing a structural reinforcement. In some embodiments,, the porous surface is contained within said octagon. In some embodiments, said reinforcement is surrounded by the material that the porous partition is made of. In some embodiments, said structural reinforcement is caulked into an octagonally-shaped groove on the filter bank using a mallet, resulting in the porous partition being immobilized directly onto the filter bank.

[00161] In some embodiments, the filter cloths are gasketed. In some embodiments, the filter cloths are non-gasketed. In some embodiments, the filter cloths span more than one filter bank. [00162] In some embodiments, the compartment containing the lithium selective sorbent or ion-exchange beads is treated with a fluid. In some embodiments, the compartment containing the lithium selective sorbent or ion-exchange beads is treated with water or other solutions for the purposes of adjusting the concentration, composition, pH, or contaminant level of the fluid flowing through the vessel. In some embodiments, the compartment containing the lithium selective sorbent or ion-exchange beads is treated with a lithium-containing liquid resource to absorb lithium. In some embodiments, the compartment containing the lithium selective sorbent or ion-exchange beads is treated with an acidic solution to release absorbed lithium. In some embodiments, the compartment containing the lithium selective sorbent or ion-exchange beads is treated with multiple fluids. In some embodiments, in order to contact the lithium-selective sorbent with said fluid, fluid is directed from the inlet of the lithium extraction device to the one or more filter plates in said device. In some embodiments, said direction of flow is achieved by means of optional inlet-and outlet- flows to and from said compartment within a filter plate. In some embodiments, such inlet- and outlet flows are located at the top, bottom, center, off-center, or side of said compartments. In some embodiments, such inlet- and outlet flows are located at the top, bottom, center, off-center, or side of said filter plate. In some embodiments, the inlet- and outlet flows to and from said compartment are injected and removed from the internal space of said compartments by means of piping, tubing, orifices, or other internal components that protrude into said compartment.

[00163] In some embodiments, one or more pipes are in fluid contact with each filter plate, with each of said pipes delivering or removing fluid flows to and from said filter plate. In some embodiments, one such pipe is present in the filter plate. In some embodiments, two such pipes are present in the filter plate. In some embodiments, three such pipes are present in the filter plate. In some embodiments, four such pipes are present in the filter plate. In some embodiments, five such pipes are present in the filter plate. In a preferred embodiment, four such fluid deliver pipes are located at the four corners of a filter plate. In some embodiments, more than five such pipes are present in the filter plate.

[00164] In some embodiments, said pipes have a diameter of less than about 1 mm, less than about 2 mm, less than about 5 mm, less than about 10 mm, less than about 20 mm, less than about 30 mm, less than about 40 mm, less than about 50 mm, less than about 60 mm, less than about 70 mm, less than about 80 mm, less than about 90 mm, less than about 100 mm, less than about 200 mm, less than about 500 mm, less than about 1000 mm, less than about 1500 mm, less than about 2000 mm. In some embodiments, said pipes or have a diameter of more than about 1 mm, more than about 2 mm, more than about 5 mm, more than about 10 mm, more than about 20 mm, more than about 30 mm, more than about 40 mm, more than about 50 mm, more than about 60 mm, more than about 70 mm, more than about 80 mm, more than about 90 mm, more than about 100 mm, more than about 200 mm, more than about 500 mm, more than about 1000 mm, more than about 1500 mm, more than about 2000 mm. In some embodiments said pipes or have a diameter of about 1 mm to about 2 mm, from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, from about 4 mm to about 10 mm, from about 10 mm to about 20 mm from about 20 mm to about 40 mm, from about 40 mm to about 100 mm, from about 100 mm to about 500 mm, from about 500 mm to about 1500 mm, from about 1500 mm to about 2000 mm. In some embodiments, said pipes or have a length of less than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 5 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 30 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 50 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 70 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 90 cm, less than about 100 cm, less than about 200 cm, less than about 500 cm, less than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said pipes or have a length of more than about 1 cm, more than about 2 cm, more than about 5 cm, more than about 10 cm, more than about 20 cm, more than about 30 cm, more than about 40 cm, more than about 50 cm, more than about 60 cm, more than about 70 cm, more than about 80 cm, more than about 90 cm, more than about 100 cm, more than about 200 cm, more than about 500 cm, more than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said or pipes have a length of about 1 cm to about 2 cm, from about 2 cm to about 4 cm, from about 4 cm to about 10 cm, from about 10 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 50 cm, from about 50 cm to about 100 cm, from about 100 cm to about 200 cm, from about 200 cm to about 10 m.

[00165] In some embodiments, said pipes have a diameter of less than about 1 mm, less than about 2 mm, less than about 5 mm, less than about 10 mm, less than about 20 mm, less than about 30 mm, less than about 40 mm, less than about 50 mm, less than about 60 mm, less than about 70 mm, less than about 80 mm, less than about 90 mm, less than about 100 mm, less than about 200 mm, less than about 500 mm, less than about 1000 mm, less than about 1500 mm, less than about 2000 mm. In some embodiments, said pipes or have a diameter of more than about 1 mm, more than about 2 mm, more than about 5 mm, more than about 10 mm, more than about 20 mm, more than about 30 mm, more than about 40 mm, more than about 50 mm, more than about 60 mm, more than about 70 mm, more than about 80 mm, more than about 90 mm, more than about 100 mm, more than about 200 mm, more than about 500 mm, more than about 1000 mm, more than about 1500 mm, more than about 2000 mm. In some embodiments said pipes or have a diameter of about 1 mm to about 2 mm, from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, from about 4 mm to about 10 mm, from about 10 mm to about 20 mm from about 20 mm to about 40 mm, from about 40 mm to about 100 mm, from about 100 mm to about 500 mm, from about 500 mm to about 1500 mm, from about 1500 mm to about 2000 mm. In some embodiments, said pipes or have a length of less than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 5 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 30 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 50 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 70 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 90 cm, less than about 100 cm, less than about 200 cm, less than about 500 cm, less than about 10 m . In some embodiments, said pipes or have a length of more than about 1 cm, more than about 2 cm, more than about 5 cm, more than about 10 cm, more than about 20 cm, more than about 30 cm, more than about 40 cm, more than about 50 cm, more than about 60 cm, more than about 70 cm, more than about 80 cm, more than about 90 cm, more than about 100 cm, more than about 200 cm, more than about 500 cm, more than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said or pipes have a length of about 1 cm to about 2 cm, from about 2 cm to about 4 cm, from about 4 cm to about 10 cm, from about 10 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 50 cm, from about 50 cm to about 100 cm, from about 100 cm to about 200 cm, from about 200 cm to about 10 m.

[00166] In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameter of said pipe to the dimension of the filter plate is less than about 0.01, less than about 0.1, less than about 1, less than about 10, less than about 100. In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameter of said pipe to the dimension of the filter plate is more than about 0.01, more than about 0.1, more than about 1, more than about 10, more than about 100. In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameter of said pipe to the dimension of the filter plate is from about 0.01 to about 0.1, from about 0.1 to about 1, from about 1 to about 10, from about 10 to about 100. In some embodiments, one or more pipes of equivalent or different dimensions are found within a filter plate. In some embodiments, one or more of these pipes are connected. In some embodiments, one or more of said pipes are oriented with respect to each other in parallel, perpendicular, at an angle, in varying geometries, or in a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameters of pipes within the same filter plate is less than about 0.01, less than about 0.1, less than about 1, less than about 10, less than about 100. In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameters of pipes within the same filter plate is more than about 0.01, more than about 0.1, more than about 1, more than about 10, more than about 100. In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameters of pipes within the same filter plate is from about 0.01 to about 0.1, from about 0.1 to about 1, from about 1 to about 10, from about 10 to about 100.

[00167] In some embodiments, said additional pipes are connected to one or more orifices which deliver fluid to and from the flow distribution surface. In some embodiments, orifices provide a fluid connection from the piping that delivers flow to the filter plate to the flow distribution surfaces. In some embodiments, one such orifice delivers flow. In some embodiments, more than one orifice delivers flow. In some embodiments, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 orifices deliver flow. In some embodiments, more than 20 orifices deliver flow. In some embodiments, said orifices have a diameter of less than about 1 mm, less than about 2 mm, less than about 5 mm, less than about 10 mm, less than about 20 mm, less than about 30 mm, less than about 40 mm, less than about 50 mm, less than about 60 mm, less than about 70 mm, less than about 80 mm, less than about 90 mm, less than about 100 mm. In some embodiments, said orifices have a diameter of more than about 1 mm, more than about 2 mm, more than about 5 mm, more than about 10 mm, more than about 20 mm, more than about 30 mm, more than about 40 mm, more than about 50 mm, more than about 60 mm, more than about 70 mm, more than about 80 mm, more than about 90 mm, more than about 100 mm. In some embodiments, said pipes have a diameter of about 1 mm to about 2 mm, from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, from about 4 mm to about 10 mm, from about 10 mm to about 20 mm. In some embodiments, said orifices have a length of less than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 5 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 30 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 50 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 70 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 90 cm, less than about 100 cm, less than about 200 cm, less than about 500 cm, less than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said orifices have a length of more than about 1 cm, more than about 2 cm, more than about 5 cm, more than about 10 cm, more than about 20 cm, more than about 30 cm, more than about 40 cm, more than about 50 cm, more than about 60 cm, more than about 70 cm, more than about 80 cm, more than about 90 cm, more than about 100 cm, more than about 200 cm, more than about 500 cm, more than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said orifices have a length of about 1 cm to about 2 cm, from about 2 cm to about 4 cm, from about 4 cm to about 10 cm, from about 10 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 50 cm, from about 50 cm to about 100 cm, from about 100 cm to about 200 cm, from about 200 cm to about 10 m.

[00168] In some embodiments, pipes, orifices, and flow distribution surfaces are configured to direct a flow of a liquid resource through the one or more filter plates and out of said one or more filter plates, wherein the sorbent material contained in said filter plate selectively absorbs lithium. In some embodiments, pipes, orifices, and flow distribution surfaces are configured to uniformly distribute the flow of liquid through the sorbent material contained in the filter plate. In some embodiments, said flow uniformity implies that each volume of sorbent material within the filter plate is contacted with the same volume of liquid resource within a given time period. In some embodiments, uniform distribution of flow through the sorbent material results in a higher lithium absorption capacity of the sorbent, a higher selectivity for lithium absorption by the sorbent over other ions present in the liquid resource, a minimized distance required to flow the liquid through the one or more filter plates, a reduced change in pressure when flowing liquid across the one or more filter plates, a longer life time of the sorbent, a longer life time of the ion-exchange material, or a combination thereof. [00169] In some embodiments, the devices, vessels, system, and methods described herein utilize a flow distribution compartment to optimize the flow of various solutions or gases through the devices, vessels, pipes, filter plates, and lithium-selective sorbents materials. In some embodiments, the inlet- and outlet flows to and from the flow distribution compartments are injected and remove from the internal space of said compartments by means of piping, tubing, or other internal components that protrude into said compartment. In some embodiments, the inlet- and outlet flows to and from the flow distribution compartments are injected and remove from the internal space of said compartments by means of piping, tubing, or other internal components that protrude into said compartment In some embodiments, the flow distribution compartment are optionally treated with a lithium containing resource, hydrogen ion-containing acid, water, or other solutions for the purposes of adjusting the concentration, composition, pH, or contaminant level of the fluid flowing through the vessel. This is achieved by means of an optional inlet-and outlet- flows to and from the flow distribution compartment. [00170] In some embodiments, said filter plates contain structural supports that allow said plates to be mounted within a larger lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, solid filter plates comprise a compartment containing a lithium-selective sorbent or ion-exchange material. In some embodiments, multiple filter plates are found within a single lithium extraction device, such that they form a stack of filter plates. In some embodiments said stack of filter plates is formed into a filter press In some embodiments, said filter press is oriented vertically, horizontally, or slanted with respect to the ground.

[00171] In some embodiments, the bed of ion exchange material is contained within said filter bank. In some embodiments, the bed of lithium selective sorbent is contained within said filter bank. In some embodiments, said bed of ion exchange material has a characteristic “thickness”, wherein “thickness” is defined as the average dimension of the said solid mass, measured in a direction that is parallel to the direction of fluid flow through the filter bank. [00172] In some embodiments, the typical thickness of the chamber containing solids between filter plates is less than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 4 cm, less than about 6 cm, less than about 8 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 1 m, less than about 2 m, less than about 4 m. In some embodiments, the typical thickness of the chamber containing solids between filter plates is more than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 4 cm, less than about 6 cm, less than about 8 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 1 m, less than about 2 m, less than about 4 m. In some embodiments, the typical thickness of the chamber containing solids between filter plates is from about 1 cm to about 2 cm, from about 2 cm to about 4 cm, from about 4 cm to about 8 cm, from about 8 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 40 cm, from about 40 cm to about 80 cm, from about 80 cm to about 120 cm, from about 120 cm to about 2 m, from about 2 m to about 4 m. In a preferred embodiment, the typical thickness of the chamber containing solids between filter plates is selected from 18 mm, 25 mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, or 60 mm.

[00173] In some embodiments, the chamber holds a maximum volume of solids, this is the maximum volume of lithium selective sorbent that can be contained within each filter bank. In some embodiments, said volume is less than about 1 mL, less than about 10 mL, less than about 100 mL, less than about 1 L, less than about 10 L, less than about 100 L, less than about 1 cubic meter, less than about 10 cubic meters. In some embodiments, said volume is more than about 1 mL, more than about 10 mL, more than about 100 mL, more than about 1 L, more than about 10 L, more than about 100 L, more than about 1 cubic meter, more than about 10 cubic meters. In some embodiments, said volume is from about 0.1 mL to about 1 mL, from about 1 mL to about 10 mL, from about 10 mL to about 100 mL, from about 100 mL to about 1 L, from about 1 L to about 10 L, from about 10 L to about 100 L, from about 100 L to about 1 cubic meter, from about 1 cubic meter to about 10 cubic meters, from about 10 cubic meters.

[00174] In some embodiments, the porous partition in the chamber comprises a fixed surface area per chamber. In some embodiments, said area is less than about 1 cm², less than about 10 cm², less than about 100 cm², less than about 1,000 cm², less than about 1 m², less than about 10 m², less than about 100 m², less than about 1000 m² In some embodiments, said volume is more than about 1 cm², more than about 10 cm², more than about 100 cm², more than about 1,000 cm², more than about 1 m², more than about 10 m², more than about 100 m², more than about 1000 m². In some embodiments, said volume is from about 0.1 cm² to about 1 cm², from about 1 cm²to about 10 cm², from about 10 cm²to about 100 cm², from about 100 cm²to about 1,000 cm², from about 1,000 cm² to about 1 m², from about 1 m² to about 10 m², from about 10 m² to about 100 m², from about 100 m² cubic meter to about 1,000 m².

[00175] In some embodiments, the bed of ion exchange material is contained between two fdter plates. In some embodiments, said bed of ion exchange material has a characteristic “cross sectional length” of said bed, defined as the average dimension of the said solid mass, measured in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow through the filter bank. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional length of said bed is less than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 4 cm, less than about 6 cm, less than about 8 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 1 m, less than about 2 m, less than about 4 m. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional length of said bed is more than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 4 cm, less than about 6 cm, less than about 8 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 1 m, less than about 2 m, less than about 4 m. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional length of said bed is from about 1 cm to about 2 cm, from about 2 cm to about 4 cm, from about 4 cm to about 8 cm, from about 8 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 40 cm, from about 40 cm to about 80 cm, from about 80 cm to about 120 cm, from about 120 cm to about 2 m, from about 2 m to about 4 m, from about 4 m to about 8 m. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional length is selected from: about 250 mm, 320 mm, 470 mm, 630 mm, 800 mm, 1000 mm, 1200 mm, 1500 mm, 2000 mm, 4000 mm. In some embodiments, the bed of sorbent material is not square, and comprises a cross-sectional length that is selected from two of the following dimensions: about 250 mm, 320 mm, 470 mm, 630 mm, 800 mm, 1000 mm, 1200 mm, 1500 mm, 2000 mm, 4000 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional length of the bed of lithium-selective sorbent is 2000 mm x 4000 mm, 1500 mm x 2000 mm, 2500 mm by 5000 mm, or a combination thereof.

[00176] In some embodiments, the device containing ion-exchange beads is comprised of multiple and separate ion-exchange compartments arranged within a single vessel. In some embodiments, the lithium extraction device comprises multiple and separate lithium extraction compartments arranged within a single vessel. In some embodiments, the lithium extraction devices comprises multiple individual fdter banks - each containing an individual lithiumselective sorbent compartment - where lithium is absorbed by said lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said compartments comprise individual fdter banks. In some embodiments, said multiple compartments comprise the fdter chambers contained between fdter plates in a fdter press. In some embodiments, there is more than one lithium extraction compartments lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, there are less than about two, less than about three, less than about five, less than about ten, less than about twenty, less than about thirty, less than about fifty, less than about one-hundred, less than about two-hundred individual compartments within a single lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, there are more than about two, more than about three, more than about five, more than about ten, more than about twenty, more than about thirty, more than about fifty, more than about one-hundred, more than about two-hundred individual compartments within a single lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, a single lithium extraction device comprises about two, about three, about five, about ten, about twenty, about thirty, about fifty, about one-hundred, about one hundred and fifty, or about two-hundred individual lithium extraction compartments.

[00177] In some embodiments, the multiple filter banks are held together by a device that applies a mechanical force that presses the individual filter banks together. In some embodiments, said device comprises a hydraulic system, comprising one more pistons and one or more devices to apply a hydraulic force on said piston. In some embodiments, the mechanical force is applied to one structurally reinforced component that is in contact with the first plate in the stack of filter banks, and the compressive force is distributed across all filter plates in the device. In some embodiments, said force is applied by means of a pressurized hydraulic fluid system, pressurized air system, mechanical tensions system, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to compress all filter bank together is less than 50 psi, less than 150 psi, less than 500 psi, less than 1000 psi, less than 2500 psi, or less than 5000 psi. In some embodiments the pressure applied is more than 50 psi, more than 150 psi, more than 500 psi, more than 1000 psi, more than 2500 psi, or more than 5000 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure applied is from 50 psi to 150 psi, from 150 psi to 500 psi, from 500 psi to 1000 psi, from 1000 psi to 2500 psi, from 2500 psi to 5000 psi.

[00178] In devices comprising multiple beds of lithium-selective sorbent, all beds are connected to a shared flow distribution manifold, such that flow of liquid to and from said beds of lithium-selective sorbent occur in parallel. In some embodiments, a multitude of ionexchange beds share the same inlet and outlet flows in parallel, wherein a different multitude of ion-exchange beds share a different set of inlet and outlet flows.

[00179] In some embodiments, the filter press comprises filter plates. In some embodiments, filter plates comprise structures, flow distributors, orifices, fluid conduits, fluid conducts, membranes, structural supports, and any other component that is required for the assembly of a filter bank. In some embodiments, two filter plates are assembled together to form a filter bank between them, wherein said filter bank contains a space or chamber that can be loaded with a lithium-selective sorbent. An example of such an assembly is shown in FIG. 4; two opposing filter plates 40204 come together to form a single filter bank comprising a bed of lithiumselective sorbent 40215. In some embodiments, said filter plates are chamber filter plates. In some embodiments, said filter plates are recessed chamber filter plates. In some embodiments, said filter plates are diaphragm squeeze filter plates. In some embodiments said filter plates are chosen from, but not limited to, one or more of the following types of filter plates commonly known in the field of the art: recessed, chamber recessed chamber, plate-and-frame, membrane squeeze, diaphragm squeeze, flush plate and frame, mineral plates, gasketed, non-gasketed, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said filter plates are constructed out of a metal, stainless steel, carbon steel, titanium, Hastelloy, nickel, Inconel, Monel, tantalum, alloys thereof, or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, said filter plates are construcuted out of polymer, a fluoropolymer, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, polyphenylene sulfide, tetrapolyethylene, PVDF, EPDM, Viton, rubber, Bunna-N, natural rubber, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof In some embodiments, multiple plates described above are stacked in such a manner so as to form a multitude of parallel filter banks. In some embodiments, the assembled filter banks constitute a filter press, and said filter press is used to contain a lithium-selective sorbent and used to extract lithium. In some embodiments, there is more than one filter plate in said filter press. In some embodiments, there are less than about two, less than about three, less than about five, less than about ten, less than about twenty, less than about thirty, less than about fifty, less than about one-hundred, less than about two- hundred individual filter plates in said filter press. In some embodiments, there are more than about two, more than about three, more than about five, more than about ten, more than about twenty, more than about thirty, more than about fifty, more than about one-hundred, more than about two-hundred filter plates in said filter press. In some embodiments, a single lithium extraction device comprises about two, about three, about five, about ten, about twenty, about thirty, about fifty, about one-hundred, about one hundred and fifty, or about two-hundred filter plates in said filter press.

[00180] In some embodiments, the filter press comprises filter plates equipped with a membrane squeeze feature. In some embodiments, the filter press comprises membrane filter plates. In some embodiments, said membrane filter plates comprise one or more components that are deformed or expanded after the filter bank is filled with the lithium selective sorbent, in a manner that applies a compressive or “squeezing” force on said sorbent. Said deformable components are optionally referred to as a “membrane”. In some embodiments, said compression results in additional compaction of the bed of lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said compression increases the uniformity of the bed of lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said compression results in improved uniformity of flow when contacting said lithium-selective sorbent with a liquid stream. In some embodiments, said compression is applied continually during operation of the lithium-extraction device. In some embodiments, said compression is applied intermittently during operation of the lithium-extraction device.

[00181] In some embodiments, the expandable membrane component that applies mechanical compression or “squeezing” on the sorbent comprises the flow distribution compartment or surface. In the field of the art, such an operating may be denoted as a membrane squeeze. In some embodiments, the membrane comprises low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), types of polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), poly (4-vinyl pyridine-co-styrene) (PVPCS), polystyrene (PS), polybutadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer (ETFE), poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PCTFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoro ethylene (Halar), polyvinylfluoride (PVF), fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP), perfluorinated elastomer, chlorotrifluoroethylenevinylidene fluoride (FKM), perfluoropolyether (PFPE), perfluoro-3,6- dioxa-4-methyl-7-octene-sulfonic acid (NAFION® (copolymer of perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4-methyl- 7-octene-sulfonic acid and tetrafluoroethylene)), polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polychloroprene (neoprene), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polydivinylbenzene, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In a further aspect, a coating material comprises polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene chlorotrifluoro ethylene (Halar), poly (4-vinyl pyridine-co-styrene) (PVPCS), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyphenylene sulfide, sulfonated polymer, carboxylated polymer, other polymers, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a filter cake of lithium selective sorbent is held within said filter bank, wherein said cake is formed by flowing a suspension of said sorbent through said filter bank.

[00182] In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane is less than 5 psi, less than 25 psi, less than 50 psi, less than 100 psi, less than 150 psi, less than 250 psi, or less than 500 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is more than 5 psi, more than 25 psi, more than 50 psi, more than 100 psi, more than 150 psi, more than 250 psi, or more than 500 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is from about 1 psi to about 5 psi, from about 5 psi to about 25 psi, from about 25 psi to about 50 psi, from about 50 psi to about 100 psi, from about 100 psi to about 150 psi, from about 150 psi to about 250 psi, from about 250 psi to about 500 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank remains constant during operation of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is varied during operation of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is applied after said filter bank is loaded with said sorbent, and then released. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is applied after said filter bank is loaded with said sorbent, and then maintained during all subsequent operations. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is applied when the lithium-selective sorbent is contacted with a liquid resource comprising lithium. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is applied when the lithium-selective sorbent is contacted with an acidic eluent that releases lithium form said sorbent. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is applied during washing of the lithium-selective sorbent with a washing solution. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to deform the membrane component of the filter bank is applied without a liquid stream being in contact with the lithium selective sorbent

[00183] In some embodiment, the pressure on the deformable flow distribution surface is applied by means of compressed air or a compressed liquid. In some embodiment, the pressure on the deformable flow distribution surface is applied by a hydraulic system. In some embodiment, the pressure on the deformable flow distribution surface is applied by a mechanical device, such as a piston.

[00184] In some embodiments, the pressure thus applied on the bed of lithium selective sorbent decreases the volume of said bed. In some embodiments, the pressure thus applied on the bed of lithium selective sorbent decreases the volume of said bed by about 0.01 %, by about 0.1 %, by about 1 %, by about 5 %, by about 10 %, by about 25 %, by about 50 %, by about 75 %, or by about 100 %. In some embodiments, the pressure thus applied on the bed of lithium selective sorbent decreases the volume of said bed by more than about 0.01 %, by more than about 0.1 %, by more than about 1 %, by more than about 5 %, by more than about 10 %, by more than about 25 %, by more than about 50 %, by more than about 75 %, or by more than about 100 %. In some embodiments, the pressure thus applied on the bed of lithium selective sorbent decreases the volume of said bed by less than about 0.01 %, by less than about 0.1 %, by less than about 1 %, by less than about 5 %, by less than about 10 %, by less than about 25 %, by less than about 50 %, by less than about 75 %, or by less than about 100 %. In some embodiments, the pressure thus applied on the bed of lithium selective sorbent decreases the volume of said bed from about 0.01 % to about 0.1 %, from about 0.1 % to about 1 %, from about 1 % to about 5 %, from about 5 % to about 10 %, from about 10 % to about 25 %, from about 25 % to about 50 %, from about 50 % to about 75 %, from about 75 % to about 100 %. [00185] In some embodiments, said deformable components or membrane are welded to the rest of the filter bank. In some embodiments, said components are replaceable. In some embodiments, said components are manufactured of the same material as the rest of the filter bank. In some embodiments, said components are manufactured of a different material from the rest of the filter bank.

[00186] In some embodiments, the deformable component applies pressure on the bed of lithium-selective sorbent from one side of said bed. In some embodiments, the deformable component applies pressure on the bed of lithium-selective sorbent from both sides of said bed. In some embodiments, the deformable component applies pressure on the bed of lithiumselective sorbent from multiple directions. In some embodiments, the direct from which pressure is applied varies with time. In some embodiments, the direct from which pressure is applied depends on the fluid which is being contacted with the lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, the deformable component is a membrane.

[00187] In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent is loaded into the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, said lithium-selective sorbent is an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent is loaded into the lithium extraction device, and pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent using the deformable component in the filter bank. In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent is loaded into the lithium extraction device, and the loaded sorbent is squeezed using a membrane in said filter bank. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent after initial loading of said sorbent, and then released. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent during the entire operation of said device for lithium extraction, during certain periods of said operation. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent when said sorbent absorbs lithium from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent when said sorbent releases the absorbed lithium to produce an acidic eluent solution. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent when said sorbent is being washed with a wash solution. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent when said sorbent is contacted with water. In some embodiments, said pressure is applied on the loaded sorbent when said sorbent is contacted with a gas.

[00188] In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent is loaded into the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, in order to load said sorbent into the device, the lithium selective sorbent is suspended in a fluid within a vessel. For the purposes of this disclosure, suspension of a solid in a liquid is also termed “fluidization”, or fluidization of said solids. In some embodiments, said fluid is water, a liquid resource containing lithium, a brine, an acidic eluent solution, an acidic solution, or a mixture thereof. In some embodiments, said fluid is a gas flown in a manner that fluidizes the sorbent. In some embodiments, the sorbent is suspended in a liquid by agitating sorbent in said liquid, such that the solids are distributed uniformly or non-uniformly throughout the fluid. In some embodiments, the distribution of solids in said fluid allows for the solids to be conveyed out of the vessel where it is contained. In some embodiments, suspension of said solids occurs by agitation of solid solids and said fluid, wherein agitation occurs with a mechanical agitator, an eductor, fluid recirculation, baffles, shaking, tapping or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the fluidization of said ion exchange material occurs by means of contact with one or more gases phases. In some embodiments, the fluidization of said ion exchange material occurs by means of contact with a liquid resource, a wash solution, an acidic solution, one or more alternate phases or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said ion exchange material is fluidized during contact with said liquid resource. In some embodiments, said ion exchange material is fluidized during contact with said acidic solution. In some embodiments, said ion exchange material is fluidized during contact with said alternate phase. In some embodiments, said ion exchange material is fluidized during contact with said wash solution.

[00189] In some embodiments, initial fluidization of the solids is aided by contacting a pressurized gas with said solid sorbent and said fluid. In some embodiments, said aiding occurs by the additional turbulence and break up of the consolidated solids at the bottom of the vessel where said solids are stored. In some embodiments, said gas is air, nitrogen, argon, oxygen, chlorine, a different gas, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, injection of said gas for contact with the solid and fluid occurs through one or more of a pipe, tubing, channels, slits, beams, baffles, baskets, scallops, nozzles, or a mesh. In some embodiments, the components that direct flow within the vessel are perforated. In some embodiments, the openings or perforations in the components that distribute flow are shaped as circles, ovals, vertical or horizontal slits, squares, crosses, rectangles, triangles, irregular shapes, or a combination thereof.

[00190] In some embodiments, flow of the gas occurs from the top to the bottom of the vessel. In some embodiments, flow of the gas occurs from the bottom to the top of the vessel. In some embodiments, flow of the gas occurs from the inside to the outside of the vessel. In some embodiments, flow of the gas occurs from the outside to the inside of the vessel.

[00191] In one embodiment, the vessel has an internal nozzle designed to distribute flow of the gas evenly. In one embodiment, the vessel has nozzles placed equidistant with each other on a support plate. In one embodiment the nozzles are spaced out so that each nozzle covers the same area. In one embodiment the nozzles have slits or holes of width of less than 0.1 pm, less than 1 pm, less than 10 pm, less than 100 pm, or less than 1 mm. In one embodiment, the vessel has mesh with holes less than 0.1 pm, less than 1 pm, less than 10 pm, less than 100 pm, or less than 1000 pm. In some embodiments, the openings or perforation in one or more for the flow distribution components, such as pipes, tubing, channels, slits, beams, baffles, baskets, scallops, nozzles, or a mesh, have a dimension of less than about 10 pm, less than about 20 pm, less than about 30 pm, less than about 40 pm, less than about 50 pm, less than about 60 pm, less than about 70 pm, less than about 80 pm, less than about 90 pm, less than about 100 pm, less than about 200 pm, less than about 300 pm, less than about 400 pm, less than about 500 pm, less than about 600 pm, less than about 700 pm, less than about 800 pm, less than about 900 pm, less than about 1000 pm, less than about 2000 pm, less than about 4000 pm, less than about 8000 pm, or less than about 10000 pm. In some embodiments, the openings or perforation in one or more for the flow distribution components have a dimension of less than about 10 pm, more than about 20 pm, more than about 30 pm, more than about 40 pm, more than about 50 pm, more than about 60 pm, more than about 70 pm, more than about 80 pm, more than about 90 pm, more than about 100 pm, more than about 200 pm, more than about 300 pm, more than about 400 pm, more than about 500 pm, more than about 600 pm, more than about 700 pm, more than about 800 pm, more than about 900 pm, more than about 1000 pm, more than about 2000 pm, more than about 4000 pm, more than about 8000 pm, or more than about 10000 pm. In some embodiments, the openings or perforation in one or more for the flow distribution components have a dimension of less than about 10 pm to about 20 pm, from about 20 pm to about 40 pm, from about 40 pm to about 80 pm, from about 80 pm to about 200 pm, from about 100 pm to about 400 pm, from about 200 pm to about 800 pm, from about 400 pm to about 1000 pm, from about 600 pm to about 2000 pm, from about 1000 pm to about 2000 pm, from about 2000 pm to about 4000 pm, from about 4000 pm to about 8000 pm, from about 6000 pm to about 10000 pm.

[00192] In some embodiments, a gas is contacted with the lithium selective sorbent for more than about 10 milliseconds, more than about 100 milliseconds, more than about 1 second, more than about 10 seconds, more than about 100 seconds, more than about 1 minute, more than about 10 minutes, more than about 100 minutes, more than about 1 hour, more than about 10 hours, more than about 100 hours. In some embodiments, an gas is contacted with the ion exchange beads for less than about 10 milliseconds, less than about 100 milliseconds, less than about 1 second, less than about 10 seconds, less than about 100 seconds, less than about 1 minute, less than about 10 minutes, less than about 100 minutes, less than about 1 hour, less than about 10 hours, less than about 100 hours. In some embodiments, an gas is contacted with the ion exchange beads from about 10 milliseconds to about 100 milliseconds, from about 100 milliseconds to about 1 second, from about 1 second to about 10 seconds, from about 10 seconds to about 100 seconds, from about 100 seconds to about 1 minute, from about 1 minute to about 10 minutes, from about 10 minutes to about 100 minutes, from about 1 hour to about 10 hours, from about 10 hours to about 100 hours.

[00193] In some embodiments, a gas is injected to contact lithium selective sorbent at a pressure of more than about 0.1 psi, more than about 1 psi, more than about 5 psi, more than about 10 psi, more than about 50 psi, more than about 100 psi, more than about 500 psi, more than about 1000 psi, more than about 500 psi, more than about 1000 psi. In some embodiments, an gas is injected to contact the ion exchange beads at a pressure of less than about 0.1 psi, less than about 1 psi, less than about 5 psi, less than about 10 psi, less than about 50 psi, less than about 100 psi, less than about 500 psi, less than about 1000 psi, less than about 500 psi, less than about 1000 psi. In some embodiments, an gas is injected to contact the ion exchange beads at a pressure from about 0.1 psi to about 5 psi, from about 5 psi to about 10 psi, from about 10 psi to about 50 psi, from about 50 psi to about 100 psi, from about 100 psi to about 500 psi, from about 500 psi to about 1000 psi, from about 1000 psi to about 5000 psi, from about 5000 psi to about 10,000 psi.

[00194] In some embodiments, the suspended lithium selective sorbent is loaded into the lithium extraction device.

[00195] In some embodiments, the suspended sorbent is conveyed from the vessel described above and into a filer press. In some embodiments, conveyance of said suspension occurs by use of a mechanical device. In some embodiments, said mechanical device comprises a doublediaphragm pump, and air operated double-diaphragm pump, a diaphragm pump, a positive displacement pump, a centrifugal pump, a vortex pump, a slurry pump, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said suspension is conveyed from said vessel and into said ion exchange device by pressurizing the top of said vessel, such that the liquid suspension is forced by pressure-driven flow to exist said vessel through a pipe. In some embodiments, said suspension is conveyed from said vessel and into said ion exchange device by suction applied at the outlet of said lithium extraction device.

[00196] In some embodiments, the suspension of sorbent that is loaded into the ion exchange device has a solids content of less than about 0.001 % v/v (solids volume per total solution volume), of less than about 0.01 % v/v, of less than about 0.1 % v/v, of less than about 1 % v/v, of less than about 10 % v/v, of less than about 50 % v/v, of less than about 75 % v/v, of less than about 100 % v/v. In some embodiments, the suspension of sorbent that is loaded into the ion exchange device has a solids content of more than about 0.001 % v/v (solids volume per total solution volume), of more than about 0.01 % v/v, of more than about 0.1 % v/v, of more than about 1 % v/v, of more than about 10 % v/v, of more than about 50 % v/v, of more than about 75 % v/v. In some embodiments, the suspension of sorbent that is loaded into the ion exchange device has a solids content of from about 0.001 % v/v (solids volume per total solution volume) to about 0.01 % v/v, from about 0.01 % v/v to about 0.1 % v/v, of from about 0.1 % v/v to about 1 % v/v, of from about 1 % v/v to about 10 % v/v, of from about 10 % v/v to about 50 % v/v, of from about 50 % v/v to about 75 % v/v, of from 75 % v/v to about 100 % v/v. In some embodiments, the suspension of sorbent is a thick suspension. In some embodiments, said suspension of sorbents is a slurry.

[00197] In some embodiments, the said suspension of sorbent is conveyed into the filter press via a pipe. In some embodiments, said suspension of sorbent is conveyed into filter press through one inlet port. In some embodiments, said suspension of sorbent is conveyed into said lithium extraction device through one or more inlet ports. In some embodiments, said suspension of sorbent is conveyed into said lithium extraction device through two inlet ports. In some embodiments, said suspension of sorbent is conveyed into said lithium extraction device through two inlet ports that are connected to opposite ends of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, one or more of said inlet ports connect to a common piping system that is in fluid contact with all filter banks within said lithium extraction device.

[00198] In some embodiments, one or more of said inlet ports connect to a common piping system that is in fluid contact with all filter banks within said lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, one or more of said inlet ports connect to a common conduit or piping system that is in fluid contact with all filter banks within said lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, the location of the fluid conduit for said suspension is the same in all filter banks across the entire device. In some embodiments, the location of the fluid conduit for said suspension is the different in different filter banks that comprise said device. In some embodiments, the location of the fluid conduit for the sorbent is above the filter bank, below the filter bank, or off to one of the sides of the filter bank.

[00199] In some embodiments, the outlet of the conduit for conveyance of sorbent into individual filter bank is dictated by the location of the slurry inlet port in a filter plate. For the purposes of this description, the center of the filter bank is the center of symmetry of said filter bank when observed in the direction of normal fluid flow through said bed. In some embodiments, said conduit is located at the center of the filter plate. In some embodiments, said conduit is located off-center from the center of the filter plate, wherein off-center implies a location in any of the radial directions from said center. In some embodiments, the ratio (distance from the center of said filter plate to the slurry inlet) to (distance from the center of plate to the edge of said plate) is less than about 0.1, less than about 0.25, less than about 0.4, less than about 0.5, less than about 0.75, less than about 0.9. In some embodiments, the ratio In some embodiments, the ratio (distance from the center of said filter plate to the slurry inlet) to (distance from the center of plate to the edge of said plate) is more than about 0.1, more than about 0.25, more than about 0.4, more than about 0.5, more than about 0.75, more than about 0.9. In some embodiments, the ratio (distance from the center of said filter plate to the slurry inlet) to (distance from the center of plate to the edge of said plate) is from about 0.01 to about 0.1, from about 0.1 to about 0.25, from about 0.25 to about 0.4, from about 0.4 to about 0.5, from about 0.5 to about 0.75, from about 0.75 about 0.9. In some embodiments, the outlet of the conduit for conveyance of sorbent into individual filter bank is located within said filter plate towards the top, bottom, side, or comer of said filter bed. In some embodiments, the outlet of the conduit for conveyance of sorbent into individual filter bank is outside said filter bank. In some embodiments, the outlet of the conduit for conveyance of sorbent into individual filter bank is located outside the bed of sorbent, at the top, bottom, side, or comer of the lithium extraction device but outside of the bed of sorbent, wherein bed of sorbent is defined as the sorbent that absorbs lithium during operation of the device.

[00200] In some embodiments, as the suspension of sorbent is conveyed into the device and into the filter banks, the suspension flows into the compartment within the filter bank, and the solids are retained within said compartment by the filter cloth or porous partition; the fluid flows across said partition, into the flow distribution chamber, and out of the filter bank through orifices and pipes. As described herein, each filter bank comprises one or more porous partitions. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through one of said porous partitions. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through two of said porous partitions. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through one or more of said porous partitions, and out of one of the pipes that connect said filter bank to the rest of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through one or more of said porous partitions, and out of two of the pipes that connect said filter bank to the rest of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through one or more of said porous partitions, and out of three of the pipes that connect said filter bank to the rest of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through one or more of said porous partitions, and out of four of the pipes that connect said filter bank to the rest of the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, fluid flows out of said filter bank through one or more of said porous partitions, and out of more than of one of the pipes that connect said filter bank to the rest of the lithium extraction device.

[00201] In some embodiments the lithium extraction device comprising a filter press has a single inlet for conveyance of the suspension of sorbent into said filter press; such a configuration of a filter press is called a "single end feed” filter press. In some embodiments the lithium extraction device comprising a filter press has two inlets for conveyance of the suspension of sorbent into said filter press, located at opposite ends of the device; such a configuration of a filter press is called a "double-end feed” filter press.

[00202] In some embodiments, the bed of sorbent within said filter bank is filled with sorbent until the physical volume available in said filter bank is fully occupied by said sorbent. In some embodiments, the maximum fill level is determined based on the pressure required to pump the suspension of sorbent in fluid into said filter bank; when a certain pressure and pumping rate is reached, the filter banks are considered completely filled. In some embodiments, the filter banks are filled with sorbent until the pressure required to pump said suspended sorbent into said device is more than about 0.1 psi, more than about 1 psi, more than about 5 psi, more than about 10 psi, more than about 20 psi, more than about 50 psi, more than about 75 psi, more than about 100 psi, more than about 200 psi, more than about 500 psi. In some embodiments, the filter banks are filled with sorbent until the pressure required to pump said suspended sorbent into said device is less than about 0.1 psi, less than about 1 psi, less than about 5 psi, less than about 10 psi, less than about 20 psi, less than about 50 psi, less than about 75 psi, less than about 100 psi, less than about 200 psi, less than about 500 psi. In some embodiments, the filter banks are filled with sorbent until the pressure required to pump said suspended sorbent into said device is from about 0.1 psi to about 5 psi, from about 5 psi to about 10 psi, from about 10 psi to about 20 psi, from about 20 psi to about 50 psi, from about 50 psi to about 100 psi, from about 100 psi to about 250 psi, from about 250 psi to about 500 psi, from about 500 psi to about 1000 psi. [00203] In some embodiments, the filter banks are filled with sorbent until the rate at which the suspended sorbent is pumped into said device is less than about 0.1 %, less than about 1%, less than about 10 %, less than about 50 %, or less than about 75 % of the initial rate at which the suspended sorbent is pumped into said device (when said device is empty). In some embodiments, the filter banks are filled with sorbent until the rate at which the suspended sorbent is pumped into said device is more than about 0.1 %, more than about 1%, more than about 10 %, more than about 50 %, or more than about 75 % of the initial rate at which the suspended sorbent is pumped into said device (when said device is empty). In some embodiments, the filter banks are filled with sorbent until the rate at which the suspended sorbent is pumped into said device is from about 0.01 % to about 0.1 %, from about 0.1 % to about 1%, from about 1% to about 10 %, from about 10 % to about 50 %, from about 50 % to about 75 % of the initial rate at which the suspended sorbent is pumped into said device (when said device is empty).

[00204] In some embodiments, such a device is constructed by using a series of filter banks wherein the filters contain ion exchange beads. In some embodiments, such a device is constructed where multiple ion-exchange compartments are arranged vertically or horizontally. In some embodiments, such filter banks are separated to load and unloaded the ion exchange beads. In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are conveyed into the filter banks as a slurry to load the ion exchange beads into the ion exchange vessel. In some embodiments, loading of the ion exchange beads occurs in the same direction, opposite direction, orthogonal direction, or other direction relative the normal direction of flow during the ion exchange process. In some embodiments, the tension holding the filter bank together is increased, decreased, or maintained during the ion exchange process. [00205] In some embodiments, ion-exchange compartments are added or removed from the vessel by mechanical means, such that the number of ion-exchange compartments are adjusted. In some embodiments, ion-exchange compartments and their components are mechanically separated to clean out, replace, and fill in compartments and partitions between compartments. [00206] In one embodiment, the ion exchange compartment within each ion-exchange compartment is partially filled with ion exchange beads, such that ion exchange beads freely move within their containing compartment during contacting with fluid. In some embodiments, the ion exchange compartment is filled to its capacity with ion exchange beads, such that ion exchange beads are fixed in place and cannot freely move within the containing compartment during contacting with fluid. In one embodiment, the ion exchange compartment is partially filled, and becomes completely filled by the change in volume of ion exchange beads that occurs when contacting said beads with certain fluids. In some embodiments, the ion exchange compartment is configured such that ion exchange beads enter and leave the ion-exchange compartment conveyed by the fluid which they are contacting, in the top-down or down-top direction. In one embodiment, the ion exchange beads are loaded into and unloaded from said compartments through the top or bottom of the compartments, through the sides, or by mechanically separating and opening the ion-exchange compartment to expose the compartment and subsequently filling said compartment with ion-exchange beads.

[00207] In some embodiments, the typical length of the vessel containing the ion-exchange compartments is less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 100 cm, less than about 200 cm, less than about 400 cm, less than about 600 cm, less than about 800 cm, less than about 1 m, less than about 2 m, less than about 4 m, less than about 6 m, less than about 8 m, less than about 10 m, less than about 20 m, less than about 40 m. In some embodiments, the typical length of the said vessel is more than about 10 cm, more than about 20 cm, more than about 40 cm, more than about 60 cm, more than about 80 cm, more than about 100 cm, more than about 200 cm, more than about 400 cm, more than about 600 cm, more than about 800 cm, more than about 1 m, more than about 2 m, more than about 4 m, more than about 6 m, more than about 8 m, more than about 10 m, more than about 20 m, more than about 40 m. In some embodiments, the typical length of said vessel is from about 10 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 40 cm, from about 40 cm to about 80 cm, from about 80 cm to about 2 m from about 1 m to about 4 m, from about 2 m to about 8 m, from about 4 m to about 10 m, from about 6 m to about 20 m, from about 10 m to about 40 m.

[00208] In some embodiments, the devices, vessels, system, and methods described herein utilize a flow distribution compartment to optimize the flow of various liquids, solutions or gases through the devices, vessels, and systems. In some embodiments, the flow distribution compartment is an inner flow distribution compartment and/or outer flow distribution compartment. In one embodiment, the flow distribution compartment and/or ion-exchange bead compartment is empty, partially filled, or fully filled with fluid, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the flow distribution compartment and/or ion-exchange bead compartment are cylindrical, rectangular, irregular, or a combination thereof In some embodiments, the flow distribution compartment has a constant cross-sectional area or a varying cross-sectional area. [00209] In some embodiments, the filter banks comprise one or more flow distribution compartments. In some embodiments, the filter bank comprise two flow distribution compartments. In some embodiments, said flow distribution compartments comprise a flow distribution surface. In some embodiments, said flow distribution compartment comprises inlet orifices, a void, and a permeable partition In some embodiments, said void is formed between the porous partition and the flow distribution surface.

[00210] In some embodiments, the uniformity of flow across the lithium selective sorbent can be further enhanced by mechanically compressing the sorbent-bed by a deformable flow distribution surface. In some embodiments, this deformable surface optionally comprises a membrane, as described herein. In some embodiments, pressure is applied in a chamber behind the flow distribution surface. In a preferred embodiment, the combination of such mechanical compression with a membrane and the construction of the flow distribution surface enables for most optimal flow distribution across the bed of lithium-selective sorbent, thereby resulting in its optimal performance for ion exchange.

[00211] In some embodiment, said mechanical compression is applied during fluid flow. In some embodiments, said mechanical compression is applied during loading of the sorbent into the filter bank, and is not applied during operation of the device as a lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, said compression is applied during contact with a liquid resource. In some embodiments, said compression is applied during contact with a wash solution. In some embodiments, said compression is applied during contact with an acidic eluent. In some embodiments, said compression is applied at different times, wherein the time between cycles of compression and release is constant, increases with time, decreases with time, varies sinusoidally, is non-uniform, or a combination thereof.

[00212] In some embodiments, the surfaces of filter plates contain surface features to allow for an even distribution of flow of fluid across the filter cloth and into out of the filter bankin some embodiments, these surface features are shaped as circles, pips, ovals, hexagons, squares, rectangles, rectangular ovals, spheres, grooves, flat surfaces, uneven surfaces, stars, dimples, other geometric shapes, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said features have a protrusion from the surface of less than about 1 mm, less than about 2 mm, less than about 5 mm, less than about 10 mm, less than about 20 mm, less than about 30 mm, less than about 40 mm, less than about 50 mm, less than about 60 mm, less than about 70 mm, less than about 80 mm, less than about 90 mm, less than about 100 mm. In some embodiments, said features have a protrusion from the surface of more than about 1 mm, more than about 2 mm, more than about 5 mm, more than about 10 mm, more than about 20 mm, more than about 30 mm, more than about 40 mm, more than about 50 mm, more than about 60 mm, more than about 70 mm, more than about 80 mm, more than about 90 mm, more than about 100 mm. In some embodiments, said features have a protrusion from the surface of about 1 mm to about 2 mm, from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, from about 4 mm to about 10 mm, from about 10 mm to about 20 mm. In some embodiments, said features have a length of less than about 1 cm, less than about 2 cm, less than about 5 cm, less than about 10 cm, less than about 20 cm, less than about 30 cm, less than about 40 cm, less than about 50 cm, less than about 60 cm, less than about 70 cm, less than about 80 cm, less than about 90 cm, less than about 100 cm, less than about 200 cm, less than about 500 cm, less than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said features have a length of more than about 1 cm, more than about 2 cm, more than about 5 cm, more than about 10 cm, more than about 20 cm, more than about 30 cm, more than about 40 cm, more than about 50 cm, more than about 60 cm, more than about 70 cm, more than about 80 cm, more than about 90 cm, more than about 100 cm, more than about 200 cm, more than about 500 cm, more than about 10 m. In some embodiments, said features have a length of about 1 cm to about 2 cm, from about 2 cm to about 4 cm, from about 4 cm to about 10 cm, from about 10 cm to about 20 cm, from about 20 cm to about 50 cm, from about 50 cm to about 100 cm, from about 100 cm to about 200 cm, from about 200 cm to about 10 m.

[00213] In some embodiments, the shape of said flow distribution surface conforms to the shape of the filter bank. In some embodiments, the shape of said flow distribution surface conforms to the shape of the porous partition. In some embodiments, the shape of said flow distribution surface conforms to the shape of the sorbent cake or bed.

[00214] In some embodiments, the filter plates comprise structural supports, fasteners, beams, adhesives, compression fittings, gaskets or other structural components for fastening of all components of the filter bank. In some embodiments, the filter plates comprise pipes, tubes, conduits, conducts, and orifices that direct flow into individual filter banks.

[00215] In some embodiments, the filter press is constructed to facilitate the flow of a liquid through the filter bank. In some embodiments, such a liquid flow is enabled by the construction of the filter bank. In some embodiments, the filter plates are constructed to facilitate their manufacturing, while enabling facile assembly into a filter press comprising multiple filter banks.

[00216] In some embodiments, the fluid conduits that deliver and remove fluid flow to and from the flow distribution compartments, chambers, and surfaces described above, are configured to uniformly distribute flow across the bed of lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said fluid conduits comprise orifices.

[00217] In some embodiments, the fluid flown in this manner is a liquid resource comprising lithium, such that the lithium-selective sorbent absorbs lithium from said liquid resource. In some embodiments, the fluid flown in this manner is a wash solution comprising water, such that entrained fluids are removed from the bed of lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, the lithium selective sorbent is an ion exchange material and the fluid flown in this manner is an acidic eluent solution comprising protons, such that the lithium selective sorbent releases lithium while absorbing protons. In some embodiments, the fluid flown in this manner is water, such that the lithium selective sorbent releases lithium. In some embodiments, the flows described herein are alternated through the same ion exchange material that is held within the filter bank.

[00218] In some embodiments, the fluid flown is a liquid. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is less than about 1 mL/min, less than about 10 mL/min, less than about 100 mL/min, less than about 1 L/min, less than about 10 L/min, less than about 100 L/min, less than about 1,000 L/min, less than about 10,000 L/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is more than about 1 mL/min, more than about 10 mL/min, more than about 100 mL/min, more than about 1 L/min, more than about 10 L/min, more than about 100 L/min, more than about 1,000 L/min, more than about 10,000 L/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is from about 1 mL/min to about 10 mL/min, from about 10 mL/min to about 100 mL/min, from about 100 mL/min to about 1 L/min, from about 1 L/min to about 10 L/min, from about 10 L/min to about 100 L/min, from about 100 L/min to about 1,000 L/min, from about 1,000 L/min to about 10,000 L/min.

[00219] In some embodiments, the fluid flown is a liquid. In some embodiments, the ratio of volume of lithium-selective sorbent to flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent, which has units of time, indicates the characteristic contact time of fluid with the bed of lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said characteristic contact time is less than about 1 second, less than about 10 seconds, less than about 1 minute, less than about 5 minutes, less than about 10 minutes, less than about 1 hours, less than about 10 hours, less than about 1 day. In some embodiments, said characteristic contact time is more than about 1 second, more than about 10 seconds, more than about 1 minute, more than about 5 minutes, more than about 10 minutes, more than about 1 hours, more than about 10 hours, more than about 1 day. In some embodiments, said characteristic contact time is from about 0.1 second to about 1 second, from about 1 second to about 10 seconds, from about 10 seconds to about 1 minute, from about 1 minute to about 5 minutes, from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes, from about 10 minutes to about 1 hours, from about 1 hours to about 10 hours, from about 1 hours to about 1 day.

[00220] In some embodiments, the fluid flown is a liquid. In some embodiments, the ratio of volume of flow rate of fluid through the bed to the surface area of the bed, which has units of length per time, indicates the characteristic flux of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said characteristic flux is less than about 1 mm/min, less than 1 cm/min, less than about 10 cm/min, less than about 1 m/min, less than about 10 m/min, less than about 100 m/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is more than about 1 mm/min, more than 1 cm/min, more than about 10 cm/min, more than about 1 m/min, more than about 10 m/min, more than about 100 m/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is from about 0.1 mm/min to about 1 mm/min, from about 1 mm/min to about 1 cm/min, from about 1 cm/min to about 10 cm/min, from about 10 cm/min to about 1 m/min, from about 1 m/min to about 10 m/min, from about 10 m/min to about 100 m/min.

[00221] In some embodiments, the fluid flown is a gas. In some embodiments, said gas is air, nitrogen, argon, or a different gas. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is less than about 1 mL/min, less than about 10 mL/min, less than about 100 mL/min, less than about 1 L/min, less than about 10 L/min, less than about 100 L/min, less than about 1,000 L/min, less than about 10,000 L/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is more than about 1 mL/min, more than about 10 mL/min, more than about 100 mL/min, more than about 1 L/min, more than about 10 L/min, more than about 100 L/min, more than about 1,000 L/min, more than about 10,000 L/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is from about 1 mL/min to about 10 mL/min, from about 10 mL/min to about 100 mL/min, from about 100 mL/min to about 1 L/min, from about 1 L/min to about 10 L/min, from about 10 L/min to about 100 L/min, from about 100 L/min to about 1,000 L/min, from about 1,000 L/min to about 10,000 L/min.

[00222] In some embodiments, the fluid flown is a gas. In some embodiments, said gas is air, nitrogen, argon, or a different gas. In some embodiments, the ratio of volume of lithiumselective sorbent to flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent, which has units of time, indicates the characteristic contact time of fluid with the bed of lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said characteristic contact time is less than about 1 second, less than about 10 seconds, less than about 1 minute, less than about 5 minutes, less than about 10 minutes, less than about 1 hours, less than about 10 hours, less than about 1 day. In some embodiments, said characteristic contact time is more than about 1 second, more than about 10 seconds, more than about 1 minute, more than about 5 minutes, more than about 10 minutes, more than about 1 hours, more than about 10 hours, more than about 1 day. In some embodiments, said characteristic contact time is from about 0.1 second to about 1 second, from about 1 second to about 10 seconds, from about 10 seconds to about 1 minute, from about 1 minute to about 5 minutes, from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes, from about 10 minutes to about 1 hours, from about 1 hours to about 10 hours, from about 1 hours to about 1 day.

[00223] In some embodiments, the fluid flown is a gas. In some embodiments, said gas is air, nitrogen, argon, or a different gas. In some embodiments, the ratio of volume of flow rate of fluid through the bed to the surface area of the bed, which has units of length per time, indicates the characteristic flux of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, said characteristic flux is less than about 1 mm/min, less than 1 cm/min, less than about 10 cm/min, less than about 1 m/min, less than about 10 m/min, less than about 100 m/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is more than about 1 mm/min, more than 1 cm/min, more than about 10 cm/min, more than about 1 m/min, more than about 10 m/min, more than about 100 m/min. In some embodiments, the flow rate of fluid through the bed of lithium selective sorbent in one filter bank is from about 0.1 mm/min to about 1 mm/min, from about 1 mm/min to about 1 cm/min, from about 1 cm/min to about 10 cm/min, from about 10 cm/min to about 1 m/min, from about 1 m/min to about 10 m/min, from about 10 m/min to about 100 m/min.

[00224] In some embodiments, the pressure applied to flow said fluid across the ion-exchange bed is less than 5 psi, less than 25 psi, less than 50 psi, less than 100 psi, less than 150 psi, less than 250 psi, or less than 500 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to flow said fluid across the ion-exchange bed is more than 5 psi, more than 25 psi, more than 50 psi, more than 100 psi, more than 150 psi, more than 250 psi, or more than 500 psi. In some embodiments, the pressure applied to flow said fluid across the ion-exchange bed is from about 1 psi to about 5 psi, from about 5 psi to about 25 psi, from about 25 psi to about 50 psi, from about 50 psi to about 100 psi, from about 100 psi to about 150 psi, from about 150 psi to about 250 psi, from about 250 psi to about 500 psi.

[00225] In some embodiments, the filter press comprises multiple filter banks. In some embodiments, when operation of the device is complete, filter plates are separated such that an individual filter bank is exposed, thereby allowing the sorbent contained in said filter bank to fall of said filter bank by gravity. In some embodiments, this discharges the lithium-selective sorbents contained in said device. In some embodiments, such a separation requires for the pressure holding the stack of filter plates together to be released. In some embodiments, once this pressure is released, an operator physically separates each plate from the next. In some embodiments, once this pressure is released, an automated system physically separates all plates simultaneously. In some embodiments, once this pressure is released, an operator positions an automated system that separates one plate at a time.

[00226] In some embodiments, a solid receiving device is position below the lithium- extraction device, such that said device contains the discharged material, and such that said discharged material can be subsequently conveyed away. In some embodiments, said solids receiving device is a tray, a hopper, a fork liftable hopper. In some embodiments, said discharged material are received by a drip tray, which is fitted with a motor to open downwards, thereby allowing said solids to be discharged to a second system. In some embodiments, a conveyor belt is positioned below the filter press, such that the solids can be automatically removed and conveyed away after discharge. In some embodiments, the filter press is positioned above a tank, such that the solids can fall directly into said tank after discharge. In some embodiments, the filter press is positioned above an agitated tank. In some embodiments, the filter press is positioned above a tank containing a liquid resource comprising lithium, such that the discharged lithium-selective sorbent absorbs lithium when discharged from the device into the tank. In some embodiments, the filter press is positioned above a tank containing an acidic eluent, such that the discharged lithium-selective sorbent releases lithium when discharged from the device into the tank. In some embodiments, the filter press is positioned above a tank containing a wash solution, such that the discharged lithium-selective sorbent is washed when discharged from the device.

[00227] In some embodiments, the solid sorbent is discharged from the device about once per year, about once per month, about once per week, about once per day, about twice per day, about three times per day, about one time per hour, about twice per hour, or about five times per hour. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is discharged in coordination with the lithium extraction process. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is discharged after it has contacted a liquid resource containing lithium. In some embodiments, the lithiumselective sorbent is discharged after it is saturated with lithium, having contacted a liquid resource containing lithium. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is discharged after a certain amount of contact time with a lithium containing liquid resource. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is discharged after it has contacted a wash solution. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is discharged after it has contacted an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, said aqueous solution releases the lithium contained in said lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, the lithium-selective sorbent is discharged after it has contacted an acidic eluent solution, such that lithium from said sorbent has been released.

[00228] In some embodiments, the filter press is filled with a lithium selective sorbent. In some embodiments, the volume of sorbent that is contained within said device is less than about 1 mL, less than about 10 mL, less than about 100 mL, less than about 1 L, less than about 10 L, less than about 100 L, less than about 1 cubic meter, less than about 10 cubic meters, less than about 100 cubic meters, less than about 1,000 cubic meters, or less than about 10,000 cubic meters. In some embodiments, the volume of sorbent that is contained within said device is more than about 1 mL, more than about 10 mL, more than about 100 mL, more than about 1 L, more than about 10 L, more than about 100 L, more than about 1 cubic meter, more than about 10 cubic meters, more than about 100 cubic meters, more than about 1,000 cubic meters, or more than about 10,000 cubic meters. In some embodiments, the volume of sorbent that is contained within said device is from about 0.1 mL to about 1 mL, from about 1 mL to about 10 mL, from about 10 mL to about 100 mL, from about 100 mL to about 1 L, from about 1 L to about 10 L, from about 10 L to about 100 L, from about 100 L to about 1 cubic meter, from about 1 cubic meter to about 10 cubic meters, from about 10 cubic meters to about 100 cubic meters, from about 100 cubic meters to about 1,000 cubic meters, or from about 1,000 cubic meters to about 10,000 cubic meters.

[00229] In some embodiments, the amount of lithium-selective sorbent that can be contained said device can be adjusted by positioning a “back up plate” device. In some embodiments, said “back up plate” device comprises a plate that is connected to the rest of the piping in the lithium extraction device on only one side, and is not connected to the pipe that conveys the lithium selective sorbent into the device. In some embodiments, the effect of this “back up plate” is to not allow any solids of fluid flow to filters located beyond the back up late. In some embodiments, this splits the filter press into two sections, one with fluid connection, and another without, such that only a section of the filter press is being used. In some embodiments, this constitutes a method to adjust the total volume of solids that are contained within the filter press, while using the same device.

[00230] In some embodiments, said backup plate splits the filter press into two sections. In some embodiments, when said filter press has process connections from both sides, a backup plate can be positions such that two sides of the same press can be used for independent fluid flows. In some embodiments, this allows two sections of the filter press to be configured to be in different stages of the ion-exchange process simultaneously. In some embodiments, this allows for lower down-time and higher lithium productivity of the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, one or more dividing plates are positioned within the device, wherein said dividing plate is constructed such that fluid that exits from one section of the filter press is sent to the inlet of a subsequent section of the filter press. In some embodiments, one such plate is present in the filter press In some embodiments, two or more sch plates are present in the filter press.

Recirculating Batch System

[00231] In one embodiment of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprises a recirculating batch system comprising a column containing ion exchange material that is connected to one or more tanks for mixing base into the liquid resource, settling out any precipitates that may form following base addition to the liquid resource, and storing the liquid resource prior to reinjection of the liquid resource into the column or the one or more tanks. In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, the liquid resource is loaded into the one or more tanks, pumped through the column, pumped through the one or more tanks, and then returned to the column in a loop. In one embodiment, the liquid resource optionally traverses this loop repeatedly. In one embodiment, the liquid resource is configured to recirulate through the column to enable lithium uptake by the ion exchange material. In one embodiment, base is added to the liquid resource such that the pH of the liquid resource adjusted to be within a range that is ideal, preferred, or suitable for lithium uptake by ion exchange material. In one embodiment, base is added to the liquid resource such that the pH of the liquid resource is adjusted to be within a range that minimizes the amount of precipitates in the column.

[00232] In one embodiment, as the liquid resource is pumped through the recirculating batch system, the pH of the liquid resource drops in the column due to hydrogen release from the ion exchange material during lithium uptake, and the pH of the liquid resource is adjusted upward by the addition of base as a solid, aqueous solution, or another form. In one embodiment, the column drives the ion exchange reaction to near completion, and the pH of the liquid resource leaving the column approaches the pH of the liquid resource entering the column. In one embodiment, the amount of base added to the liquid resource in the column is modulated to neutralize the hydrogen released by the ion exchange material while preventing the formation of precipitates. In one embodiment, an excess of base or a transient excess of base is added to the liquid resource in the column in such a way that precipitates form. In one embodiment, precipitates form transiently in the column and then are redissolved partially or fully by the hydrogen that is released from the ion exchange material within the column. In some embodiments of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, base is added to the liquid resource prior to the liquid resource entering the column, after the liquid resource has exited the column, prior to the liquid resource entering one or more tanks, or after the liquid resource has exited one or more tanks.

[00233] In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, the one or more tanks comprise a mixing tank where base is mixed with the liquid resource. In one embodiment, the one or more tanks comprise a settling tank, wherein precipitates such as Mg(OH)2 optionally settle to the bottom of the settling tank to avoid injection of the precipitates into the column. In one embodiment, the one or more tanks comprise a storage tank wherein the liquid resource is stored prior to reinjection into the ion exchange column, mixing tank, settling tank, or other one or more tanks. In one embodiment, the one or more tanks comprise an acid recirculation tank. In one embodiment, one or more tanks in the recirculating batch system can serve a combination of purposes including as a base mixing tank, a settling tank, a acid recirculation tank, or a storage tank. In some embodiments, any one or more tanks cannot fulfill two functions at the same time. As one non-limiting example, a tank cannot simultaneously fulfill the functions of a mixing tank and a settling tank.

[00234] In some embodiments, the recirculating batch system comprises a mixing tank that comprises a continuous stirrer. In some embodiments, the recirculating batch system is configured such that liquid resource and base or a combination thereof is added to the mixing tank. In some embodiments, the continuous stirrer comprises a static mixer, a paddle mixer, or a turbine impeller mixer. In some embodiments, the continuous stirrer comprises the mixing tank being configured such that liquid resource and base input at the top of the tank become mixed prior to reaching the bottom of the mixing tank. In some embodiments, the base is added to the mixing tank as a solid or as an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the base is added to the mixing tank continuously at a constant rate or at a variable rate. In one embodiment, the base is added to the mixing tank discretely in constant or variable aliquots or batches. In one embodiment, the quantity of base added to the mixing tank corresponds to the measurement of one or more pH meters, which optionally sample liquid resource downstream of the ion exchange device or elsewhere in the recirculating batch system. In one embodiment, filters are optionally used to prevent precipitates from leaving the mixing tank. In one embodiment, the filters are optionally plastic mesh screens, packed columns containing granular media such as sand, silica, or alumina, packed columns containing porous filter media, or a membrane.

[00235] In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, the settling tank is optionally a settling tank with influent at bottom and effluent at top or a settling tank with influent on one end and effluent on another end. In one embodiment, chambered weirs are used to fully settle precipitates before liquid resource is recirculated into a reactor. In one embodiment, solid precipitates are collected at the bottom of the settling tank and recirculated into the mixing tank. In one embodiment, precipitates such as Mg(0H)2 settle near the bottom of the settling tank. In one embodiment, liquid resource is removed from the top of the settling tank, preferably wherein the amount of suspended precipitates is minimal. In one embodiment, the precipitates settle under forces such as gravity, centrifugal action, or other forces. In one embodiment, filters are used to prevent precipitates from leaving the settling tank. In one embodiment, the filters are plastic mesh screens, small packed columns containing granular media such as sand, silica, or alumina, small packed columns containing porous media filter, or a membrane. In one embodiment, baffles are optionally used to ensure settling of the precipitate and to prevent the precipitate from exiting the settling tank and entering the column.

[00236] In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, precipitates are collected from the settling tank and combined with the liquid resource in a mixing tank or elsewhere to adjust the pH of the liquid resource.

[00237] In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, one or more ion exchange columns are optionally connected to one or more tanks or set of tanks. In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, there are multiple ion exchange columns recirculating liquid resource through a shared set of mixing, settling, and storage tanks. In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, there is optionally one ion exchange column recirculating liquid resource through multiple sets of mixing, settling, and storage tanks.

Column Interchange System

[00238] An aspect of the invention described herein is a system wherein ion exchange material is loaded into a plurality of columns. In some embodiments, the pH modulating unit comprises a plurality of tanks connected to the plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of tanks is immediately connected to one of the plurality of columns. In some embodiments, two or more of the plurality of tanks connected to the plurality of columns forms at least one circuit. In some embodiments, three or more of the plurality of tanks connected to the plurality of columns forms at least two circuits. In some embodiments, three or more of the plurality of tanks connected to the plurality of columns forms at least three circuits. In some embodiments, at least one circuit is a liquid resource circuit. In some embodiments, at least one circuit is a water washing circuit. In some embodiments, at least one circuit is an acid circuit, wherein the acid is an acid eluent. In some embodiments, at least two circuits are water washing circuits. [00239] In one embodiment of a system for lithium recovery, the system comprises a column interchange system wherein a series of columns are connected to form a liquid resource circuit, an acid circuit, a water washing circuit, and optionally other circuits containing process fluids In one embodiment of the liquid resource circuit, liquid resource flows through a first column in the liquid resource circuit, then into a next column in the liquid resource circuit, and so on, such that lithium is removed from the liquid resource by ion exchange as the liquid resource flows through one or more columns that contain ion exchange material. In one embodiment of the liquid resource circuit, base is added to the liquid resource before or after each column or selected columns in the liquid resource circuit to maintain the pH of the liquid resource in an ideal, preferred, or suitable range for lithium uptake by ion exchange material. In one embodiment of the acid circuit, acid flows through a first column in the acid circuit, then into a next column in the acid circuit, and so on, such that lithium is eluted from the columns with acid eluent to produce a synthetic lithium solution. In one embodiment of the acid circuit, acid flows through a first column in the acid circuit, then optionally into a next column in the acid circuit, and so on, such that lithium is eluted from the columns with acid eluent to produce a synthetic lithium solution. In one embodiment of the water washing circuit, water flows through a first column in the water washing circuit, then optionally into a next column in the water washing circuit, and so on, such that liquid resource or raffinate in the void space, pore space, or head space of the columns and the ion exchange material therein is washed out.

[00240] In one embodiment of the column interchange system, columns are interchanged such that each column is a fluid component of the liquid resource circuit, the water washing circuit, and the acid circuit at selected stages or points in time. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material within the first column of the liquid resource circuit are loaded with lithium by passing a sufficient quantity of liquid resource through the first column, and then the first column is interchanged be a fluid component of the water washing circuit to remove liquid resource and/or raffinate from the void space, pore space, or head space of the first column and the ion exchange material therein. In one embodiment, the first column in the water washing circuit is washed to remove liquid resource and/or raffinate therein, and then the first column is interchanged to be a fluid component of the acid circuit, wherein lithium is eluted from the ion exchange material in the column with acid to yield a synthetic lithium solution. In one embodiment, acid or acid eluent is passed through the first column in the acid circuit and then then interchanged to be a fluid component of the liquid resource circuit, wherein the ion exchange material inside the column absorbs lithium from the liquid resource. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, two water washing circuits are used to wash the columns after both the liquid resource circuit and the acid circuit. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the columns are interchanged to be a fluid component of the water washing circuit only after the columns have been a fluid component of the liquid resource circuit, such that a column that is a fluid component of the acid circuit is not typically interchanged to be a fluid component of the water washing circuit. In some embodiments of the column interchange system, excess acid in the column after a column has been a fluid component of the acid circuit is typically neutralized once the column is interchanged to be a fluid component of the liquid resource circuit and liquid resource is flowed through the column. [00241] In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the first column in the liquid resource circuit is interchanged to become the last column in the water washing circuit. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the first column in the water washing circuit is interchanged to become the last column in the acid circuit. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the first column in the acid circuit is interchanged to become the last column in the liquid resource circuit.

[00242] In one embodiment of the column interchange system, each column in the liquid resource circuit contains one or more tanks or junctions that allow for adding base into the liquid resource and optionally settling any precipitates that may form following base addition to the liquid resource. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, each column in the liquid resource circuit has an associated one or more tanks or junctions for removing precipitates or other particles via settling or filtration. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, each column or plurality of columns has an associated one or more settling tanks or filters that remove particulates including particulates that detach from ion exchange material, forms thereof, or constructs comprised thereof.

[00243] In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the liquid resource circuit comprises a number of the columns that is optionally less than about 3, less than about 10, less than about 30, or less than about 100. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the acid circuit comprises a number of the columns that is optionally less than about 3, less than about 10, less than about 30, or less than about 100. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the water washing circuit comprises a number of the columns that is optionally less than about 3, less than about 10, less than about 30, or less than about 100. In certain embodiments, the liquid resource circuit comprises a number of columns in the inclusive range of 1 to 10. In certain embodiments, the acid circuit comprises a number of columns in the inclusive range of 1 to 10. In certain embodiments, the water washing circuit comprises a number of columns in the inclusive range of 1 to 10.

[00244] In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the column interchange system comprises one or more liquid resource circuits, one or more acid circuits, and one or more water washing circuits. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the ion exchange material within the columns is removed and replaced with a separate portion of ion exchange material without interruption to operation of the circuits within the column interchange system. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the ion exchange material within the columns is removed following its useful lifetime and replaced with a separate portion of ion exchange material that is within its useful lifetime without interruption to operation of the circuits within the column interchange system.

[00245] In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the columns contain fluidized beds of ion exchange material. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the columns comprise means of fluidizing or maintaining the fluidity of a bed of ion exchange material. In some embodiments, means of fluidizing or maintaining the fluidity of a bed of ion exchange material comprise one or more overhead stirrers and/or one or more pumps. In one embodiment of the column interchange system, the columns contain fluidized beds of ion exchange material.

[00246] In one embodiment of a system for lithium recovery, ion exchange material is loaded into columns and following the uptake of lithium from a liquid resource by the ion exchange material, lithium is eluted from the column using an acid recirculation loop. In one embodiment of the acid recirculation loop, acid is flowed through an ion exchange column, into a tank, and then recirculated through the ion exchange column to optimize lithium elution. In some embodiments of the ion exchange system, ion exchange material is loaded into ion exchange columns and following lithium uptake from liquid resource, lithium is eluted from each ion exchange column using a once-through flow of acid. In some embodiments of the ion exchange system, ion exchange material is loaded into an ion exchange column and following lithium uptake from liquid resource, lithium is eluted from the ion exchange column using a column interchange circuit.

[00247] In some embodiments of the ion exchange system, ion exchange columns are loaded with lithium by flowing liquid resource through the columns using a recirculating batch system and then lithium is eluted from the columns using a column interchange system. In some embodiments of the ion exchange system, ion exchange columns are loaded with lithium by flowing liquid resource through the columns using a column interchange system and then lithium is eluted from the columns using a recirculating batch system. In some embodiments of the ion exchange system, ion exchange columns are loaded with lithium by flowing liquid resource through the columns using a recirculating batch system and then lithium is eluted from the columns using a recirculating batch system. In some embodiments of the ion exchange system, ion exchange columns are loaded with lithium by flowing liquid resource through the columns using a column interchange system and then lithium is eluted from the columns using a column interchange system.

Stirred Tank System

[00248] An aspect of the invention described herein is a system for lithium recovery wherein the pH modulating unit is a tank comprising: a) one or more compartments; and b) means for moving the liquid resource through the one or more compartments. In an embodiment, ion exchange material is loaded in at least one compartment of the pH modulating unit. In an embodiment, the means for moving the liquid resource through the one or more compartments is a pipe. In a further embodiment, the means for moving the liquid resource through the one or more compartments is a pipe and suitably a configured pump. In an embodiment, the tank further comprises a means for circulating the liquid resource throughout the tank. In an embodiment, the means for circulating the liquid resource throughout the tank is a mixing device. In an embodiment, the tank further comprises an injection port. In some embodiments, the tank further comprises one or more injection ports. In some embodiments, the tank further comprises a plurality of injection ports.

[00249] An aspect described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprising a tank, wherein the tank further comprises: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange material; c) a mixing device; and d) a pH modulating unit for adjusting the pH of the liquid within the system, wherein the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource in an ion exchange process. In one embodiment, the pH modulating unit adjusts the pH of the liquid resource in the system. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is loaded into at least one of the one or more compartments of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is fluidized in at least one of the one or more compartments of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is non-fluidized in at least one of the one or more compartments of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material occupies a fixed position in at least one of the one or more compartments of the tank.

[00250] In some embodiments, the pH modulating unit comprises a pH measuring device and an inlet for adding base to a liquid inside the pH modulating unit. In some embodiments, the pH measuring device is a pH probe. In some embodiments, the inlet is a pipe. In some embodiments, the inlet is an injection port.

[00251] In some embodiments, the tank further comprises a porous partition. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a porous polymer partition. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a mesh or membrane. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a polymer mesh or polymer membrane. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises one or more layers of mesh, membrane, or other porous structure. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises one or more coarse meshes that provide structural support and one or more fine meshes and/or membranes selected to enable filtration or a filtering action. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a polyether ether ketone mesh, a polypropylene mesh, a polyethylene mesh, a polysulfone mesh, a polyester mesh, a polyamide mesh, a polytetrafluoroethylene mesh, an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer mesh, a stainless steel mesh, a stainless steel mesh coated in polymer, a stainless steel mesh coated in ceramic, or a combination thereof, wherein the mesh is a course mesh, a fine mesh, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the porous polymer partition comprises a mesh comprising one or more blends of two or more of a polyether ether ketone, a polypropylene, a polyethylene, a polysulfone, a polyester, a polyamide, a polytetrafluoroethylene, or an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a polyether ether ketone membrane, a polypropylene membrane, a polyethylene membrane, a polysulfone membrane, a polyester membrane, a polyamide membrane, a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer membrane, or combinations thereof.

[00252] In some embodiments of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system comprises a stirred tank system comprised of a tank containing liquid resource and permeable bead compartments such as permeable pallets, cases, boxes, or other containers, wherein the bead permeable compartments are loaded with ion exchange beads and the liquid resource is added to, stirred throughout, and removed from the tank in a batch process. In one embodiment of the stirred tank system, base is added directly to the tank gradually, in separate aliquots, at a constant rate or a variable rate, or in a single aliquot as a solid or in an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the stirred tank system is configured to operate in a batch process, wherein the batch process comprises an extraction stage and an elution stage. In some embodiments, the extraction stage comprises the uptake of lithium from the liquid resource by the ion exchange beads within the permeable bead compartments, such that the liquid resource becomes depleted in lithium and the ion exchange beads become enriched in lithium. In some embodiments, the elution stage comprises the release of lithium from the ion exchange beads within the permeable bead compartments into an eluent. In some embodiments an eluent is an acid or an acid eluent. In one embodiment, the stirred tank system comprises one or more additional tanks and the permeable bead containers are placed into the one or more additional tanks for the elution stage. In one embodiment of the stirred tank system, the permeable bead compartments are located at the bottom of the tank during the extraction stage, and after the extraction stage is completed, the liquid resource is removed, and the tank is filled eluent in such a way that the permeable bead compartments are in contact with a volume of eluent that is sufficient to carry out the elution stage.

[00253] In some embodiments of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system comprises a stirred tank system wherein ion exchange beads are suspended using plastic structural supports in a tank with an internal mixing device. In some embodiments, the stirred tank system is configured to operate in a batch process, wherein the batch process comprises an extraction stage and an elution stage. In some embodiments, the extraction stage comprises the uptake of lithium from the liquid resource by the ion exchange beads, such that the liquid resource becomes depleted in lithium and the ion exchange beads become enriched in lithium. In some embodiments, the elution stage comprises the release of lithium from the ion exchange beads into an eluent. In some embodiments an eluent is an acid or an acid eluent. In one embodiment of the stirred tank system, liquid resource is removed from the tank and passed through a column wherein hydrogen ions in the liquid resource are neutralized using base provided as a solution, as a solid, or as an ion exchange resin to yield a pH-corrected stream. In some embodiment, the pH-corrected stream is input back into the stirred tank system. In one embodiment of the stirred tank system, liquid resource that has passed through the tank containing ion exchange beads is returned to the opposite end of the tank through a pipe that is optionally internal or external to the tank. In one embodiment of the stirred tank system, base is optionally added to the liquid resource inside the tank or added to a separate base addition tank that is outside the tank.

[00254] In some embodiments of the stirred tank system, the stirred tank system is configured to operate in a continuous process instead of a batch process. In some embodiments, the continuous process comprises continuous addition and removal of liquid resource from the stirred tank system. In one embodiment of the recirculating batch system, the recirculating batch system is configured to operate in a continuous process instead of a batch process.

[00255] In one embodiment of the ion exchange device, liquid resource is combined with ion exchange beads in a stirred tank reactor. In one embodiment, the ion exchange beads are comprised of coated particles, uncoated particles, porous beads, or combinations thereof.

[00256] In one embodiment of the ion exchange device, a stirred tank reactor is used to fluidize the ion exchange material in a liquid resource to enable absorption of lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material. In one embodiment, a stirred tank reactor is used to fluidize the ion exchange material in a washing fluid to remove residual liquid resource, acid, process fluids, contaminants, or combinations thereof from the ion exchange materials. In one embodiment, a stirred tank reactor is used to fluidize the ion exchange material in an acid eluent to elute lithium from the ion exchange beads while replacing the lithium in the ion exchange material with protons. In one embodiment, a single stirred tank reactor is used to mix ion exchange material sequentially and repetitively with a liquid resource, washing fluid, and acid. [00257] In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprises a tank, wherein the tank further comprises: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange material; c) a mixing device; and d) a pH modulating unit for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system, wherein the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource, further comprises another tank, wherein the other tank further comprises: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange beads; c) a mixing device; and d) a pH modulating unit for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system. In some embodiments, the tank is in fluid communication with the other tank.

[00258] In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprises a tank, wherein the system further comprises another tank, wherein the other tank further comprises: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange material; c) a mixing device; and d) an acid inlet for adding acid to the system. In a further embodiment, the ion exchange material is moved between the tank and the other tank.

[00259] In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprises a tank, wherein the tank further comprises: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange material; c) a mixing device; and d) a pH modulating unit for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system, wherein the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource, further comprises a plurality of tanks, each tank further comprising: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange material; c) a mixing device; and d) a pH modulating unit for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system. In some embodiments, each tank of the system is in fluid communication with each other tank of the system.

[00260] In some embodiments, the system further comprises another plurality of tanks, wherein each tank further comprises: a) one or more compartments; b) ion exchange material; and c) a mixing device.

[00261] In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource is configured to operate in a batch mode. In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource is configured to operate in a continuous mode. In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource is configured to operate in a batch mode and a continuous mode. In some embodiments, one or more tanks in the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource are configured to operate in a batch mode and one or more tanks in the system are configured to operate in a continuous mode. In some embodiments, one or more tanks in the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource are configured to operate in a batch mode and one or more tanks in the system are configured to operate in a semi -continuous mode. In some embodiments, one or more tanks in the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource are configured to operate in a semi-continuous mode and one or more tanks in the system are configured to operate in a continuous mode In some embodiments, one or more tanks in the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource are configured to operate in a batch mode, one or more tanks in the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource are configured to operate in a semi-continuous mode, and one or more tanks in the system are configured to operate in a continuous mode. In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource is configured to operate in a semi-continuous mode, a batch mode, a continuous mode, or combinations thereof.

[00262] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, a plurality of stirred tank reactors are used to mix ion exchange material with a liquid resource, washing fluid, and acid eluent. In one embodiment, the stirred tank reactors are different sizes and can contain different volumes of a liquid resource, washing fluid, and acid eluent. In one embodiment, the stirred tanks are cylindrical, conical, rectangular, pyramidal, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the ion exchange material moves through the plurality of stirred tank reactors in the opposite direction of the liquid resource, the washing fluid, or the acid eluent.

[00263] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, a plurality of stirred tank reactors is used where one or more stirred tank reactors mix the ion exchange material with a liquid resource, one or more stirred tank reactors mix the ion exchange material with a washing fluid, and one or more stirred tank reactors mix the ion exchange material with an acid eluent.

[00264] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, stirred tank reactors are operated in a continuous, semi-continuous, or batch mode where a liquid resource flows continuously, semi -continuously, or batch-wise through the stirred tank reactor. In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, stirred tank reactors are operated in a continuous, semi-continuous, or batch mode where the ion exchange material flows continuously, semi-continuously, or batch-wise through the stirred tank reactor. In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, stirred tank reactors are operated in a mode where the ion exchange material remain in the tank while flows of liquid resource, washing fluid, or acid eluent are flowed through the tank in continuous, semi- continuous, or batch flows.

[00265] In one embodiment, ion exchange material is loaded into or removed from the stirred tank reactors through the top, the bottom, or the side of the tank. [00266] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, stirred tank reactors comprise one or more compartments. In one embodiment, the compartments contain ion exchange material in a bed that is fluidized, fixed, partially fluidized, partially fixed, alternatively fluidized, alternatively fixed, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the compartments are comprised of a porous support at the bottom of the compartment, the sizes of the compartment, the top of the compartment, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the compartments are conical, cylindrical, rectangular, pyramidal, other shapes, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the compartment is located at the bottom of the tank. In one embodiment, the shape of the compartment conforms to the shape of the stirred tank reactor. In one embodiment, the compartment is partially or fully comprised of the tank of the stirred tank reactor.

[00267] In one embodiment, the compartment is comprised of a porous structure. In one embodiment, the compartment is comprised of a polymer, a ceramic, a metal, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the compartment is comprised be comprised partially or fully of a porous material or a mesh. In one embodiment, the compartment is at the top of the tank. In one embodiment, the compartment is separated from the rest of the tank with one or more porous materials. In one embodiment, the compartment is at the top of the tank. In one embodiment, the compartment is separated from the rest of the tank with a bilayer mesh comprising one layer of coarse mesh for strength and one layer of fine mesh to contain smaller particles in the compartment. In one embodiment, the compartment allows liquid or process fluid to flow freely through the stirred tank reactor and through the compartment. In one embodiment, the compartment is open on the top. In one embodiment, the compartment contains the ion exchange material in the tank but allow the ion exchange material to move throughout the tank. In one embodiment, the compartment comprises a majority or minority of the tank volume. In one embodiment, the compartment represents a fraction of the volume of the tank that is greater than 1 percent, greater than 10 percent, greater than 50 percent, greater than 90 percent, greater than 99 percent, or greater than 99.9 percent. In one embodiment, one or more devices for stirring, mixing, or pumping is used to move liquid or process fluid through the compartment, the stirred tank reactor, or combinations thereof.

[00268] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, stirred tank reactors are arranged into a network where flows of liquid resource, washing fluid, and acid are directed through different columns. In one embodiment, a network of stirred tank reactors involves physical movement of the ion exchange material through the various stirred tank reactors. In one embodiment, a network of stirred tank reactors involves no physical movement of the ion exchange material through the various stirred tank reactors. In one embodiment, a network of stirred tank reactors involves switching of flows of liquid resource, washing fluid, and acid through the various stirred tank reactors. In one embodiment, liquid resource is entered into the stirred tank reactors in a continuous or batch mode. In one embodiment, liquid resource is mixed with ion exchange material in one or more reactors before exiting the system. In one embodiment, a network of stirred tank reactors involves a liquid resource circuit with countercurrent exposure of ion exchange material to flows of liquid resource. In one embodiment, a network of stirred tank reactors involves a washing circuit with counter-current exposure of ion exchange material to flows of washing fluid. In one embodiment, a network of stirred tank reactors involves an acid circuit with counter-current exposure of ion exchange material to flows of acid. In one embodiment, the washing fluid is water, an aqueous solution, or a solution containing an anti-scalant.

[00269] In one embodiment of the stirred tank reactor, acid is added at the beginning of elution of lithium from the ion exchange material. In one embodiment of the stirred tank reactor, acid is added at the beginning of elution of lithium from the ion exchange material and again during elution of lithium from the ion exchange material. In one embodiment of the stirred tank reactor, an acid of lower concentration is added at the start of elution of lithium from the ion exchange material and additional acid of higher concentration is added to continue elution of lithium from the ion exchange material.

[00270] An aspect described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, comprising: a) ion exchange material; b) a tank comprising one or more compartments; and c) a mixing device, wherein the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource.

[00271] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is loaded in at least one of the one or more compartments. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is fluidized or partially fluidized in at least one of the one or more compartments. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material occupies a fixed position in at least one of the one or more compartments. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is mounted in at least one of the one or more compartments.

[00272] An aspect described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, comprising: a) a column comprising ion exchange material; and b) a pH modulating unit for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, wherein the pH modulating unit is in fluid communication with the column, wherein the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource. Other Types of Systems

[00273] An aspect described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, comprising: a) a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of columns comprises ion exchange material; and b) a pH modulating unit for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system, wherein the pH modulating unit is in fluid communication with each of the plurality of columns, wherein the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource.

[00274] In some embodiments, the pH modulating unit comprises a plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of tanks is immediately connected to one of the plurality of columns. In one embodiment, the pH modulating unit comprises a plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of tanks is in immediate liquid communication with one of the plurality of columns. In some embodiments, two or more of the plurality of tanks connected to two or more of the plurality of columns forms at least one circuit. In some embodiments, two or more of the plurality of tanks connected to two or more of the plurality of columns forms at least two circuits. In some embodiments, three or more of the plurality of tanks connected to three or more of the plurality of columns forms at least two circuits. In some embodiments, three or more of the plurality of tanks connected to three or more of the plurality of columns forms at least three circuits.

[00275] In some embodiments, the pH modulating unit comprises a plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of tanks is connected to the of the plurality of columns through a filtration system. In some embodiments, two or more of the plurality of tanks are connected to two or more of the plurality of columns through a filtration system to form at least one circuit. In some embodiments, two or more of the plurality of tanks are connected to two or more of the plurality of columns through a filtration system to form at least two circuits. In some embodiments, three or more of the plurality of tanks are connected to two or more of the plurality of columns through a filtration system to form at least two circuits. In some embodiments, three or more of the plurality of tanks are connected to two or more of the plurality of columns through a filtration system to form at least three circuits.

[00276] In some embodiments, the filtration system comprises a bag filter, a candle filter, a cartridge filter, a media filter, a depth filter, a sand filter, a membrane filter, an ultrafiltration system, a microfiltration filter, a nanofiltration filter, a cross-flow filter, a dead-end filter, a drum filter, a filter press, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the filtration system comprises one or more perforated outer walls that are an optional component of any one or more tanks, such that a liquid resource or process fluid on one side of the perforated outer wall is filtered when passed through the perforated outer wall. In some embodiments, the perforated outer wall comprises an insert that is placed into a tank, wherein liquid resource provided to the tank through an inlet is filtered by the perforated outer wall prior to the liquid resource leaving the tank through an outlet In some embodiments, the filter system comprises one or more filters that independently have openings of an average size less than about 0.02 pm, less than about 0.1 pm, less than about 0.2 pm, less than about 1 pm, less than about 2 pm, less than about 5 pm, less than about 10 pm, less than about 25 pm, less than about 100 pm, less than about 1000 pm. In some embodiments, the openings in perforated outer walls are more than about 0.02 pm, more than about 0.1 pm, more than about 0.2 pm, more than about 1 pm, more than about 2 pm, more than about 5 pm, more than about 10 pm, more than about 25 pm, more than about 100 pm. In some embodiments, the openings in perforated outer walls are about 0.02 pm to about 0.1 pm, from about 0.1 pm to about 0.2 pm, from about 0.2 pm to about 0.5 pm, from about 0.5 pm to about 1 pm, from about 1 pm to about 5 pm, from about 5 pm to about 10 pm, from about 10 pm to about 25 pm, from about 25 pm to about 100 pm. In some embodiments, a filter, a perforated outer wall, or a means for filtering comprises low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), types of polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), poly (4-vinyl pyridine-co-styrene) (PVPCS), polystyrene (PS), polybutadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer (ETFE), poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PCTFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoro ethylene (Halar), polyvinylfluoride (PVF), fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP), perfluorinated elastomer, chlorotrifluoroethylenevinylidene fluoride (FKM), perfluoropolyether (PFPE), perfluoro-3,6- dioxa-4-methyl-7-octene-sulfonic acid (NAFION® (copolymer of perfluoro-3,6-dioxa-4- methyl-7-octene-sulfonic acid and tetrafluoroethylene)), polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polychloroprene (neoprene), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polydivinylbenzene, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a filter, a perforated outer wall, or a means for filtering comprises a coating material comprising polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene chlorotrifluoro ethylene (Halar), poly (4-vinyl pyridine-co-styrene) (PVPCS), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyphenylene sulfide, sulfonated polymer, carboxylated polymer, other polymers, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a filter, a perforated outer wall, or a means for filtering comprises iron, stainless steel, nickel, carbon steel, titanium, Hastelloy, Inconel, zirconium, tantalum, alloys thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. [00277] In some embodiments, at least one circuit is a liquid resource circuit. In some embodiments, at least one circuit is a water washing circuit. In some embodiments, at least two circuits are water washing circuits. In some embodiments, at least one circuit is an acid circuit. [00278] An aspect described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprising ion exchange material and a plurality of vessels, wherein each of the plurality of vessels is configured to transport the ion exchange material along the length of the vessel and the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of vessels comprises an acidic solution. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of vessels comprises the liquid resource. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of vessels is configured to transport the ion exchange beads by means of a pipe system or an internal conveyer system.

[00279] An aspect described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprising ion exchange material and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material along the length of the column and the ion exchange material is used to extract lithium ions from the liquid resource.

[00280] In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of columns comprises an acidic solution. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of columns comprises the liquid resource. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material by means of a pipe system or an internal conveyer system.

[00281] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads comprise an ion exchange material in the form of ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the ion exchange material is in the form of ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are selected from uncoated ion exchange particles, coated ion exchange particles, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are uncoated ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are coated ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles comprise a mixture of uncoated ion exchange particles and coated ion exchange particles.

[00282] In some embodiments, the coated ion exchange particles comprise an ion exchange material and a coating material. In some embodiments, coated ion exchange particles comprise a coating material. In some embodiments, the coating material of the coated ion exchange particles comprises a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, a phosphate, a fluoride, a polymer, carbon, a carbonaceous material, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the coating material of the coated ion exchange particles is selected from the group consisting of coating material of the coated ion exchange particles is selected from the group consisting of TiCh, ZrCh, MoO2, SnCh, Nb20s, Ta2C>5, SiCh, Li2TiO3, Li2ZrC>3, Li2SiO3, Li2MnO3, Li2MoC>3, LiNbCh, LiTaCh, AIPO4, LaPC , ZrP₂O₇, MOP2O7, MO2P3O12, BaSO₄, AIF3, SiC, TiC, ZrC, Si₃N₄, ZrN, BN, carbon, graphitic carbon, amorphous carbon, hard carbon, diamond-like carbon, solid solutions thereof, and combinations thereof.

[00283] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material of the coated ion exchange particles comprises an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material of the coated ion exchange particles is selected from the group consisting of Li₄Mn50i2, Li₄Ti50i2, Li₂TiO3, Li2MnO3, Li2SnO3, LiMmC , Li1.6Mn1.eO4, LiAlCh, LiCuCh, LiTiCh, Li₄TiO₄, Li7TinC>2₄, LisVO₄, Li2Si3O7, LiFePO₄, LiMnPO₄, Li₂CuP₂O7, A1(OH)₃, LiCl.xAl(OH)₃.yH2O, SnO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, TiO₂ xSb₂O₅ yH₂O, solid solutions thereof, and combinations thereof; wherein x is from 0.1-10; and y is from 0.1- 10.

[00284] In some embodiments, the uncoated ion exchange particles comprise an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material of the uncoated ion exchange particles comprises an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material of the uncoated ion exchange particles is selected from the group consisting of Li₄Mn50i2, Li₄TisOi2, Li₂TiO3, Li2MnO3, Li₂SnO3, LiMn₂O₄, Lii.eMni.eO₄, LiAlCh, LiCuCh, LiTiCh, Li₄TiO₄, Li7TinC ₄, Li₃VO₄, Li2Si3(h, LiFePO₄, LiMnPO₄, Li₂CuP₂O7, A1(OH)₃, LiCl.xAl(OH)₃.yH2O, SnO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, TiO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, solid solutions thereof, and combinations thereof; wherein x is from 0.1-10; and y is from 0.1-10.

[00285] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are porous. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange beads comprise a network of pores that allows liquids, such as process fluids, to move quickly from the surface of the porous ion exchange beads to a plurality of ion exchange particles comprised therein. In some embodiments, a porous ion exchange beads comprise a network of pores that allows a liquid, such as a process fluid, to move from the surface of the porous ion exchange beads to a plurality of ion exchange particles comprised therein. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange beads comprise a network of pores that allows a liquid to move quickly from the surface of the porous ion exchange bead to a plurality of ion exchange particles comprised therein. In some embodiments, a single ion exchange bead comprises a network of pores and an ion exchange material in the form of a plurality of ion exchange particles, wherein the ion exchange particles are individually coated or uncoated. In some embodiments, ion exchange beads comprise a structural matrix material. In some embodiments, a network of pores comprises a structural matrix material. In some embodiments, a structural matrix material is a material that allows for a network of pores to be formed and maintained. In some embodiments, a structural matrix material is a polymer or mixture of polymers.

[00286] An aspect of the disclosure described herein is a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource that comprises a column, wherein the column further comprises a plurality of injection ports, wherein the plurality of injection ports are used to increase the pH of the liquid resource in the system.

[00287] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system is a mixed base system comprising a column and a mixing chamber where base is mixed into the liquid resource immediately prior to injection of the liquid resource into the column. [00288] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system is a ported column system with multiple ports for injection of aqueous solutions of base, wherein the ports are spaced at intervals along the direction of flow of liquid resource through the column. As liquid resource flows through the column, there is a region of the column where the ion exchange material experiences the greatest rate of lithium absorption, and this region moves through the column over time in the direction of liquid resource flow. In some embodiments of the ported column system, base is injected near the region of the column where the ion exchange material experiences the greatest rate of lithium absorption to neutralize protons released by the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, in regions of the columns where the ion exchange material is enriched in lithium and the rate of release of protons therefrom has slowed, the quantity of base injected into the column is decreased or terminated to avoid formation of precipitates. pH Modulation

[00289] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system has a moving bed of ion exchange material that moves in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of liquid resource, wherein base is injected at one or more fixed points near the region of the column where the ion exchange reaction is proceeding at a maximum rate to neutralize the protons released from the ion exchange material. In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the base added to the liquid resource comprises NaOH, LiOH, KOH, Mg(0H)₂, Ca(OH)₂, CaO, NH3, Na₂SO₄, K₂SO₄, NaHSO₄, KHSO₄, NaOCl, KOC1, NaC10₄, KC1O₄, NaH₂BO₃, Na₂HBO₃, Na₃BO₃, KH₂BO₃, K₂HBO₃, K₃BO₃, MgHBO₃, CaHBO₃, NaHCO₃, KHCO₃, NaCO₃, KCO₃, MgCO₃, CaCO₃, Na₂O, K₂O, Na₂CO₃, K₂CO₃, Na₃PO₄, Na₂HPO₄, NaH₂PO₄, K₃PO₄, K₂HPO₄, KH₂PO₄, CaHPO₄, MgHPO₄, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, magnesium acetate, poly(vinylpyridine), poly(vinylamine), polyacrylonitrile, other bases, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the base is added to the liquid resource in its pure form or as an aqueous solution. In one embodiment, the base is added to the liquid resource in a gaseous state such as, in a non-limiting example, gaseous NH3. In one embodiment, the base is added to the liquid resource in a steady stream, a variable stream, in steady aliquots, or in variable aliquots. In some embodiments, the base is generated in the liquid resource in situ by using an electrochemical cell to remove H2 and Ch gases from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, H2 and CI2 gases generated from a liquid resource using an electrochemical cell is combined to create HC1 acid for subsequent use in acid, acid eluent, or other process fluids.

[00290] In some embodiments, a solid base is mixed with a liquid resource to create a basic solution. In some embodiments, a solid base is mixed with a liquid resource to create a basic solution, and the resulting basic solution is added to a second volume of a liquid resource to increase the pH of the second volume of a liquid resource. In some embodiments, solid base is mixed with a liquid resource to create a basic solution, wherein the resulting basic solution is used to adjust or control the pH of a second solution. In some embodiments, a solid base is mixed with a liquid resource to create a basic slurry. In some embodiments, a solid base is mixed with a liquid resource to create a basic slurry, and the resulting basic slurry is added to a second volume of a liquid resource to increase the pH of the second volume of a liquid resource. In some embodiments, solid base is mixed with a liquid resource to create a basic slurry, wherein the resulting basic slurry is used to adjust or control the pH of a second solution. In some embodiments, base is added to a liquid resource as a mixture or slurry of base and liquid resource.

[00291] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the liquid resource flows through a pH control column containing solid base particles that comprise NaOH, CaO, or Ca(OH)2, which dissolve into the liquid resource and raise the pH of the liquid resource. In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the liquid resource flows through a pH control column containing immobilized regeneratable hydroxyl-containing ion exchange resins which react with hydrogen ions, or regeneratable base species such as immobilized polypyridine that conjugates acid, thereby neutralizing acid in the liquid resource. When the ion exchange resin has been depleted of its hydroxyl groups or is fully conjugated with acid, it can be regenerated with a base such as NaOH.

[00292] In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pH meters are installed in tanks, pipes, columns, and other components of the system to monitor pH and control the rates and amounts of base addition at various locations throughout the system. [00293] In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the columns, tanks, pipes, and other components of the system are optionally constructed using plastic, metal with a plastic lining, or other materials that are resistant to corrosion by liquid resource, base, or acid.

[00294] In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the columns are optionally washed with water that is mildly acidic, optionally including a buffer, to remove any basic precipitates from the column prior to acid elution.

[00295] In some embodiments, after the ion exchange material within an ion exchange device becomes saturated or nearly saturated with lithium, the lithium is flushed out of the ion exchange device using acid. In some embodiments, the acid is flowed through the ion exchange device one or more times to elute the lithium. In some embodiments, the acid is flowed through the ion exchange device using a recirculating batch system that comprises the ion exchange device in fluid connection to a tank. In some embodiments, a recirculating batch system comprises one or more tanks. In some embodiments, a tank within a recirculating batch system comprises an ion exchange device. In some embodiments, the tank is configured to accommodate a flow of liquid resource or acid. In some embodiments, a plurality of tanks is configured to accommodate a flow of acid flows in one or more tanks and a separate flow of liquid resource in a separate one or more tanks. In some embodiments, acid is input into the top of an ion exchange device, be allowed to percolate through the ion exchange device by means of a natural or applied force, and be immediately recirculated into the ion exchange device. In some embodiments, acid is added to an ion exchange device without utilizing a tank configured to accommodate acid or a flow of acid.

[00296] In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the ion exchange device is washed with water after liquid resource and acid have been passed through the ion exchange device, wherein the effluent water produced by washing the ion exchange device with water (e.g., the used aqueous wash solution) is treated using pH neutralization and reverse osmosis to yield water suitable for use as a process fluid.

[00297] In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the ion exchange device is optionally shaped like a cylinder, a rectangle, or another shape. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device optionally has a cylinder shape with a height that is greater or less than its diameter. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device has a cylinder shape with a height that is less than 10 cm, less than 1 meter, or less than 10 meters. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device has a cylinder shape with a diameter that is less than 10 cm, less than 1 meter, or less than 10 meters.

[00298] In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system is optionally resupplied with ion exchange material by swapping out an ion exchange device with a new ion exchange device loaded with ion exchange material. In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system is optionally resupplied with ion exchange material by removing ion exchange material from the ion exchange device and loading ion exchange material into the ion exchange device that does not comprise the removed ion exchange material. In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, ion exchange material is resupplied to all ion exchange devices in the system simultaneously. In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, ion exchange material is resupplied to one or more ion exchange devices at a time. In one embodiment of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, ion exchange material is resupplied to one or more ion exchange devices without interrupting the operation of other ion exchange devices within the system.

[00299] In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, a point of lithium saturation comprises a set of conditions wherein ion exchange material is unable to extract lithium ions from liquid resource or extract lithium ions from liquid resource at an acceptable rate despite the liquid resource having a pH value and lithium concentration that are ideal, preferred, or suitable for the extraction of lithium therefrom by ion exchange material. In some embodiments of the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pumping of the liquid resource continues until the ion exchange material approaches a point of lithium saturation over a period of time that is optionally less than about 1 hours, less than about 2 hours, less than about 4 hours, less than about 8 hours, less than about 24 hours, less than about 48 hours, or less than about one week. In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pumping of the liquid resource continues until the ion exchange material approaches a point of lithium saturation over a period of time that is optionally greater than about one week. In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pumping of the liquid resource continues until the ion exchange material approaches a point of lithium saturation over a period of time that is optionally between 30 minutes and 24 hours.

[00300] In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, a point of hydrogen saturation comprises a set of conditions wherein ion exchange material is unable to extract hydrogen ions from acid at an acceptable rate despite the acid having a pH value that is ideal, preferred, or suitable for the extraction of hydrogen therefrom by ion exchange beads. In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pumping of acid continues until the ion exchange material approaches a point of hydrogen saturation over a period of time that is optionally less than about 1 hours, less than about 2 hours, less than about 4 hours, less than about 8 hours, less than about 24 hours, or less than about 48 hours. In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pumping of acid continues until the ion exchange material approaches a point of hydrogen saturation over a period of time that is optionally greater than about one 48 hours. In some embodiments of system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, pumping of acid continues until the ion exchange material approaches a point of hydrogen saturation over a period of time that is optionally between 30 minutes and 24 hours.

Base and Acid Generation

[00301] In some embodiments of the methods and systems described herein, acid and base are generated using an electrochemical cell. In some embodiments, acid and base are generated using an electrochemical cell that comprises electrodes. In some embodiments, acid and base are generated using an ion-conducting membrane. In some embodiments, the ion-conducting membrane is a cation-conducting membrane, an anion-conducting membrane or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ion-conducting membrane comprises sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene-based fluoropolymer-copolymer, sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene polymer (MK-40™), co-polymers, or combinations thereof.

[00302] In some embodiments, the ion-conducting membrane comprises a functionalized polymer structure. In some embodiments, the functionalized polymer structure comprises polyarylene ethers, polysulfones, polyether ketones, polyphenylenes, perfluorinated polymers, polybenzimidazole, polyepichlorohydrins, unsaturated polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinylbenzyl chlorides, polyphosphazenes, polyvinyl alcohol, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, alterations of these polymers or other kinds of polymers, or composites thereof. In some embodiments, the ionconducting membrane comprises a cation-conducting membrane that allows for transfer of lithium ions across the ion-conducting membrane but prevents transfer of anion groups across the ion-conducting membrane. In some embodiments, the ion-conducting membrane has a thickness from about 1 pm to about 1000 pm. In some embodiments, the ion-conducting membrane has a thickness from about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

[00303] In some embodiments, acid and base are generated using an electrochemical cell that comprises electrodes. In some embodiments, the electrodes are comprised of titanium, niobium, zirconium, tantalum, magnesium, titanium dioxide, oxides thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the electrodes comprise a coating thereon of platinum, TiCh, ZrCh, bfeOs, Ta20s, SnC , IrCh, Rut , mixed metal oxides, graphene, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00304] In some embodiments of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, a chlor-alkali plant is used to generate HC1 and NaOH from an aqueous NaCl solution. In some embodiments, the HC1 generated by the chlor-alkali plant is used as an acid or as an acid eluent. In some embodiments, the NaOH generated by the chlor-alkali plant is used to adjust the pH of the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the NaOH generated by the chlor-alkali plant is used to precipitate impurities from a synthetic lithium solution.

[00305] In some embodiments of a system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource, the system comprises one or more electrochemical or electrolysis systems. The terms “electrochemical” and “electrolysis” are used interchangeably in the present specification and these terms are synonymous unless specifically noted to the contrary. In some embodiments, an electrolysis system is comprised of one or more electrochemical cells. In some embodiments, an electrochemical system is used to produce HC1 and NaOH. In some embodiments, an electrochemical system converts a salt solution into acid and base. In some embodiments, an electrochemical system converts a salt solution containing NaCl, KC1, and/or other chlorides into base and acid. In some embodiments, a salt solution comprising precipitates recovered from the liquid resource is fed into an electrochemical system to produce acid and base. In some embodiments, an electrolysis system converts a lithium salt solution to form a lithium hydroxide solution, an acidified solution, and optionally a dilute lithium salt solution. In some embodiments, the lithium salt solution comprises a synthetic lithium solution provided according to the methods and systems described herein that has optionally been concentrated and/or purified. In some embodiments, the acidified solution generated from an electrolysis system is provided to an ion exchange device to elute lithium in the form of a synthetic lithium solution.

[00306] In some embodiments, a lithium salt solution comprises acid derived from an acid eluent or an ion exchange device. In some embodiments, acid in the lithium salt solution derived from an acid eluent or an ion exchange device passes through an electrolysis system wherein the acid is further acidified to form an acidified solution. In some embodiments, a lithium salt solution is purified to remove impurities without neutralizing the acid in the lithium salt solution prior to the lithium salt solution being fed into an electrolysis system.

[00307] In some embodiments, an acidified solution produced by an electrolysis system comprises lithium ions from the lithium salt solution fed into the electrolysis system. In some embodiments, an acidified solution comprising lithium ions leaves the electrolysis system and is provided to an ion exchange device to elute lithium in the form of a synthetic lithium solution (e.g., the eluent comprises the acidified solution).

[00308] In some embodiments of an electrolysis system, the electrolysis cells are electrochemical cells. In some embodiments of an electrochemical cell, the ion-conducting membranes are cation-conducting and/or anion-conducting membranes. In some embodiments, the electrochemical cell is a two-compartment cell with a cation-conducting membrane that allows for transfer of lithium ions between the compartments but prevents transfer of anion groups such as chloride, sulfate, and hydroxide groups between the compartments.

[00309] In some embodiments of an electrolysis system, the electrolysis cells are electrodialysis cells. In some embodiments of an electrodialysis cell, the ion-conducting membranes are cation-conducting and/or anion-conducting membranes. In some embodiments, the electrodialysis cell is a two-compartment cell with a cation-conducting membrane that allows for transfer of lithium ions between the compartments but prevents transfer of anion groups such as chloride, sulfate, and hydroxide groups between the compartments.

[00310] In some embodiments of an electrolysis system, the electrolysis cells are membrane electrolysis cells. In some embodiments of a membrane electrolysis cell, the ion-conducting membranes are cation-conducting and/or anion-conducting membranes. In some embodiments, the membrane electrolysis cell is a two-compartment cell with a cation-conducting membrane that allows for transfer of lithium ions between the compartments but prevents transfer of anion groups such as chloride, sulfate, and hydroxide groups between the compartments.

[00311] In some embodiments, the membrane electrolysis cell is a three-compartment cell with a cation-conducting membrane that allows for transfer of lithium ions separating a compartment with an electrochemically reducing electrode from a central compartment and with an anion-conducting membrane that allows for transfer of anions separating a compartment with an electrochemically oxidizing electrode from the central compartment. In some embodiments, the cation-conducting membrane prevents transfer of anions such as chloride, sulfate, or hydroxide. In some embodiments, the anion-conducting membrane prevents transfer of cations such as lithium, sodium, or protons.

[00312] In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, the ion-conducting membranes are comprised of Nafion®, sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene polymer (MK-40™), co-polymers, other membrane materials, composites, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, the cation-conducting membranes are comprised of a functionalized polymer structure which comprises Nafion®, sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, co-polymers, different polymers, composites of polymers, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, the ion-conducting membrane comprises polymer structures functionalized with sulfone groups, carboxylic acid groups, phosphate groups, other negatively charged functional groups, or combinations thereof.

[00313] In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, the ion-conducting membranes are comprised of Nafion®, sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene polymer (MK-40™), co-polymers, other membrane materials, composites, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, the cation-conducting membranes are comprised of a functionalized polymer structure that comprises Nafion®, sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, co-polymers, different polymers, composites of polymers, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, the ion-conducting membranes comprise polymer structures functionalized with sulfone groups, carboxylic acid groups, phosphate groups, other negatively charged functional groups, or combinations thereof.

[00314] In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, the membranes are comprised of Nafion®, sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, sulfonated styrene- divinylbenzene polymer (MK-40^TM), co-polymers, other membrane materials, composites, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, the cation-conducting membranes are comprised of a functionalized polymer structure that comprises Nafion®, sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated fluoropolymer, co-polymers, different polymers, composites of polymers, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, the cation-conducting membranes comprise polymer structures functionalized with sulfone groups, carboxylic acid groups, phosphate groups, other negatively charged functional groups, or combinations thereof.

[00315] In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, an anion-conducting membrane is comprised of a functionalized polymer structure. In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, an anion-conducting membrane is comprised of a functionalized polymer structure. In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, an anion-conducting membrane is comprised of a functionalized polymer structure. In some embodiments, a functionalized polymer structure is comprised of polyarylene ethers, poly sulfones, polyether ketones, polyphenylenes, perfluorinated polymers, polybenzimidazole, polyepichlorohydrins, unsaturated polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinylbenzyl chlorides, polyphosphazenes, polyvinyl alcohol, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, alterations of these polymers or other kinds of polymers, or composites thereof. In some embodiments of the ion-conducting membrane, the functional groups are part of the polymer backbone. In some embodiments of the ion-conducting membrane, functional groups are added using plasma techniques, radiation-grafting, or by other functionalization reactions. In some embodiments of the ion-conducting membrane, the functional groups include benzyltrialkylammonium, alkyl-side-chain quaternary ammonium groups, crosslinking diammonium groups, quinuclidinium-based quaternary ammonium groups, imidazolium groups, pyridinium groups, pentamethylguanidinium groups, alkali stabilised quaternary phosphonium groups, metal containing cation groups, other cation containing groups, or combinations thereof. [00316] In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, the ion-conducting membrane has a thickness of less than 10 pm, less than 50 pm, less than 200 pm, less than 400 pm, or less than 1,000 pm. In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, the ionconducting membranes has a thickness of greater than 1,000 pm. In some embodiments of the membrane electrolysis cell, the ion-conducting membrane has a thickness of about 1 pm to about 1000 pm, about 1 pm to about 800 pm, about 1 pm to about 600 pm, about 1 pm to about 400 pm, about 1 pm to about 200 pm, about 1 pm to about 100 pm, about 1 pm to about 90 pm, about 1 pm to about 80 pm, about 1 pm to about 70 pm, about 1 pm to about 60 pm, about 1 pm to about 50 pm, about 1 pm to about 40 pm, about 1 pm to about 30 pm, about 1 pm to about 20 pm, about 1 pm to about 15 pm, or about 1 pm to about 10 pm.

[00317] In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, the ion-conducting membrane has a thickness of less than 10 pm, less than 50 pm, less than 200 pm, less than 400 pm, or less than 1,000 pm. In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, the ion-conducting membranes has a thickness of greater than 1,000 pm. In some embodiments of the electrochemical cell, the ionconducting membrane has a thickness of about 1 pm to about 1000 pm, about 1 pm to about 800 pm, about 1 pm to about 600 pm, about 1 pm to about 400 pm, about 1 pm to about 200 pm, about 1 pm to about 100 pm, about 1 pm to about 90 pm, about 1 pm to about 80 pm, about 1 pm to about 70 pm, about 1 pm to about 60 pm, about 1 pm to about 50 pm, about 1 pm to about 40 pm, about 1 pm to about 30 pm, about 1 pm to about 20 pm, about 1 pm to about 15 pm, or about 1 pm to about 10 pm.

[00318] In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, the ion-conducting membrane has a thickness of less than 10 pm, less than 50 pm, less than 200 pm, less than 400 pm, or less than 1,000 pm. In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, the ion-conducting membranes have a thickness of greater than 1,000 pm. In some embodiments of the electrodialysis cell, the ionconducting membrane has a thickness of about 1 pm to about 1000 pm, about 1 pm to about 800 pm, about 1 pm to about 600 pm, about 1 pm to about 400 pm, about 1 pm to about 200 pm, about 1 pm to about 100 pm, about 1 pm to about 90 pm, about 1 pm to about 80 pm, about 1 pm to about 70 pm, about 1 pm to about 60 pm, about 1 pm to about 50 pm, about 1 pm to about 40 pm, about 1 pm to about 30 pm, about 1 pm to about 20 pm, about 1 pm to about 15 pm, or about 1 pm to about 10 pm.

[00319] In some embodiments, an electrolysis system contains electrolysis cells that are two- compartment electrolysis cells or three-compartment electrolysis cells. [00320] In some embodiments of a two-compartment electrolysis cell, the cell contains a first compartment that contains an electrochemically oxidizing electrode. A lithium salt solution enters the first compartment and is converted into an acidified solution In some embodiments of a two-compartment electrolysis cell, the cell contains a second compartment containing an electrochemically reducing electrode. This second compartment takes as an input water or a dilute LiOH solution and produces as an output a more concentrated LiOH solution. In some embodiments, the compartments of an electrolysis cell are separated by a cation-conducting membrane that limits transport of anions between the compartments.

[00321] In some embodiments of a three-compartment electrolysis cell, the cell contains a first compartment containing an electrochemically oxidizing electrode. The first compartment takes as an input water or a dilute salt solution, and produces as an output an acidified solution. In some embodiments of a three-compartment electrolysis cell, the cell contains a second compartment containing an electrochemically reducing electrode. This second compartment takes as an input a water or dilute hydroxide solution, and produces as an output a more concentrated hydroxide solution. In some embodiments of a three-compartment electrolysis cell, the cell contains a third compartment containing no electrode, which is located between the first and second compartment, and takes as an input a concentrated lithium salt solution, and produces as an output a dilute lithium salt solution. In some embodiments, the first and the third compartments are separated by an anion-conducting membrane that limits transport of cations between the compartments. In one embodiment, the second and the third compartments are separated by a cation-conducting membrane that limits transport of anions between the compartments.

[00322] In some embodiments of the electrolysis cell, the electrodes are comprised of titanium, niobium, zirconium, tantalum, magnesium, titanium dioxide, oxides thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment of the electrolysis cell, the electrodes are coated with platinum, TiC , ZrCh, Nb2Os, Ta20s, SnCh, IrCh, RuCh, PtOx, mixed metal oxides, graphene, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the electrolysis cell, the electrodes are comprised of steel, stainless steel, nickel, nickel alloys, steel alloys, or graphite. [00323] In some embodiments of the electrolysis system, the lithium salt solution is a LiCl solution optionally containing HC1. In one embodiment of the electrolysis system, the electrochemically oxidizing electrode oxides chloride ions to produce chlorine gas.

[00324] In some embodiments of the electrolysis system, the lithium salt solution is a Li2SO4 solution optionally containing H2SO4. In some embodiments of the electrolysis system, the electrochemically oxidizing electrode oxidizes water, hydroxide, or other species to produce oxygen gas. [00325] In some embodiments of the electrolysis system, the electrochemically reducing electrode reduces hydrogen ions to produce hydrogen gas. In some embodiments of the electrolysis system, the chamber containing the electrochemically reducing electrode produces a hydroxide solution or increases the hydroxide concentration of a solution.

[00326] In some embodiments, phosphoric acid is used to elute lithium from a lithiumselective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution comprising phosphate. In some embodiments, sulfuric acid is used to elute lithium from a lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution comprising sulfate. In some embodiments, electrolysis of a synthetic lithium solution comprising phosphate is more efficient than electrolysis of a synthetic lithium solution comprising chloride. In some embodiments, electrolysis of a synthetic lithium solution comprising sulfate is more efficient than electrolysis of a synthetic lithium solution comprising chloride.

[00327] In some embodiments of the electrolysis system, chlorine and hydrogen gas are burned to produce HC1 in an HC1 burner. In some embodiments, the HC1 burner is a column maintained at approximately 100-300 or 300-2,000 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, HC1 produced in the HC1 burner is cooled through a heat exchange process and subsequently dissolved into water in an absorption tower configured to produce aqueous HC1 solution. In some embodiments, the HC1 solution produced from the HC1 burner is used as an acid eluent to elute lithium from an ion exchange device to yield a synthetic lithium solution.

[00328] In some embodiments, the pH of the acidified solution leaving the electrolysis cell is 0 to 1, -2 to 0, 1 to 2, less than 2, less than 1, or less than 0. In some embodiments, the membrane electrolysis cell is an electrodialysis cell with multiple compartments. In some embodiments, the electrodialysis cell has more than about two, more than about five, more than about 10, or more than about twenty compartments.

[00329] In some embodiments, the base added to precipitate metals from the liquid resource comprises calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, the base is added to the liquid resource as an aqueous solution with a base concentration that is less than I N, 1-2 N, 2-4 N, 4-10 N, 10-20 N, or 20-40 N. In some embodiments, the base is added to the liquid resource as a solid.

[00330] In some embodiments, the acid is added to the precipitated metals to dissolve the precipitated metals before mixing the redissolved metals with the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the acid is added to the liquid resource to acidify the liquid resource, such that the precipitated metals are then combined with the liquid resource to redissolve the precipitated metals. [00331] In some embodiments, acid from the electrochemical cell is used as an acid eluent to elute lithium from an ion exchange device to yield a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, base from the electrochemical cell is used to neutralize protons released from the ion exchange material.

Some Embodiments of Methods of Generating a Synthetic Lithium Solution

[00332] An aspect of the disclosure described herein are methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, lithium provided according to the methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource described herein is in the form of a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is an aqueous solution comprising lithium that is produced by a process contacting an acid or acid eluent with ion exchange material. In some embodiments, an aqueous solution comprising lithium that is produced by a process contacting an acid eluent with ion exchange material is referred to as a lithium eluate. In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is a lithium eluate. For the purposes of this disclosure, a lithium eluate according to all embodiments described herein is a synthetic lithium solution.

[00333] In some embodiments, a method for generating a synthetic lithium solution from a liquid resource comprises: providing an ion exchange device comprising a tank, ion exchange particles that selectively absorbs lithium from a liquid resource and elute a synthetic lithium solution when treated with an acid after absorbing lithium ions from said liquid resource, one or more particle traps, and optionally a means of modulating the pH of the liquid resource; flowing a liquid resource into said ion exchange device thereby allowing the ion exchange particles to selectively absorb lithium from the liquid resource; treating the ion exchange particles with an acid to yield the synthetic lithium solution; and passing the synthetic lithium solution through the one or more particle traps prior to collecting the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the method for generating a synthetic lithium solution from a liquid resource further comprises one or more steps wherein the ion exchange material is washed with washing water.

[00334] In some embodiments, the system for lithium recovery from a liquid resource comprises a tank. In some embodiments, the tank has a spherical shape. In some embodiments, the tank has a cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, the tank has a rectangular shape. In some embodiments, the tank has a conical shape. In some embodiments, the tank has a partially conical shape. In some embodiments, the conical shape allows the ion exchange particles to settle into a settled bed so that liquid can be removed from above the settled bed. In some embodiments, the partial conical shape allows the ion exchange particles to settle into a settled bed so that liquid can be removed from above the settled bed.

[00335] In some embodiments, modulation of the pH of the liquid resource occurs in the tank. In some embodiments, modulation of the pH of the liquid resource occurs prior to injection into the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more filters inside the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one filter. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one filter. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise two filters. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise three filters. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise four filters. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise five filters.

[00336] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are located at the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are located close to the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are located above the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are located in the middle the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are located at the top of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps are located at various locations of the tank.

[00337] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises one mesh. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises two meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises three meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises four meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises five meshes. In some embodiments, all the meshes of the one or more particle traps are identical. In some embodiments, at least one of the meshes of the one or more particle traps is not identical to the other the meshes of the one or more particle traps.

[00338] In some embodiments, one or more meshes comprise a pore size of less than about 200 microns, less than about 175 microns, less than about 150 microns, less than about 100 microns, less than about 75 microns, less than about 50 microns, less than about 25 microns, less than about 10 microns, more than about 1 micron, more than about 5 micron, more than about 10 microns, more than about 20 microns, more than about 30 microns, more than about 40 microns, more than about 50 microns, more than about 60 microns, more than about 70 microns, more than about 80 microns, more than about 90 microns, more than about 100 microns, more than about 125 microns, more than about 150 microns, more than about 175 microns from about 1 micron to about 200 microns, from about 5 microns to about 175 microns, from about 10 microns to about 150 microns, from about 10 microns to about 100 microns, from about 10 microns to about 90 microns, from about 10 microns to about 80 microns, from about 10 microns to about 70 microns, from about 10 microns to about 60 microns, or from about 10 microns to about 50 microns.

[00339] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise multi-layered meshes. In some embodiments, the multi-layered meshes comprise at least one finer mesh for filtration and at least one coarser mesh for structural support. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes supported by a structural support. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more polymer meshes. In some embodiments, the one or more polymer meshes are selected from the group consisting of polyetheretherketone, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the one or more meshes comprise a monofilament mesh. In some embodiments, the one or more meshes comprise a multi-weave mesh. In some embodiments, the one or more meshes are constructed from one or more types of fibers. In some embodiments, said one or more fibers are weaved into one or more weave patterns. In some embodiments, said weave patterns comprise a plain weave, a twilled weave, a plain filter loth weave, a Dutch Weave, a twilled filter cloth weave, a twilled Dutch Weave, a micron weave, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00340] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes comprising a metal wire mesh. In some embodiments, the metal wire mesh is coated with a polymer. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device is configured to move ion exchange material into one or more columns for washing. In some embodiments, the ion exchange device is configured to allow the ion exchange material to settle into one or more columns for washing. In some embodiments, the columns are affixed to the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more filters mounted in one or more ports through the wall of the tank.

[00341] In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more filters external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more filters and the tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more gravity sedimentation devices external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more gravity sedimentation devices and the tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more filter presses external to the tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more vertical pressure filters external to the tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more pressure leaf filters external to the tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more belt filters external to the tank. [00342] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more gravity sedimentation devices internal to the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more centrifugal sedimentation devices external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more centrifugal sedimentation devices and the tank. In some embodiments, said sedimentations devices comprise a clarifier, a lamellar clarifier, a reflux clarifier, or any other device design to sediment the solids to the bottom while facilitating flow of a solid-lean liquid from the top. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more centrifugal sedimentation devices internal to the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more settling tanks, one or more centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between the one or more settling tanks, centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof, and the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes, one or more centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more meshes, centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof, and the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more settling tanks, one or more meshes, or combinations thereof external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more settling tanks, meshes, or combinations thereof, and the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes, one or more settling tanks, one or more centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof external to the tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more meshes, one or more settling tanks, centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof, and the tank.

[00343] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred by a mixer. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred by a propeller. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred by a hydrofoil. In some embodiments, the stirring or agitation of the ion exchange particles is aided by the presence of one or more baffles in the tank. In some embodiments, said baffles are oriented perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the mixing device. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by pumping solution into the tank near the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by pumping solution from the tank back into the tank near the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by pumping a slurry of the ion exchange particles from near the bottom of the tank to a higher level in the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by injecting a gas into a flow distributor at the bottom of said tank. In some embodiments, the gas comprises compressed air, air, nitrogen, argon, oxygen, or a combination thereof.

[00344] In some embodiments, the method for lithium recovery from a liquid resource further comprises one or more staged elution tanks, wherein intermediate eluate solutions comprising mixtures of protons and lithium ions are stored and used further to elute lithium from ion exchange particles. In some embodiments, the method for lithium recovery from a liquid resource further comprises one or more staged elution tanks, wherein intermediate eluate solutions comprising mixtures of protons and lithium ions are mixed with acid and used further to elute lithium from ion exchange particles

[00345] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles further comprise a coating material. In some embodiments, the coating material is a polymer. In some embodiments, the coating of the coating material comprises a chloro-polymer, a fluoro-polymer, a chloro-fluoro-polymer, a hydrophilic polymer, a hydrophobic polymer, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00346] In some embodiments of the methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource disclosed herein, the pH of the intermediate eluate solutions is modulated to control elution of lithium and/or non-lithium impurities from the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, pH of the intermediate eluate solutions is modulated by adding protons, such as in an acid and/or an acidic solution, to the intermediate eluate solutions. In some embodiments, pH of the intermediate eluate solutions is modulated by adding protons, such as in an acid and/or an acidic solution, to the intermediate eluate solutions prior to removing impurities therefrom.

[00347] In some embodiments, the acid added to the intermediate eluate solutions comprises sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acid added to the intermediate eluate solutions comprises the same acid as does the acid eluent originally contacted with the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the acid added to the intermediate eluate solutions comprises a different acid than does the acid eluent originally contacted with the ion exchange material.

[00348] In some embodiments, more protons are added to the intermediate eluate solutions, forming protonated intermediate eluate solutions that is again contacted with ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the protonated intermediate eluate solutions. In some embodiments, more protons are added to the intermediate eluate solutions by adding an acid or acidic solution thereto to form protonated intermediate eluate solutions. In some embodiments, protons are added to intermediate eluate solutions before passing the resulting protonated intermediate eluate solutions through one or more ion exchange devices as described herein. [00349] In some embodiments of the methods and systems for lithium recovery from a liquid resource disclosed herein, an anti-scalant or chelating agent is added to the liquid resource to limit formation of precipitates. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is utilized in the form of packed beds wherein the packed beds are partially or temporarily fluidized. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is utilized in the form of fluidized beds wherein the fluidized beds are partially or temporarily packed. In some embodiments, ion exchange material is washed using water or an aqueous washing solution before and/or after contacting the ion exchange material with liquid resource and/or acid. In some embodiments, washing water comprises an aqueous washing solution. In some embodiments, an aqueous washing solution comprises water, salt, chelating compounds, ethylenedi aminetetraacetic acid, salts of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, compounds of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and/or anti-scalants. In some embodiments, the eluent used to elute lithium from the ion exchange material comprises water, salt, chelating compounds, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, compounds of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and/or anti-scalants. [00350] In some embodiments, a chelating agent or anti-scalant is used to form a soluble complex to avoid the formation of precipitates in a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, a chelating agent or anti-scalant is used to form a soluble complex to avoid or redissolve precipitates. In some embodiments, a chelating agent or anti-scalants is used to limit or reduce precipitation of multivalent cations. In some embodiments, the chelating agent or anti- scalant is selected from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), disodium EDTA, calcium disodium EDTA, tetrasodium EDTA, citric acid, maleic acid, silicate compounds, amorphous silicate compounds, crystalline layered silicate compounds, phosphonic acid compounds, egtazic acid (or salts thereof), aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid) (ATMP), nitrilotrimethylphosphonic acid (NTMP), ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) (EDTMP), diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DTPMP), polyphosphonate, polyacrylate, polyacrylic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a threshold inhibitor is used to block the formation of nuclei that initiate precipitate formation in a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, a retardant is used to prevent the growth of precipitates in synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, a threshold inhibitor or retardant comprises one or more compounds that to limit, control, eliminate, or redissolve precipitates. In some embodiments, compounds that limit, control, eliminate, or redissolve precipitates include phosphinopolycarboxylic acid, sulfonated polymer, polyacrylic acid, p-tagged sulfonated polymer, di ethylenetri amine penta, bis-hexamethylene triamine, compounds thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. [00351] In some embodiments, anti-scalants, chelating agents, or other means of anti-scaling are used to avoid scaling in the nanofiltration membrane units.

[00352] In some embodiments, lithium is eluted from an ion exchange material enriched in lithium by contacting an eluent with the ion exchange material to provide a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the lithium purity of the synthetic lithium solution changes in time as a portion of eluent is contacted with the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the lithium purity of the synthetic lithium solution increases as additional eluent is contacted with the ion exchange material. In some embodiments, multiple aliquots of eluent are used to elute lithium from a given quantity of ion exchange material. In some embodiments, aliquots of eluent are of different volumes. In some embodiments, aliquots of eluent are of substantially the same volume. In some embodiments, the first aliquot of eluent is contacted with the ion exchange material to provide a first aliquot of synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, subsequent aliquots of eluent are then contacted with the ion exchange material to produce subsequent aliquots of synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the first aliquot of synthetic lithium solution comprises lower lithium purity than subsequent aliquots of synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the volume of the first aliquot of eluent is selected to provide a first aliquot of synthetic lithium solution that is enriched in impurities such that the subsequent aliquots of synthetic lithium solution comprise a higher lithium purity than does the first aliquot of synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, adjusting fluid comprises synthetic lithium solution that is enriched in impurities.

[00353] In some embodiments, a synthetic lithium solution is a leachate solution comprising lithium that is obtained by processing hard rock. In some embodiments, said hard rock comprises spodumene. In some embodiments, said hard rock comprises a lithium containing mineral. Hard rock can comprise one or more minerals. In some embodiments, to obtain the synthetic lithium solution from hard rock, the hard rock is ground, milled, crushed, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, to obtain the synthetic lithium solution from hard rock, the hard rock is roasted at one or more temperatures between about 300 K to about 2000 K. In some embodiments, to obtain the liquid resource from hard rock, the hard rock is ground, milled, crushed, or a combination thereof after it has been roasted. In some embodiments, to obtain the liquid resource from hard rock, the hard rock is subjected to a leaching step, wherein the hard rock is contacted with an acid. In some embodiments, the hard rock is roasted prior to the leaching step. In some embodiments, the acid comprises sulfuric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acid is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the leaching step is conducted at a temperature that is about 250 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the leaching step is conducted at a temperature that is greater than about 250 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the leaching step is conducted at a temperature that is less than about 250 degrees Celsius. A synthetic lithium solution that is a leachate solution comprising lithium that is obtained by processing hard rock can be utilized in any embodiment of the present disclosure that utilizes a synthetic lithium solution obtained from a direct lithium extraction process that entails extracting lithium from a liquid resource with a lithium-selective sorbent.

Methods of Modulating pH for the Extraction of Lithium

[00354] An aspect of the invention described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: flowing the liquid resource through the column of the system described above to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; and treating the resulting lithiated ion exchange material with an acid solution to produce a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00355] An aspect of the invention described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: flowing the liquid resource through the plurality of columns of the system described above to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; and treating the resulting lithiated ion exchange material with an acid solution to produce a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00356] An aspect of the invention described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: flowing the liquid resource through the tank of the system described above to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; and treating the resulting lithiated ion exchange material with an acid solution to produce a salt solution comprising lithium ions. [00357] An aspect of the invention described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: flowing the liquid resource through the column of the system described above to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; and treating the resulting lithiated ion exchange material with an acid solution to produce a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00358] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is selected from the following list: a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a geothermal brine, seawater, concentrated seawater, desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, liquid from an ion exchange process, liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, leachate from ores, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled

-I l l- materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a liquid resource is selected from the following list: a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, a synthetic brine, a geothermal brine, liquid from an ion exchange process, liquid from a solvent extraction process, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is optionally pre-treated prior to entering the ion exchange reactor to remove suspended solids, hydrocarbons, or organic molecules. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is optionally entered the ion exchange reactor without any pre-treatment following from its source. [00359] In an embodiment, the liquid resource is a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof.

[00360] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is selected with a lithium concentration selected from the following list: less than 100,000 ppm, less than 10,000 ppm, less than 1,000 ppm, less than 100 ppm, less than 10 ppm, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a liquid resource is selected with a lithium concentration selected from the following list: less than 5,000 ppm, less than 500 ppm, less than 50 ppm, or combinations thereof.

[00361] In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the ion exchange reactor is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the porous ion exchange beads is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof.

[00362] In an embodiment, the acid solution comprises hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or combinations thereof.

[00363] In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the ion exchange system has a concentration selected from the following list: less than 0.1 M, less than 1.0 M, less than 5 M, less than 10 M, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the porous ion exchange beads has a concentration greater than 10 M. [00364] In an embodiment, acids with distinct concentrations are used during the elution process. In an embodiment, acid with a lower concentration is first added to elute lithium from the ion exchange material and then additional acid of a greater concentration is added to elute more lithium into the solution and increase the concentration of lithium in the eluate.

[00365] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads perform the ion exchange reaction repeatedly while maintaining adequate lithium uptake capacity over a number of cycles selected from the following list: greater than 10 cycles, greater than 30 cycles, greater than 100 cycles, greater than 300 cycles, or greater than 1,000 cycles. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange beads perform the ion exchange reaction repeatedly over a number of cycles selected from the following list: greater than 50 cycles, greater than 100 cycles, or greater than 200 cycles. In some embodiments, adequate lithium uptake capacity is optionally defined as a percentage of initial uptake capacity selected from the following list: greater than 95%, greater than 90%, greater than 80%, greater than 60%, or greater than 20%. In some embodiments, adequate lithium uptake capacity is optionally defined as a percentage of initial uptake capacity such as less than 20%.

[00366] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the ion exchange reactor is further processed into lithium raw materials using methods selected from the following list: solvent extraction, ion exchange, chemical precipitation, electrodialysis, electrowinning, electrolysis, evaporation with direct solar energy, evaporation with concentrated solar energy, evaporation with a heat transfer medium heated by concentrated solar energy, evaporation with heat from a geothermal brine, evaporation with heat from combustion, pH neutralization, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the ion exchange reactor is concentrated using reverse osmosis or membrane technologies.

[00367] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the ion exchange reactor (e.g., extraction unit, extraction subsystem) is further processed into lithium chemicals (e.g., lithium products) selected from the following list: lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium metal, lithium metal oxide, lithium metal phosphate, lithium sulfide, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the porous ion exchange beads is further processed into lithium chemicals that are solid, liquid, hydrated, or anhydrous.

[00368] In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the ion exchange reactor are used in an industrial application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, metal alloys, glass, grease, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the coated ion exchange particles are used in an application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium sulfur batteries, lithium solid-state batteries, and combinations thereof. [00369] In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials are synthesized in a lithiated state with a sublattice fully or partly occupied by lithium. In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials are synthesized in a hydrated state with a sublattice fully or partly occupied by hydrogen.

[00370] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material extracts lithium ions from a liquid resource. During the extraction of lithium ions from a liquid resource by the ion exchange material, the pH of the liquid resource optionally decreases. Increasing the pH of the liquid resource in the system by using a pH modulating setup maintains the pH in a range that is suitable for lithium ion uptake by the ion exchange material. In an embodiment, the pH modulating setup comprises measuring the pH of the system and adjusting the pH of the system to an ideal pH range for lithium extraction. In an embodiment, for ion exchange material to absorb lithium from liquid resource, an ideal pH range for the liquid resource is optionally 6 to 9, a preferred pH range is optionally 4 to 9, and an acceptable pH range is optionally 2 to 9. In an embodiment, the pH modulating setup comprises measuring the pH of the system and wherein the pH of the system is less than 6, less than 4, or less than 2, the pH of the system is adjusted to a pH of 2 to 9, a pH of 4 to 9, or a pH of 6 to 9.

[00371] Another aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) flowing the liquid resource into a system comprising a tank to produce a lithiated ion exchange material, wherein the tank further comprises (i) one or more compartments, (ii) an ion exchange material, (iii) a mixing device, and (iv) a pH modulating setup for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the system; and b) treating the lithiated ion exchange material from a) with an acid solution to produce a hydrogen-rich ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00372] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), washing the lithiated ion exchange material with an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to b), washing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material with an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the aqueous solution is water.

[00373] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a washing system. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), transferring a suspension comprising the lithiated ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a washing system and washing the lithiated ion exchange material with a solution. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a washing system and washing the lithiated ion exchange material with a solution comprising water. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a washing system and washing the lithiated ion exchange material with an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the lithiated ion exchange material is washed with an aqueous solution (e g , an aqueous wash solution).

[00374] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a stripping system. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a stripping system and stripping the lithiated ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a stripping system and stripping volatile components from the lithiated ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a stripping system and stripping volatile components comprising water from the lithiated ion exchange material.

[00375] In some embodiments, the pH modulating setup comprises a pH measuring device and an inlet for adding base to the tank. In some embodiments, the pH measuring device is a pH probe. In some embodiments, the inlet is a pipe. In some embodiments, the inlet is an injection port.

[00376] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, during a), measuring a change in pH of the liquid resource using the pH modulating setup. In some embodiments, the measured change in pH triggers adding a base to maintain lithium uptake. In some embodiments, a change in pH to below a pH value of about 2 to about 9 triggers the addition of a base to maintain lithium uptake. In some embodiments, a change in pH to below a pH value of about 2, of about 3, of about 4, of about 5, of about 6, of about 7, of about 8, or of about 9 triggers the addition of a base to maintain lithium uptake. In some embodiments, a change in pH to below a pH of about 2 to about 4, of about 3 to about 5, of about 4 to about 6, of about 5 to about 7, of about 6 to about 8, or of about 7 to about 9 triggers the addition of a base to maintain lithium uptake. In some embodiments, base is added to the liquid resource to maintain the pH of the liquid resource in a range of about 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, or 8-9. In some embodiments, base is added to the liquid resource to maintain the pH of the liquid resource in a range of about 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, or 7-8. In some embodiments, base is added to the liquid resource to maintain the pH of the liquid resource in a range of about 4.0-4.5, 4.5-5.0, 5.0-5.5, 5.5-6.0, 6.0-6.5, 6.5-7.0, 7.0-7.5, or 7.5- 8.0. In some embodiments, the pH of a liquid resource is maintained in a target range that is high enough to facilitate lithium uptake and low enough to avoid precipitation of metal salts from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the pH of a liquid resource is maintained below a pH of about 8 to avoid precipitation of Mg salts. In some embodiments, the pH of a liquid resource is maintained below a pH of about 2, below a pH of about 3, below a pH of about 4, below a pH of about 5, below a pH of about 6, below a pH of about 7, below a pH of about 8, or below a pH of about 9 to avoid precipitation of metal salts. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource drops out of a target pH range due to release of protons from an ion exchange material and a pH modulating setup adjusts the pH of the liquid resource back to within a target pH range. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is adjusted above a target pH range prior to the liquid resource entering the system and then protons released from the ion exchange material decrease the pH of the system into the target range. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is controlled in a certain range and the range is changed over time. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is controlled in a certain range and then the pH of the liquid resource is allowed to drop. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is controlled in a certain range and then the pH of the liquid resource is allowed to drop to solubilize colloids or solids. In some embodiments, base is added to a liquid resource to neutralize protons without measuring pH. In some embodiments, base is added to a liquid resource to neutralize protons with monitoring of volumes or quantities of the base. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is measured to monitor lithium uptake by an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the pH of the liquid resource is monitored to determine when to separate a liquid resource from an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the rate of change of the pH of the liquid resource is measured to monitor the rate of lithium uptake. In some embodiments, the rate of change of the pH of the liquid resource is measured to determine when to separate a liquid resource from an ion exchange material.

[00377] In some embodiments, the tank further comprises a porous partition. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a porous polymer partition. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a mesh or membrane. In some embodiments, the porous partition is a polymer mesh or polymer membrane. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises one or more layers of mesh, membrane, or other porous structure. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises one or more coarse meshes that provide structural support and one or more fine meshes and/or membranes that provide filtration. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a polyether ether ketone mesh, a polypropylene mesh, a polyethylene mesh, a polysulfone mesh, a polyester mesh, a polyamide mesh, a polytetrafluoroethylene mesh, an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer mesh, a stainless steel mesh, a stainless steel mesh coated in polymer, a stainless steel mesh coated in ceramic, or a combination thereof, wherein the mesh is a course mesh, a fine mesh, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the porous polymer partition comprises a mesh comprising one or more blends of two or more of a polyether ether ketone, a polypropylene, a polyethylene, a polysulfone, a polyester, a polyamide, a polytetrafluoroethylene, or an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer. In some embodiments, the porous partition comprises a polyether ether ketone membrane, a polypropylene membrane, a polyethylene membrane, a polysulfone membrane, a polyester membrane, a polyamide membrane, a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene polymer membrane, or combinations thereof.

[00378] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, after a), draining the liquid resource through the porous partition after the production of the lithiated ion exchange material. [00379] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, after b), draining the salt solution comprising lithium ions through the porous partition after the production of the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material.

[00380] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to a), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into another system comprising a tank to produce the hydrogenrich ion exchange material and the salt solution comprising lithium ions, wherein the tank of the other system further comprises (i) one or more compartments, and (ii) a mixing device.

[00381] In some embodiments, the system comprises a plurality of tanks and each of the plurality of tanks further comprises (i) one or more compartments, (ii) an ion exchange material, (iii) a mixing device, and (iv) a pH modulating setup for changing the pH of the system.

[00382] An aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) flowing the liquid resource into a first system comprising a tank, wherein the tank of the first system further comprises (i) one or more compartments, (ii) an ion exchange material, (iii) a mixing device, and (iv) a pH modulating setup for changing the pH of the liquid resource in the first system, to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; b) flowing the lithiated ion exchange material of a) into a second system comprising a tank, wherein the tank of the second system further comprises (i) one or more compartments, and (ii) a mixing device; and c) treating the lithiated ion exchange from b) with an acid solution to produce a hydrogen-rich ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00383] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to a), washing the lithiated ion exchange material with an aqueous solution.

[00384] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, prior to b), adding an aqueous solution to the lithiated ion exchange material to form a fluidized lithiated ion exchange material.

[00385] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to c), washing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material with an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the aqueous solution is water. [00386] In some embodiments, the pH modulating setup comprises a pH measuring device and an inlet for adding base. In some embodiments, the pH measuring device is a pH probe. In some embodiments, the inlet is a pipe In some embodiments, the inlet is an injection port [00387] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, during a), measuring a change in pH of the liquid resource using the pH modulating setup. In some embodiments, the change in pH triggers adding a base to maintain lithium uptake.

[00388] An aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) flowing the liquid resource into a first system comprising a plurality of tanks to produce a lithiated ion exchange material, wherein each of the plurality of tanks in the first system is in fluid communication with every other one of the plurality of tanks in the first system and, each of the plurality of tanks in the first system further comprises (i) one or more compartments, (ii) an ion exchange material, (iii) a mixing device, and (iv) a pH modulating setup for changing the pH of each of the plurality of tanks in the first system; b) flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into a second system comprising a plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of tanks in the second system is in fluid communication with every other one of the plurality of tanks in the second system and, each of the plurality of tanks in the second system further comprises (i) one or more compartments, and (ii) a mixing device; and c) treating the lithiated ion exchange material from b) with an acid solution in at least one of the plurality of tanks in the second system to produce a hydrogen-rich ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00389] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to c), washing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material with an aqueous solution in at least one of the plurality of tanks in the second system.

[00390] In some embodiments, the method is operated in a batch mode. In some embodiments, the method is operated in a continuous mode. In some embodiments, the method is operated in continuous and batch mode. In some embodiments, the method is operated in continuous mode, a batch mode, a semi-continuous mode, or combinations thereof.

[00391] In some embodiments, the pH modulating setup comprises a pH measuring device and an inlet for adding base. In some embodiments, the pH measuring device is a pH probe. In some embodiments, the inlet is a pipe. In some embodiments, the inlet is an injection port. [00392] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, during a), measuring a change in pH of the liquid resource using the pH modulating setup. In some embodiments, the change in pH triggers adding a base to maintain lithium uptake.

[00393] An aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) flowing the liquid resource into a first system comprising a tank to produce a lithiated ion exchange material, wherein the tank further comprises (i) one or more compartments, (ii) ion exchange material, and (iii) a mixing device; b) flowing the lithiated ion exchange material from a) into a second system comprising a tank, wherein the tank further comprises (i) one or more compartments, (ii) an acid solution, and (iii) a mixing device; and c) stripping the lithiated ion exchange material to produce hydrogen-rich ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions

[00394] In some embodiments, prior to b), the lithiated ion exchange material is washed. In some embodiments, the lithiated ion exchange material is washed with an aqueous solution.

[00395] An aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) providing a system comprising an ion exchange material, a tank comprising one or more compartments; and a mixing device, wherein (i) the ion exchange material is oxide-based and exchanges hydrogen ions with lithium ions, and (ii) the mixing device is capable of moving the liquid resource around the tank comprising one or more compartments; b) flowing the liquid resource into the system of a), thereby contacting the liquid resource with the ion exchange material, wherein the ion exchange material exchanges hydrogen ions with lithium ions in the liquid resource to produce lithiated ion exchange material; c) removing the liquid resource from the system of b); d) flowing an acid solution into the system of c) thereby contacting the acid solution with the lithiated ion exchange material, wherein the lithiated ion exchange material exchanges lithium ions with the hydrogen ions in the acid solution to produce the ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions from the lithiated ion exchange material; and e) collecting the salt solution comprising the lithium ions for further processing.

[00396] In some embodiments, the salt solution comprising lithium ions undergoes crystallization.

[00397] A method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) flowing the liquid resource through a system comprising an ion exchange material and a plurality of columns, wherein the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material along the length of the column, to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; and b) treating the lithiated ion exchange material from a) with an acid solution to produce a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00398] An aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ions from a liquid resource, comprising: a) providing a system comprising an ion exchange material and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material along the length of the column; b) flowing the liquid resource through a first one of the plurality of columns to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; c) flowing the lithiated ion exchange material from b) into a second one of the plurality of columns; and d) treating the lithiated ion exchange material from c) with an acid solution to produce a hydrogen-rich ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00399] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to b), flowing the lithiated ion exchange material into another one of the plurality of columns and washing the lithiated ion exchange material with an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the method further comprises, subsequent to d), flowing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material into another one of the plurality of columns and washing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material with an aqueous solution.

[00400] An aspect described herein is a method of extracting lithium ion from a liquid resource, comprising: a) providing a system comprising an ion exchange material and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material along the length of the column; b) flowing the liquid resource through a first one of the plurality of columns to produce a lithiated ion exchange material; c) flowing the lithiated ion exchange material from b) into a second one of the plurality of columns; d) washing the lithiated ion exchange material from c) with an aqueous solution; e) flowing the lithiated ion exchange material from d) into a third one of the plurality of columns; and f) treating the lithiated ion exchange material from e) with an acid solution to produce a hydrogen-rich ion exchange material and a salt solution comprising lithium ions.

[00401] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: g) flowing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material into a fourth one of the plurality of columns; and h) washing the hydrogen-rich ion exchange material with an aqueous solution. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material by a pipe system or an internal conveyer system. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material by a pipe system. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of columns is configured to transport the ion exchange material by an internal conveyer system.

[00402] In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the liquid resource is a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, waste brine from a bromine-extraction process, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the liquid resource is a brine. In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the liquid resource comprises a natural brine, a synthetic brine, or a mixture of a natural and a synthetic brine. In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the liquid resource is a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, waste brine from a bromine-extraction process, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, or combinations thereof

[00403] In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the acid solution comprises hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or combinations thereof In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the acid solution comprises hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the methods described herein, the acid solution comprises hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of the methods described herein the acid solution comprises hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments of the methods described herein the acid solution comprises sulfuric acid. In some embodiments of the methods described herein the acid solution comprises phosphoric acid.

Continuous Process for Lithium Extraction

[00404] Lithium is an essential element for batteries and other technologies. Lithium is found in a variety of liquid resources, including natural and synthetic brines and leachate solutions from minerals, clays, and recycled products. Lithium can be extracted from such liquid resources using an ion exchange process based on inorganic ion exchange materials. These inorganic ion exchange materials absorb lithium from a liquid resource while releasing hydrogen, and then elute lithium in acid while absorbing hydrogen. This ion exchange process can be repeated to extract lithium from a liquid resource and yield a synthetic lithium solution. The synthetic lithium solution can be further processed into chemicals for the battery industry or other industries.

[00405] Ion exchange materials are typically small particles, which together constitute a fine powder. Small particle size is required to minimize the diffusion distance that lithium must travel into the core of the ion exchange particles. In some cases, these particles are coated with protective surface coatings to minimize dissolution of the ion exchange materials while allowing efficient transfer of lithium and hydrogen to and from the particles, as disclosed in U.S. provisional application 62/421,934, filed on November 14, 2016, entitled “Lithium Extraction with Coated Ion Exchange Particles,” and incorporated in its entirety by reference. [00406] One major challenge for lithium extraction using inorganic ion exchange particles is the loading of the particles into an ion exchange column in such a way that brine and acid can be pumped efficiently through the column with minimal clogging. The materials can be formed into beads, and the beads can be loaded into the column. This bead loading creates void spaces between the beads, and these void spaces facilitate pumping through the column. The beads hold the ion exchange particles in place and prevent free movement of the particles throughout the column. When the materials are formed into beads, the penetration of liquid resource and acid solutions into the beads can become slow and challenging. A slow rate of convection and diffusion of the acid and liquid resource solutions into the bead slows the kinetics of lithium absorption and release. Such slow kinetics can create problems for column operation. Slow kinetics can require slow pumping rates through the column. Slow kinetics can also lead to low lithium recovery from the liquid resource and inefficient use of acid to elute the lithium.

[00407] In one embodiment, an alternate phase is contacted with the ion exchange beads (e.g., lithium selective sorbent) during one or more of the steps of the process step. In some embodiments, the use of alternate phase speeds up the kinetics of ion exchange, enhances the forming of the ion exchange bed, controls liquid level height in one or more process tanks, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, contact between the ion exchange beads and the alternate phase is maximized and made possible by the design of this ion exchange device. [00408] In some embodiments, the alternate phase is a liquid or gas. In some embodiments, said alternate phase is a non-aqueous liquid. In some embodiments, the alternate phase is nonaqueous liquid. In some embodiments, the alternate phase is a non-aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the alternate phase is an organic liquid such as an alkane, alcohol, oil, bio-organic oil, ester, ether, hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the alternate phase is butane, pentane, hexane, acetone, diethyl ether, butanol, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the alternate is a gas such as air, nitrogen, argon, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the alternate phase comprises a compressed or pressurized gas.

[00409] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are porous ion exchange beads with networks of pores that facilitate the transport into the beads of solutions that are pumped through an ion exchange column. Pore networks can be strategically controlled to provide fast and distributed access for the liquid resource and acid solutions to penetrate into the bead and deliver lithium and hydrogen to the ion exchange particles.

[00410] In some embodiments, the ion exchange beads are formed by mixing of ion exchange particles, a matrix material, and a filler material. These components are mixed and formed into a bead. Then, the filler material is removed from the bead to leave behind pores. The filler material is dispersed in the bead in such a way to leave behind a pore structure that enables transport of lithium and hydrogen with fast kinetics. This method can involve multiple ion exchange materials, multiple polymer materials, and multiple filler materials.

[00411] Another major challenge for lithium extraction using inorganic ion exchange materials is dissolution and degradation of the materials, especially during lithium elution in acid but also during lithium uptake in liquid resources. To yield a synthetic lithium solution from the ion exchange process, it is desirable to use a concentrated acid solution to elute the lithium. However, concentrated acid solutions dissolve and degrade inorganic ion exchange materials, which decreases the performance and lifespan of the materials. Therefore, the porous ion exchange beads can contain coated ion exchange particles for lithium extraction that are comprised of an ion exchange material and a coating material protecting the particle surface. The coating protects the ion exchange material from dissolution and degradation during lithium elution in acid, during lithium uptake from a liquid resource, and during other aspects of an ion exchange process. This coated particle enables the use of concentrated acids in the ion exchange process to yield synthetic lithium solutions.

[00412] In one aspect described herein, the ion exchange material is selected for high lithium absorption capacity, high selectivity for lithium in a liquid resource relative to other ions such as sodium and magnesium, strong lithium uptake in liquid resources including those with low concentrations of lithium, facile elution of lithium with a small excess of acid, and fast ionic diffusion. In one aspect described herein, a coating material is selected to protect the particle from dissolution and chemical degradation during lithium recovery in acid and also during lithium uptake in various liquid resources. In some embodiments, the coating material is selected to facilitate one or more of the following objectives: diffusion of lithium and hydrogen between the particles and the liquid resources, enabling adherence of the particles to a structural support, and suppressing structural and mechanical degradation of the particles.

[00413] When the porous ion exchange beads are used in an ion exchange column, the liquid resource containing lithium is pumped through the ion exchange column so that the ion exchange particles absorb lithium from the liquid resource while releasing hydrogen. After the beads have absorbed lithium, an acid solution is pumped through the column so that the particles release lithium into the acid solution while absorbing hydrogen. The column can be operated in co-flow mode with the liquid resource and acid solution alternately flowing through the column in the same direction, or the column can be operated in counter-flow mode with a liquid resource and acid solution alternately flowing through the column in opposite directions. Between flows of the liquid resource and the acid solution, the column can be treated or washed with water or other solutions for purposes such as adjusting pH in the column or removing potential contaminants. The beads can form a fixed or moving bed, and the moving bed can move in counter-current to the liquid resource and acid flows. The beads can be moved between multiple columns with moving beds where different columns are used for liquid resource, acid, water, or other flows. Before or after the liquid resource flows through the column, the pH of the liquid can be adjusted with NaOH or other chemicals to facilitate the ion exchange reaction as well as handling or disposal of the spent liquid resource. Before or after the liquid resource flows through the column, the liquid resource can be subjected to other processes including other ion exchange processes, solvent extraction, evaporation, chemical treatment, or precipitation to remove lithium, to remove other chemical species, or to otherwise treat the liquid resource. [00414] When the ion exchange particles are treated with acid, a lithium solution is produced. This lithium solution can be further processed to produce lithium chemicals. These lithium chemicals can be supplied for an industrial application.

[00415] In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, an oxide, a phosphate, an oxyfluoride, a fluorophosphate, or combinations thereof independently further comprise: (i) lithium, and (ii) manganese or titanium. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is an oxide that further comprises: (i) lithium, and (ii) manganese or titanium. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: Li4MnsOi2, Li4TisOi2, Li2MOs (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiMmCh, Li1.6Mn1.6O4, LiM02 (M = Al, Cu, Ti), Li4TiO4, Li7TinO24, LisVO4, Li2Si3O?, LiFePO4, LiMnPO4, Li2CuP2O?, Al(0H)3, LiCl.xAl(OH)3.yH2O, SnO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, TiO2.xSb2O5.yH2O, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, an ion exchange material is selected from the following list: Li4MnsOi2, Li4TisOi2, Li1.6Mm.6O4, Li2MOs (M = Ti, Mn, Sn), LiFePO4, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00416] In some embodiments, a coating material for protecting the surface of the ion exchange material is selected from the following list: a carbide, a nitride, an oxide, a phosphate, a fluoride, a polymer, carbon, a carbonaceous material, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a coating material is selected from the following list: TiCh, ZrCh, MoO2, SnC>2, Nb2C>5, Ta2C>5, SiCh, Li2TiO3, Li2ZrO3, Li2SiOs, Li2MnOs, Li2MoC>3, LiNbCh, LiTaCh, AIPO4, LaPO4, ZrP2O?, MOP2O7, MO2P3O12, BaSCh, AIF3, SiC, TiC, ZrC, Si3N4, ZrN, BN, carbon, graphitic carbon, amorphous carbon, hard carbon, diamond-like carbon, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a coating material is selected from the following list: TiCh, ZrCh, MoO2, SiCh, Li2TiC>3, Li2ZrO3, Li2SiO3, Li2MnO3, LiNbCh, AIF3, SiC, Si:iN4, graphitic carbon, amorphous carbon, diamond-like carbon, or combinations thereof. [00417] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles have an average diameter that is selected from the following list: less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 1,000 nm, less than 10,000 nm, or less than 100,000 nm. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles have an average size that is selected from the following list: less than 200 nm, less than 2,000 nm, or less than 20,000 nm.

[00418] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are secondary particles comprised of smaller primary particles that have an average diameter selected from the following list: less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 1,000 nm, or less than 10,000 nm.

[00419] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles have a coating material with a thickness selected from the following list: less than 1 nm, less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, or less than 1,000 nm. In some embodiments, the coating material has a thickness selected from the following list: less than 1 nm, less than 10 nm, or less than 100 nm.

[00420] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material and a coating material form one or more concentration gradients where the chemical composition of the particle ranges between two or more compositions. In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials and the coating materials form a concentration gradient that extends over a thickness selected from the following list: less than 1 nm, less than 10 nm, less than 100 nm, less than 1,000 nm, less than 10,000 nm, or less than 100,000 nm.

[00421] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is synthesized by a method selected from the following list: hydrothermal, solvothermal, sol-gel, solid state, molten salt flux, ion exchange, microwave, ball milling, precipitation, or vapor deposition. In some embodiments, the ion exchange material is synthesized by a method selected from the following list: hydrothermal, solid state, or microwave.

[00422] In some embodiments, a coating material is deposited by a method selected from the following list: chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, hydrothermal, solvothermal, sol-gel, solid state, molten salt flux, ion exchange, microwave, wet impregnation, precipitation, titration, aging, ball milling, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the coating material is deposited by a method selected from the following list: chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal, titration, solvothermal, wet impregnation, sol -gel, precipitation, microwave, or combinations thereof.

[00423] In some embodiments, a coating material is deposited with physical characteristics selected from the following list: crystalline, amorphous, full coverage, partial coverage, uniform, non-uniform, or combinations thereof.

[00424] In some embodiments, multiple coatings are deposited on the ion exchange material in an arrangement selected from the following list: concentric, patchwork, or combinations thereof. [00425] In some embodiments, the matrix is selected from the following list: a polymer, an oxide, a phosphate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a structural support is selected from the following list: polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene dichloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polydivinylbenzene, polybutadiene, sulfonated polymer, carboxylated polymer, Nafion, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a structural support is selected from the following list: polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polydivinylbenzene, copolymers thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a structural support is selected from the following list: titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, silicon dioxide, solid solutions thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the matrix material is selected for thermal resistance, acid resistance, and/or other chemical resistance.

[00426] In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by mixing the ion exchange particles, the matrix material, and the filler material together at once. In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by first mixing the ion exchange particles and the matrix material, and then mixing with the filler material. In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by first mixing the ion exchange particles and the filler material, and then mixing with the matrix material. In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by first mixing the matrix material and the filler material, and then mixing with the ion exchange particles.

[00427] In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by mixing the ion exchange particles, the matrix material, and/or the filler material with a solvent that dissolves once or more of the components. In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by mixing the ion exchange particles, the matrix material, and/or the filler material as dry powders in a mixer or ball mill. In some embodiments, the porous bead is formed by mixing the ion exchange particles, the matrix material, and/or the filler material in a spray drier.

[00428] In some embodiments, the matrix material is a polymer that is dissolved and mixed with the ion exchange particles and/or filler material using a solvent from the following list: n- methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, methyl ethyl ketone, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the filler material is a salt that is dissolved and mixed with the ion exchange particles and/or matrix material using a solvent from the following list: water, ethanol, iso-propyl alcohol, acetone, or combinations thereof.

[00429] In some embodiments, the filler material is a salt that is dissolved out of the bead to form pores using a solution selected from the following list: water, ethanol, iso-propyl alcohol, a surfactant mixture, an acid a base, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the filler material is a material that thermally decomposes to form a gas at high temperature so that the gas can leave the bead to form pores, where the gas is selected from the following list: water vapor, oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, organic vapors, or combinations thereof.

[00430] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed from dry powder using a mechanical press, a pellet press, a tablet press, a pill press, a rotary press, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is formed from a solvent slurry by dripping the slurry into a different liquid solution The solvent slurry can be formed using a solvent of n-methyl-2 -pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, methyl ethyl ketone, or combinations thereof. The different liquid solution can be formed using water, ethanol, iso-propyl alcohol, acetone, or combinations thereof.

[00431] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is approximately spherical with an average diameter selected from the following list: less than 10 pm, less than 100 pm, less than 1 mm, less than 1 cm, or less than 10 cm. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is approximately spherical with an average diameter selected from the following list: less than 200 pm, less than 2 mm, or less than 20 mm.

[00432] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is tablet-shaped with a diameter of less than 1 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 8 mm, or less than 20 mm and with a height of less than 1 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 8 mm, or less than 20 mm. [00433] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is embedded in a support structure, which can be a membrane, a spiral-wound membrane, a hollow fiber membrane, or a mesh. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is embedded on a support structure comprised of a polymer, a ceramic, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange bead is loaded directly into an ion exchange column with no additional support structure.

[00434] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is selected from the following list: a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a geothermal brine, seawater, concentrated seawater, desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, liquid from an ion exchange process, liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, leachate from ores, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a liquid resource is selected from the following list: a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, a synthetic brine, a geothermal brine, liquid from an ion exchange process, liquid from a solvent extraction process, leachate from minerals, leachate from clays, leachate from recycled products, leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof.

[00435] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is selected with a lithium concentration selected from the following list: less than 100,000 ppm, less than 10,000 ppm, less than 1,000 ppm, less than 100 ppm, less than 10 ppm, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a liquid resource is selected with a lithium concentration selected from the following list: less than 5,000 ppm, less than 500 ppm, less than 50 ppm, or combinations thereof.

[00436] In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the porous ion exchange beads is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the porous ion exchange beads is selected from the following list: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof.

[00437] In some embodiments, the acid used for recovering lithium from the porous ion exchange beads has a concentration selected from the following list: less than 0.1 M, less than 1.0 M, less than 5 M, less than 10 M, or combinations thereof.

[00438] In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange beads perform the ion exchange reaction repeatedly over a number of cycles selected from the following list: greater than 10 cycles, greater than 30 cycles, greater than 100 cycles, greater than 300 cycles, or greater than 1,000 cycles. In some embodiments, the porous ion exchange beads perform the ion exchange reaction repeatedly over a number of cycles selected from the following list: greater than 50 cycles, greater than 100 cycles, or greater than 200 cycles.

[00439] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the porous ion exchange beads is further processed into lithium raw materials using methods selected from the following list: solvent extraction, ion exchange, chemical precipitation, electrodialysis, electrowinning, evaporation with direct solar energy, evaporation with concentrated solar energy, evaporation with a heat transfer medium heated by concentrated solar energy, evaporation with heat from a geothermal brine, evaporation with heat from combustion, or combinations thereof.

[00440] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the porous ion exchange beads is further processed into lithium chemicals selected from the following list: lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium metal, lithium metal oxide, lithium metal phosphate, lithium sulfide, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution that is yielded from the porous ion exchange beads is further processed into lithium chemicals that are solid, liquid, hydrated, or anhydrous. [00441] In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the porous ion exchange beads are used in an industrial application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, metal alloys, glass, grease, or combinations thereof In some embodiments, the lithium chemicals produced using the coated ion exchange particles are used in an application selected from the following list: lithium batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium sulfur batteries, lithium solid-state batteries, and combinations thereof.

[00442] In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials are synthesized in a lithiated state with a sublattice fully or partly occupied by lithium. In some embodiments, the ion exchange materials are synthesized in a hydrated state with a sublattice fully or partly occupied by hydrogen.

Embodiments for Limiting or Eliminating Precipitation of Impurities in the Eluate

Solution

[00443] In one embodiment, lithium and non-lithium impurities are absorbed from a lithium resource into an ion exchange material. In one embodiment, lithium and non-lithium impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution. In one embodiment, lithium and non-lithium impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution containing dissolved species that can precipitate at certain concentrations. In one embodiment, lithium and non-lithium impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution containing dissolved species that are reduced in concentration to avoid precipitation. In one embodiment, lithium and non-lithium impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution where said non-lithium impurities can precipitate at certain concentrations.

[00444] In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent impurities are absorbed from a lithium resource into an ion exchange material. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution containing sulfate anions. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into an acidic solution containing sulfate anions such that the multivalent impurities and sulfate anions can react to form insoluble salts that can precipitate. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent impurities are eluted from an ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions such that the multivalent impurities and sulfate anions that can react to form insoluble salts that can precipitate. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from an ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions wherein the concentrations of sulfate anions and multivalent cations are limited to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds.

[00445] In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from an ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions wherein the concentrations of multivalent cations are limited to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from an ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions wherein the concentrations of multivalent cations are limited using nanofiltration to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from a first ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions wherein the concentrations of multivalent cations are decreased using a second ion exchange material to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from a first ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions wherein the concentrations of multivalent cations are limited using a second ion exchange material that is selective for multivalent cations to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds.

[00446] In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from an ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions wherein the concentrations of multivalent cations are decreased to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds. In one embodiment, lithium and multivalent cations are eluted from an ion exchange material into a solution containing sulfate anions and the concentration of multivalent cations in the sulfate solution is decreased to avoid precipitation of insoluble sulfate compounds.

[00447] In one embodiment, a sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute lithium along with impurities, the sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of impurities, and the sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more lithium along with impurities. In one embodiment, a sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute lithium along with impurities, the sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of multivalent cations, and the sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more lithium along with impurities. In one embodiment, a sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute lithium along with impurities, the sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of multivalent cations, the sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more lithium along with impurities, and the concentration of multivalent cations is maintained at a sufficiently low level to avoid precipitation of insoluble salts.

[00448] In one embodiment, a sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute a target metal along with impurities, the sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of impurities, and the sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more of the target metal along with impurities. In one embodiment, a sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute a target metal along with impurities, the sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of multivalent cations, and the sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more of the target metal along with impurities. In one embodiment, a sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute a target metal along with impurities, the sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of multivalent cations, the sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more of the target metal along with impurities, and the concentration of multivalent cations is maintained at a sufficiently low level to avoid precipitation of insoluble salts.

[00449] In one embodiment, an acidic sulfate solution is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute lithium along with impurities, the acidic sulfate solution is processed to reduce the concentration of impurities, and the acidic sulfate solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more lithium along with more impurities. In one embodiment, the pH of the acidic sulfate solution is regulated to control elution of lithium and/or impurities. In one embodiment, pH of the acidic sulfate solution is regulated by measuring pH with a pH probe and adding sulfuric acid and/or a solution containing sulfuric acid to the acidic sulfate solution. In one embodiment, pH of the acidic sulfate solution is regulated adding sulfuric acid and/or a solution containing sulfuric acid to the acidic sulfate solution.

[00450] In one embodiment, the sulfate solution used to elute lithium from the ion exchange material is replaced with a different solution. In one embodiment, the sulfate solution used to elute lithium from the ion exchange material is replaced with a solution comprising sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, chloride, bromide, fluoride, borate, iodide, carbonate, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a solution comprising anions is contacted with an ion exchange material to elute lithium along with impurities, the solution is processed to reduce the concentration of impurities, and the solution is again contacted with an ion exchange material to elute more lithium along with impurities, where the anions are selected from a list including sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, chloride, bromide, fluoride, borate, iodide, carbonate, or combinations thereof.

[00451] In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution to avoid the formation of precipitates. In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic sulfate solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution to avoid the formation of sulfate precipitates.

[00452] In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the fluidized bed to a unit for removing multivalent impurities before the acidic solution is returned to the fluidized bed. In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the fluidized bed to a nanofiltration unit for selective removal of multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is returned to the fluidized bed. In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the fluidized bed to a second ion exchange unit containing a second ion exchange material that is selective for removing multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is returned to the fluidized bed.

[00453] In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the fluidized bed to a unit for removing multivalent impurities before the acidic solution is passed to a second fluidized bed of ion exchange material for elution of more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the fluidized bed to a nanofiltration unit for selective removal of multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is passed to a second fluidized bed of ion exchange material for elution of more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the fluidized bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the fluidized bed to a second ion exchange unit containing a second ion exchange material that is selective for removing multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is passed to a second fluidized bed of ion exchange material for elution of more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, the acidic solution flows through multiple fluidized beds of ion exchange material for elution of lithium and impurities, and impurities are removed from the acidic solution between the multiple fluidized beds. In one embodiment, the acidic solution flows through multiple fluidized beds of ion exchange material for elution of lithium and impurities, and impurities are removed from the acidic solution between the multiple fluidized beds using nanofiltration. In one embodiment, the acidic solution flows through multiple fluidized beds of a first ion exchange material which is lithium-selective for elution of lithium and impurities, and impurities are removed from the acidic solution between the multiple fluidized beds using a second ion exchange material that is selective for multivalent ions.

[00454] In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution to avoid the formation of precipitates. In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic sulfate solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution to avoid the formation of sulfate precipitates.

[00455] In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the packed bed to a unit for removing multivalent impurities before the acidic solution is returned to the packed bed. In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the packed bed to a nanofiltration unit for selective removal of multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is returned to the packed bed. In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the packed bed to a second ion exchange unit containing a second ion exchange material that is selective for removing multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is returned to the packed bed.

[00456] In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the packed bed to a unit for removing multivalent impurities before the acidic solution is passed to a second packed bed of ion exchange material for elution of more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the packed bed to a nanofiltration unit for selective removal of multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is passed to a second packed bed of ion exchange material for elution of more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with liquid resource to absorb lithium from the liquid resource into the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the ion exchange material, the packed bed of ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and multivalent impurities are removed from the acidic solution by circulating the acidic solution from the packed bed to a second ion exchange unit containing a second ion exchange material that is selective for removing multivalent impurities, and then the acidic solution is passed to a second packed bed of ion exchange material for elution of more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, the acidic solution flows through multiple packed beds of ion exchange material for elution of lithium and impurities, and impurities are removed from the acidic solution between the multiple packed beds. In one embodiment, the acidic solution flows through multiple packed beds of ion exchange material for elution of lithium and impurities, and impurities are removed from the acidic solution between the multiple packed beds using nanofiltration. In one embodiment, the acidic solution flows through multiple packed beds of a first ion exchange material which is lithium-selective for elution of lithium and impurities, and impurities are removed from the acidic solution between the multiple packed beds using a second ion exchange material that is selective for multivalent ions.

[00457] In some embodiments, the packed beds are partially or occasionally fluidized. In some embodiments, the fluidized beds are partially or occasionally packed. In some embodiments, the packed or fluidized beds are washed before and/or after contracting with liquid resource and/or acid using water or washing solutions containing water, salt, chelating compounds, ethylenedi aminetetraacetic acid, salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, compounds of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and/or anti-scalants. In some embodiment, the acidic solution used to elute lithium from the lithium-selective ion exchange material contains water, salt, chelating compounds, ethylenedi aminetetraacetic acid, salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, compounds of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, and/or anti-scalants. In some embodiments, dilution water is used to limit and/or prevent formation of insoluble precipitates. [00458] In some embodiments, multivalent impurities are removed from a lithium salt solution using precipitation. In some embodiments, multivalent impurities are removed from a lithium salt solution using precipitation through addition of base. In some embodiments, multivalent impurities are removed from a lithium salt solution using precipitation through addition of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and/or other compounds.

[00459] In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, and the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with the lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, more acid is added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with the lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution in a first vessel, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution in a second vessel. In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution in a vessel, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution in the vessel.

[00460] In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution.

[00461] In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using nanofiltration or multivalent-selective ion exchange materials, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is again contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiments, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using nanofiltration or multivalent- selective ion exchange materials, and the acidic solution is again contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution.

[00462] In some embodiments, an acidic solution is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material that has previously been loaded with lithium by contacting the lithium selective ion exchange material with a liquid resource, the acidic solution is treated to remove multivalent impurities, and the acidic solutions is again contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material that has previously been loaded with lithium by contacting the lithium selective ion exchange material with a liquid resource. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium, the acidic solution is treated to remove multivalent impurities, and the acidic solutions is again contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium, the acidic solution is treated to remove multivalent impurities, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acidic solutions is again contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium, more protons are added to the acidic solution, the acidic solution is treated to remove multivalent impurities, and the acidic solutions is again contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium in a vessel, the acidic solution is treated to remove multivalent impurities, and the acidic solutions is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium in said vessel. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium in a first vessel, the acidic solution is treated to remove multivalent impurities, and the acidic solutions is contacted with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium in a second vessel. In some embodiments, multivalent impurities are removed with a multivalent cation selective ion exchange material. In some embodiments, multivalent impurities are removed using nanofiltration membranes. In some embodiments, the lithium selective ion exchange materials is in a tank, a column, or a stirred tank reactor. In some embodiments, the lithium selective ion exchange material is in a fixed or fluidized bed.

[00463] In some embodiments, an acidic solution is flowed through multiple vessels loaded with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is flowed through multiple vessels loaded with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium and multivalent cation impurities are removed between the vessels. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is flowed through multiple vessels loaded with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is flowed through multiple vessels loaded with a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium, multivalent cation impurities are removed between the multiple vessels, and more protons are added to the acid solution between the multiple vessels. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is recirculated through a vessel loaded a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is recirculated through a vessel loaded a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium and multivalent cation impurities are removed between the recirculations. In some embodiments, an acidic solution is recirculated through a vessel loaded a lithium selective ion exchange material to elute lithium, multivalent cation impurities are removed between the recirculations, and more protons are added to the acid solution between the recirculations.

[00464] In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, and the acidic solution is prepared in an acidic solution mixing unit. In one embodiment, the acidic solution mixing unit is a tank, an inline mixing device, a stirred tank reactor, another mixing unit, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the acid solution mixing tank is used to service one vessel containing lithium selective ion exchange material. In one embodiment, the acid solution mixing tank is used to service multiple vessels containing lithium selective ion exchange material in parallel or series. In one embodiment, the acid solution mixing tank is used to service multiple vessels containing lithium selective ion exchange material in sequence.

[00465] In one embodiment, the acidic solution is comprised of sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, lithium is eluted from a lithium selective ion exchange material using sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, lithium is eluted from a lithium selective ion exchange material using an acid solution comprising sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, borate, or combinations thereof.

[00466] In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed using a combination of nanofiltration, multivalent cation selective ion exchange material, other methods of removing multivalent impurities, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, impurities are removed from an acidic lithium solutions using combinations of nanofiltration, multivalent cation selective ion exchange material, other methods of removing multivalent impurities in parallel, series, or combinations thereof.

[00467] In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using nanofiltration membrane units arranged in series and/or parallel, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, anti- scalants, chelants, or other means of anti-scaling are used to avoid scaling in the nanofiltration membrane units.

[00468] In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using multivalent cation selective ion exchange materials, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using multivalent cation selective ion exchange material in a packed bed, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using multivalent cation selective ion exchange material arranged in a network of columns, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using multivalent cation selective ion exchange material arranged in a network of columns with a first absorption column position for absorbing impurities and a last absorption column position for absorbing trace amounts of impurities, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In some embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution using multivalent cation selective ion exchange material arranged in a lead-lag configuration, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a multivalent cation selective ion exchange material is arranged in a variation of a lead-lag setup. In one embodiment, a multivalent cation selective ion exchange material is eluted using a second acidic solution. In one embodiment, a multivalent cation selective ion exchange material is eluted using hydrochloric acid. In one embodiment, a multivalent cation selective ion exchange material is regenerated using sodium hydroxide. In one embodiment, a multivalent cation selective ion exchange material is operated in stirred tank reactors, fluidized beds, or packed beds arranged in series and/or parallel. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is operated in stirred tank reactors, fluidized beds, or packed beds arranged in series and/or parallel.

[00469] In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution by adding phosphate to precipitate phosphate compounds, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are removed from the acidic solution by adding phosphoric acid to precipitate phosphate compounds, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, Ca, Mg, Sr, and/or Ba are removed from the acidic solution by adding phosphoric acid to precipitate Ca, Mg, Sr, and/or Ba phosphate compounds, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. [00470] In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, multivalent impurities are precipitated from the acidic solution by adding oxalate, oxalic acid, citrate, citric acid, or combinations thereof, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, multivalent impurities are precipitated from the acidic solution by adding a precipitant comprising oxalate, oxalic acid, citrate, citric acid, or combinations thereof, the precipitant concentration is decreased by adding cations to the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution.

[00471] In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, multivalent impurities are precipitated and removed from the acidic solution by adding oxalate, oxalate anions are precipitated and removed from the acidic solution by adding zinc, iron, manganese, other transition metals, other cations, or combinations thereof, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, multivalent impurities are precipitated and removed from the acidic solution by adding citrate, citrate anions are precipitated and removed from the acidic solution by adding cations, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution.

[00472] In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, cation impurities are precipitated from the acidic solution by adding anion precipitants, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, cation impurities are precipitated and removed from the acidic solution by adding anion precipitants, the anions precipitants are precipitated and removed from the acidic solution by adding cation precipitants, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution.

[00473] In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are precipitated by temporarily reducing the temperature of the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are precipitated by changing the temperature of the acidic solution, more protons are added to the acidic solution, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution. In one embodiment, a lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with a liquid resource to load lithium onto the lithium selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is optionally washed to remove residual liquid resource from the selective ion exchange material, the lithium selective ion exchange material is contacted with an acidic solution to elute lithium into the acidic solution, impurities are precipitated by decreasing the temperature of the acidic solution, protons are added to the acidic solution and the acidic solution is heated or allowed to warm, and the acid solutions is contacted with lithium selective ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the acidic solution.

[00474] In one embodiment, a chelating agent or anti-scalant is used to form a soluble complex to avoid precipitation in an acidic lithium solution. In one embodiment, a chelating agent or anti-scalant is used to form a soluble complex to avoid or redissolve precipitates. In one embodiment, a chelating agent or anti-scalants is used to limit or reduce precipitation of multivalent cations and the chelating agent or antiscalant is selected from the list of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), disodium EDTA, calcium disodium EDTA, tetrasodium EDTA, citric acid, egtazic acid (or salts thereof), maleic acid, silicate compounds, amorphous silicate compounds, crystalline layered silicate compounds, phosphonic acid compounds, aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid) (ATMP), nitrilotrimethylphosphonic acid (NTMP), ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) (EDTMP), diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DTPMP), polyphosphonate, polyacrylate, polyacrylic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a threshold inhibitor is used to block development of nuclei in an acidic lithium solution. In one embodiment, a retarded is used to block the growth of precipitates in an acidic lithium solution. In one embodiment, compounds are used to limit, control, eliminate, or redissolve precipitates including phosphinopolycarboxylic acid, sulfonated polymer, polyacrylic acid, p-tagged sulfonated polymer, diethylenetriamine penta, bis-hexamethylene triamine, compounds thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00475] In one embodiment, the acidic solution comprises lithium sulfate, lithium hydrogen sulfate, sulfuric acid, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the acidic solution comprises lithium sulfate, lithium hydrogen sulfate, sulfuric acid, lithium chloride, hydrochloric acid, lithium nitrate, nitric acid, lithium phosphate, lithium hydrogen phosphate, lithium dihydrogen phosphate, phosphoric acid, lithium bromide, bromic acid, or combinations thereof.

[00476] In some embodiments, lithium and other metals are recovered from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the methods described for lithium recovery are applied to recover other metals.

Methods of Generating a Lithium Eluate

[00477] An aspect of the invention described herein is a method of generating a lithium eluate solution from a liquid resource, comprising: providing an ion exchange reactor comprising a tank, ion exchange particles that selectively absorb lithium from a liquid resource and elute a lithium eluate solution when treated with an acid solution after absorbing lithium ions from said liquid resource, one or more particle traps, and provision to modulate pH of said liquid resource; flowing a liquid resource into said ion exchange reactor thereby allowing said ion exchange particles to selectively absorb lithium from said liquid resource; treating said ion exchange particles with an acid solution to yield said lithium eluate solution; and passing said lithium eluate solution through said one or more particle traps to collect said lithium eluate solution.

[00478] In some embodiments, the tank has a conical shape. In some embodiments, the tank has a partial conical shape. In some embodiments, the conical shape allows the ion exchange particles to settle into a settled bed so that liquid can be removed from above the settled bed. In some embodiments, the partial conical shape allows the ion exchange particles to settle into a settled bed so that liquid can be removed from above the settled bed.

[00479] In some embodiments, modulation of the pH of the liquid resource occurs in the tank. In some embodiment, modulation of the pH of the liquid resource occurs prior to injection into the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more filters inside the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one filter. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one filter. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise two filters. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise three filters. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise four filters. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise five filters.

[00480] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps is located at the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps is located close to the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps is located above the bottom of the tank.

[00481] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises one mesh. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises two meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises three meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises four meshes. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprises five meshes. In some embodiments, all the meshes of the one or more particle traps are identical. In some embodiments, at least one of the meshes of the one or more particle traps is not identical to the rest of the meshes of the one or more particle traps.

[00482] In some embodiments, one or more meshes comprise a pore space of less than about 200 microns, less than about 175 microns, less than about 150 microns, less than about 100 microns, less than about 75 microns, less than about 50 microns, less than about 25 microns, less than about 10 microns, more than about 1 micron, more than about 5 micron, more than about 10 microns, more than about 20 microns, more than about 30 microns, more than about 40 microns, more than about 50 microns, more than about 60 microns, more than about 70 microns, more than about 80 microns, more than about 90 microns, more than about 100 microns, more than about 125 microns, more than about 150 microns, more than about 175 microns from about 1 micron to about 200 microns, from about 5 microns to about 175 microns, from about 10 microns to about 150 microns, from about 10 microns to about 100 microns, from about 10 microns to about 90 microns, from about 10 microns to about 80 microns, from about 10 microns to about 70 microns, from about 10 microns to about 60 microns, or from about 10 microns to about 50 microns.

[00483] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise multi-layered meshes. In some embodiments, the multi-layered meshes comprise at least one finer mesh for filtration and at least one coarser mesh for structural support. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes supported by a structural support. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more polymer meshes. In some embodiments, the one or more polymer meshes are selected from the group consisting of polyetheretherketone, ethylene tetrafluor ethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

[00484] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes comprising a metal wire mesh. In some embodiments, the metal wire mesh is coated with a polymer. In some embodiments, the ion exchange reactor is configured to move said ion exchange particles into one or more columns for washing. In some embodiments, the ion exchange reactor is configured to allow the ion exchange particles to settle into one or more columns for washing. In some embodiments, the columns are affixed to the bottom of said tank. In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more filters mounted in one or more ports through the wall of said tank. [00485] In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more filters external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more filters and said tank In some embodiments, the one or more particle traps comprise one or more gravity sedimentation devices external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more gravity sedimentation devices and said tank.

[00486] In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more gravity sedimentation devices internal to said tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more centrifugal sedimentation devices external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more centrifugal sedimentation devices and said tank In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more centrifugal sedimentation devices internal to said tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more settling tanks, one or more centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more settling tanks, centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof, and said tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes, one or more centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more meshes, centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof, and said tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more settling tanks, one or more meshes, or combinations thereof external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more settling tanks, meshes, or combinations thereof, and said tank. In some embodiments, one or more particle traps comprise one or more meshes, one or more settling tanks, one or more centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof external to said tank, and with provision for fluid communication between said one or more meshes, one or more settling tanks, centrifugal devices, or combinations thereof, and said tank.

[00487] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred by a mixer. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are stirred by a propeller. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by pumping solution into the tank near the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by pumping solution from the tank back into the tank near the bottom of the tank. In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles are fluidized by pumping a slurry of the ion exchange particles from near the bottom of the tank to a higher level in the tank.

[00488] In some embodiments, the method further comprises one or more staged elution tanks, wherein intermediate eluate solutions comprising mixtures of protons and lithium ions are stored and used further to elute lithium from said ion exchange particles that are freshly lithiated. In some embodiments, the method further comprises one or more staged elution tanks, wherein intermediate eluate solutions comprising mixtures of protons and lithium ions are mixed with additional acid and used further to elute lithium from said ion exchange particles

[00489] In some embodiments, the ion exchange particles further comprise a coating material. In some embodiments, the coating material is a polymer. In some embodiments, the coating of the coating material comprises a chloro-polymer, a fluoro-polymer, a chloro-fluoro-polymer, a hydrophilic polymer, a hydrophobic polymer, co-polymers thereof, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00490] As disclosed herein, in some embodiments, and for any process of lithium extraction disclosed herein, the pH of the lithium-enriched acidic eluent solution is regulated to control elution of lithium and/or non-lithium impurities. In some embodiments, pH of the lithium- enriched acidic solution is regulated by adding protons, such as an acid and/or an acidic solution, to the lithium-enriched acidic solution. In some embodiments, pH of the lithium-enriched acidic solution is regulated by adding protons, such as an acid and/or an acidic solution, to the impurities-enriched lithiated acidic solution prior to removing impurities.

[00491] In some embodiments, the acid comprises sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the acidic solution is the same as the acidic solution originally contacted with the first lithium-enriched ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the acidic solution is the different from the acidic solution originally contacted with the first lithium-enriched ion exchange material.

[00492] In some embodiments, more protons are added to the lithium-enriched acidic solution, forming a protonated lithium-enriched acidic solution that is again contacted with a lithium-enriched ion exchange material to elute more lithium into the protonated lithium- enriched acidic solution. In some embodiments, more protons are added to the lithium-enriched acidic solution by adding an acid or acidic solution thereto to form the protonated lithium- enriched acidic solution. In some embodiments, protons are added to a lithium-enriched acidic solution before passing through each vessel in a network of lithium-selective ion exchange vessels, as described herein.

Compositions of Eluates Produced by Lithium Extraction from a Liquid Resource Using Ion Exchange

[00493] Lithium extraction via any of the aforementioned methods produces an eluate enriched in lithium, whereby the majority of impurities in the liquid resource are rejected and a purified lithium stream is produced. The synthetic lithium solution is an aqueous solution comprising lithium and other dissolved ions, and is donated as an eluate. Said eluate is produced by treatment of an ion exchange material that has absorbed lithium with an acidic eluent to produce an eluent. Said eluent is acidic and contains lithium in combination with other cations and anions that are present in the liquid resource from which lithium is extracted.

[00494] Said eluent can be contacted with ion exchange material in one or more of the aforementioned ion exchange vessels to produce an eluate. Said eluate is stored in one or more different vessels that are part of an ion exchange network.

[00495] The concentration of lithium and other ions in solution vary depending on the liquid resource from which lithium is extracted. In some embodiments, the eluate is produced by contacting the lithiated ion exchange materials with an acidic solution which comprises sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, lithium is eluted from a lithium selective ion exchange material using sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, lithium is eluted from a lithium selective ion exchange material using an acid solution comprising sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, borate, or combinations thereof.

[00496] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include compositions of the concentrated lithium eluate produced by contacting an acid with an ion exchange material lithiated by lithium from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution contains other ions, comprising but not limited to one or more ions of lithium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, boron, strontium, barium, zirconium, titanium, vanadium, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, aluminum, niobium, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, bromide, nitrate, carbonate, bicarbonate, hydrogencarbonate, phosphate, borate, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof.

[00497] In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 200.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 8000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 8000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 2000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 3000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 4000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 5000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 8000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 8000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 12000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium is greater than about 12000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 20000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00498] In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 1 milligrams per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of barium is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00499] In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 20 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 3000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 4000 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00500] In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 20 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 3000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 4000 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of calcium is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00501] In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 20 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 3000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 4000 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of magnesium is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00502] In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 20 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 3000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 4000 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00503] In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 20 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 3000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 4000 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00504] In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 20 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 2000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 2000 milligrams per liter and less than about 3000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 3000 milligrams per liter and less than about 4000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 4000 milligrams per liter and less than about 6000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 10.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of strontium is greater than about 6000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00505] In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 1 milligrams per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of aluminum is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00506] In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 1 milligram per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of copper is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00507] In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 1 milligrams per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of iron is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00508] In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 1 milligram per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of manganese is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00509] In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 1 milligram per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of molybdenum is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00510] In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 1 milligrams per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of niobium is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00511] In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 1 milligram per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of titanium is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00512] In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 1 milligram per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of vanadium is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00513] In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 0.1 milligrams per liter and less than about 750 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 1 milligram per liter and less than about 50 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 50 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 200 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 200 milligrams per liter and less than about 300 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 300 milligrams per liter and less than about 400 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 400.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 500.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 600.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 600.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 700.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of zirconium is greater than about 700.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 800.0 milligrams per liter.

[00514] In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bicarbonate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00515] In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of borate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00516] In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of bromide is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00517] In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00518] In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of chloride is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00519] In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of fluoride is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00520] In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of hydrogencarbonate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00521] In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of nitrate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00522] In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of phosphate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00523] In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 10000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 50000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 100000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 200000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sulfate is greater than about 300000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000.0 milligrams per liter.

[00524] In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 1.0 and less than about 4.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 0.0 and less than about 1.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 1.0 and less than about 2.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 2.0 and less than about 3.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 3.0 and less than about 4.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 4.0 and less than about 5.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 5.0 and less than about 6.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 6.0 and less than about 7.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 7.0 and less than about 8.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 8.0 and less than about 9.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 9.0 and less than about 10.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 10.0 and less than about 11.0. In some embodiments, the value of pH is greater than about 11.0 and less than about 12.0.

[00525] In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 50 0 mV and less than about 800.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidationreduction potential is greater than about 100.0 mV and less than about 500.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 200.0 mV and less than about 400.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about -450.0 mV and less than about 0.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about -200.0 mV and less than about 50.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about -50.0 mV and less than about 100.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 50.0 mV and less than about 300.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 100.0 mV and less than about 400.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 200.0 mV and less than about 600.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 300.0 mV and less than about 800.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 500.0 mV and less than about 1000.0 mV. In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential is greater than about 750.0 mV and less than about 1100.0 mV.

Treatment of the Eluate Produced from Lithium Extraction to Produce Lithium Products [00526] In some embodiments, the lithium eluate solution (e.g., synthetic lithium solution) that is yielded from the ion exchange reactor is further processed into lithium chemicals selected from the following list: lithium sulfate, lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium phosphate, lithium hydroxide, lithium metal, lithium metal oxide, lithium metal phosphate, lithium sulfide, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the lithium eluate solution that is yielded from the ion exchange reactor is further processed into lithium chemicals that are solid, aqueous, liquid, slurry form, hydrated, or anhydrous.

[00527] In some embodiments, the lithium eluate solution that is yielded from the ion exchange reactor is further processed using acid recovery, acid recycling, acid regeneration, distillation, reverse osmosis, evaporation, purification, chemical precipitation, membrane electrolysis, or combinations thereof. [00528] In some embodiments, the lithium eluate is purified using hydroxide precipitation, carbonate precipitation, other precipitate, ion exchange, solvent extraction, and/or other extraction methods to remove divalent ions, multivalent ions, boron, or other chemical species. In some embodiments, the lithium eluate is concentrated using reverse osmosis, mechanical evaporation, mechanical vapor recompression, solar thermal heating, concentrated solar thermal heating, and/or solar evaporation.

[00529] In some embodiments, a lithium eluate is processed into a lithium stream that is treated with sodium carbonate to precipitate lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, a lithium chloride stream is treated with sodium carbonate to precipitate lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, a lithium sulfate stream is treated with sodium carbonate to precipitate lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, a lithium nitrate stream is treated with sodium carbonate to precipitate lithium carbonate.

[00530] In some embodiments, a lithium eluate is processed into a lithium stream that is treated with sodium hydroxide to crystallize a lithium hydroxide product. In some embodiments, a lithium sulfate stream is treated with sodium hydroxide to crystallize a lithium hydroxide product. In some embodiments, a lithium chloride stream is treated with sodium hydroxide to crystallize a lithium hydroxide product. In some embodiments, a lithium nitrate stream is treated with sodium hydroxide to crystallize a lithium hydroxide product.

Removal of Impurities

[00531] In some embodiments, impurities are removed from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium using an impurities selective ion exchange material, nanofiltration, chemical precipitation, electrochemical separation, temperature reduction precipitation, other methods of removing impurities, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, impurities are removed using combinations of impurities selective ion exchange material, nanofiltration, chemical precipitation, electrochemical separation, temperature reduction precipitation, other methods of removing multivalent impurities, or combinations thereof, in parallel, in series, or combinations thereof.

Impurities Selective Ion Exchange Material

[00532] In some embodiments, for any lithium extraction process or system described herein, impurities are at least removed by contacting a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium with an impurities selective ion exchange material. In some embodiments, impurities selective ion exchange material comprises multivalent impurities selective ion exchange material. In some embodiments, the multivalent impurities selective ion exchange material comprises multivalent cation selective (MCS) ion exchange material. In some embodiments, MCS ion exchange material is provided in a packed bed. In some embodiments, MCS ion exchange material is provided in a fluidized bed. In some embodiments, MCS ion exchange material is located in a MCS vessel. In some embodiments, MCS ion exchange material is arranged in a network of MCS vessels. In some embodiments, MCS ion exchange material is arranged in a network of MCS vessels, wherein a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium is sequentially passed through the network of MCS vessels, such that multivalent cations are absorbed from the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium as it passes through each MCS vessel. In some embodiments, the amount of multivalent cations absorbed from the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium passing through a network of MCS vessels decreases from a first MCS vessel in the sequence of synthetic lithium solution flow to a last MCS vessel in said sequence. In some embodiments, the last MCS vessel in said sequence absorbs trace amounts of multivalent cations. In some embodiments, the sequence of the plurality of MCS vessels is rearranged based on the saturation of the MCS ion exchange material in each MCS vessel. In some embodiments, MCS ion exchange material is arranged in a lead-lag configuration. In some embodiments, the MCS ion exchange material is arranged in a variation of a lead-lag setup. In some embodiments, the MCS ion exchange material is eluted using a second acidic solution. In some embodiments, the MCS ion exchange material is eluted using hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the MCS ion exchange material is regenerated using sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the MCS ion exchange material is provided in one or more stirred tank reactors, tanks, columns, fluidized beds, packed beds, or combinations thereof, and arranged in series and/or parallel.

[00533] In one embodiment, a multivalent cation selective (MCS) ion exchange material is selective for cations with a charge of 2+, 3+, 4+, 5+, 6+, or combinations thereof.

[00534] In one embodiment, the multivalent selective cation exchange material is comprised of polystyrene, polybutadiene, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the multivalent selective cation exchange material is comprised of polystyrene, polystyrene functionalized with sulfonate, polystyrene-polybutadiene copolymer functionalized with sulfonate group and/or phosphonate group, poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-l- propanesulfonic acid) (Poly AMPS), poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) copolymer functionalized with sulfonate group, phosphonate group, iminodiacetic group, carboxylic acid group, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is comprised of polystyrene, polybutadiene, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is comprised of polystyrene, polybutadiene, poly divinyl benzene, divinyl benzene, polystyrene functionalized with sulfonate, polystyrene-polybutadiene copolymer functionalized with sulfonate group and/or phosphonate group, poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-l- propanesulfonic acid) (Poly AMPS), poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) copolymer functionalized with sulfonate group, phosphonate group, iminodiacetic group, carboxylic acid group, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof In one embodiment, the multivalent selective cation exchange material is comprised of a zeolite, clinoptilolite, bentonite, glauconite, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is comprised a strong acidic cation exchange resin In one embodiment, a strong acidic cation exchange resin is used to remove multivalent cations from an acidic solution containing lithium. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is comprised a gel -type strong acidic cation exchange resin. In one embodiment, a gel-type strong acidic cation exchange resin is used to remove multivalent cations from an acidic solution containing lithium. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is comprised a gel-type strong acidic cation exchange resin with a gaussian, narrow, or other particle size distribution. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is operated in co-flow or counter-flow. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is contacted with alternating flows of acidic eluate solution containing lithium and impurities and flows of hydrochloric acid solution. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal is contacted with alternating flows of a synthetic lithium solution containing lithium and impurities and flows of hydrochloric acid solution in the same or opposite directions.

[00535] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium is a styrene divinylbenzene copolymer. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene divinylbenzene copolymer with sulfonic acid functional groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene copolymer with sulfonic acid functional groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene butadiene copolymer with sulfonic acid functional groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal comprises beads with a mean diameter of about 10-50 microns, 50-100 microns, 100-200 microns, 200-400 microns, 300-500 microns, 400-600 microns, 600-800 microns, 200-500 microns, 400-800 microns, 500-1000 microns, 800-1600 microns, or 1000- 2000 microns. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for selective lithium extraction from the liquid resource comprises beads with a mean diameter of about 10-50 microns, 50-100 mi crons, 100-200 microns, 200-400 microns, 300-500 microns, 400-600 microns, 600-800 microns, 200-500 microns, 400-800 microns, 500-1000 microns, 800-1600 microns, or 1000- 2000 microns

[00536] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a copolymer of styrene, divinylbenzene, butadiene, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a mixture of styrene, divinylbenzene, butadiene, or combinations thereof.

[00537] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a copolymer of styrene, divinylbenzene, butadiene, or combinations thereof functionalized with sulfonic-acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a mixture of styrene, divinylbenzene, butadiene, or combinations thereof functionalized with sulfonic-acid groups.

[00538] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a copolymer of styrene, divinylbenzene, butadiene, or combinations thereof functionalized with phosphonic-acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a mixture of styrene, divinylbenzene, butadiene, or combinations thereof functionalized with phosphonic-acid groups.

[00539] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a copolymer functionalized with sulfonic-acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a polymer functionalized with sulfonic-acid groups.

[00540] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a copolymer functionalized with phosphonic-acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a polymer functionalized with phosphonic-acid groups.

[00541] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene-butadiene copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a divinylbenzene-butadiene copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene-butadiene-divinylbenzene copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid groups.

[00542] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer functionalized with phosphonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene-butadiene copolymer functionalized with phosphonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a divinylbenzene-butadiene copolymer functionalized with phosphonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a styrene-butadiene-divinylbenzene copolymer functionalized with phosphonic acid groups.

[00543] In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a vinylbenzene copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid or phosphonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a vinylbenzene chloride copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid or phosphonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a vinylidene copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid or phosphonic acid groups. In one embodiment, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is an acrylonitrile copolymer functionalized with sulfonic acid or phosphonic acid groups.

[00544] In some embodiments, the ion exchange material for impurity removal from the acidic lithium solution is a polymer functionalized with phosphoric or phosphinic acid groups.

Nanofiltration

[00545] In some embodiments, for any lithium extraction process or system described herein, impurities are at least removed by passing a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium through one or more nanofiltration membrane units arranged in series and/or parallel. In some embodiments, the one or more nanofiltration membrane units comprises nanofiltration membrane material.

[00546] In one embodiment, impurities are removed from the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium using a nanofiltration membrane material. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, polyamide, poly(piperazine-amide), mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of a thin-film composite. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of polyamide with a support comprised of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyethersulfone, polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfone, cellulose acetate, polyimide, polypropylene, polyketone, polyethylene terephthalate, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of ceramic material. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of alumina, zirconia, yttria stabilized zirconia, titania, silica, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of zeolite mixed matrix membrane with polyamide and/or polysulfone support, alumina filled polyvinyl alcohol mixed matrix membrane materials, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00547] In some embodiments, anti-scalants, chelants, and/or other means of anti-scaling are used to avoid scaling in the nanofiltration membrane units. In some embodiments, anti-scalants are flowed through nanofiltration membrane units or ion exchange vessels to avoid formation of sealants.

[00548] In some embodiments of the methods, processes, and systems disclosed herein, a nanofiltration system as described herein is used to selectively remove lithium ions and chloride ions from a solution that comprises lithium, chloride, phosphate, and particles of a sparingly soluble lithium compound. In some embodiments, the sparingly soluble lithium compound comprises lithium phosphate.

Electrodialysis Separation

[00549] In some embodiments, for any lithium extraction process or system described herein, impurities are at least removed from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium by passing through one or more electrodialysis membranes to separate multivalent impurities.

[00550] In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is a membrane separation technology in which certain charged species are allowed to pass through a membrane with assistance from an applied electric field. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium where water is retained in the feed phase while charged ions pass through selective ion exchange membranes. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium where selective cation exchange membranes are used to obtain separation of monovalent and multivalent ions by means of different transport kinetics through the membrane. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium using a polymer- based membrane with functional groups. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium using cation exchange membranes that are functionalized with negatively charged functional groups such as sulfonic, carboxyl, other functional groups, or combinations thereof which allows cations to pass through while preventing anions from passing. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium with a rinse solution or additional membranes near the electrodes to wash out ions near the electrodes to prevent the generation of chlorine or hydrogen gas on the electrodes. In some embodiments, electrodialysis is used to remove impurities from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium where divalent or multivalent cations would move through a membrane slower than monovalent ions.

Temperature Reduction Precipitation

[00551] In some embodiments, for any lithium extraction process or system described herein, impurities are at least removed from a synthetic lithium solution or a solution comprising lithium by reducing the temperature of the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium to precipitate multivalent impurities. In some embodiments, the temperature of the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium is reduced using a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the temperature is reduced by passing the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium through a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the temperature of the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium, following reduction of the temperature to precipitate multivalent impurities, is heated or allowed to warm.

Precipitation of Metal Ions by Adjustment of pH and Oxidation Reduction Potential [00552] In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is adjusted following elution by treatment with acidic or basic substances. The synthetic lithium solution can be further treated and subjected to other separation processes to result in a changed relative concentration of lithium and other ions. The synthetic lithium solution can further be diluted or concentrated to result in varying concentrations of lithium and other ions. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium comprises dissolved species that can precipitate at certain concentrations. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium comprises dissolved species that can precipitate at certain values of pH. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium comprises dissolved species that can precipitate at certain values of oxidation-reduction potential. [00553] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium comprises dissolved species that can precipitate at certain concentrations. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium comprises dissolved species that are reduced in concentration to avoid precipitation. In some embodiments, the dissolved species in the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium comprises sulfate anions, nitrate anions, phosphate anions, chloride anions, bromide anions, fluoride anions, borate anions, iodide anions, carbonate anions, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, lithium and non-lithium impurities are eluted into the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium from a lithium-enriched ion exchange material, wherein the eluted impurities react with one or more said anions in the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium to form insoluble salts, which can precipitate. In some embodiments, the concentrations of said anions and non-lithium impurities in the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium are independently limited so as to reduce or inhibit precipitation of insoluble salts. In one embodiment, the acidic solution comprises sulfate anions.

[00554] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium further comprises water, salt, chelating compounds, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, compounds of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, anti-scalants, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, dilution water is added to the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium to limit and/or prevent formation of insoluble precipitates.

[00555] In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium is increased until precipitation of non-lithium impurities is observed. In some embodiments, the pH is increased by using a base comprising sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, as pure solids or in aqueous, mixtures thereof, or combination thereof.

[00556] In some embodiments, the value of oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium is adjusted until precipitation of non-lithium impurities is observed. In some embodiments, oxidation-reduction potential using hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, hypochlorous acid, ozone, potassium monopersulphate, chloramines, cyanuric acid, urea, sodium metabisulphite, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof.

[00557] In some embodiments, a precipitate is formed when the pH and/or oxidationreduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution or the solution comprising lithium is adjusted. In some embodiments said precipitates comprise solids comprising lithium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, boron, strontium, barium, zirconium, titanium, vanadium, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, aluminum, niobium, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, bromide, nitrate, carbonate, bicarbonate, hydrogencarbonate, phosphate, borate, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof.

Methods for Adjusting the pH of the Synthetic Lithium Solution

[00558] In one embodiment, the synthetic lithium solution is neutralized by adjusting its pH. In some embodiments, the pH is raised to between 7 and 8, 8 and 9, 9 and 10, 10 and 11. In some embodiments, the pH is raised by adding NaOH, KOH, LiOH, RbOH, Mg(OH)2, Ca(OH)2, Sr(OH)2, Ba(OH)2, NH4OH, Sr(OH)2 or other basic compounds, or combinations thereof.

[00559] In some embodiments, the adjustment of the pH is performed in an agitated vessel. In some embodiments, said vessel is a jacked vessel. In some embodiments, said jacket is used to add heat to or remove heat from said vessel. In some embodiments, said vessel contains two or more baffles. In some embodiments, said vessel contains nozzles for injecting liquid, air, gas, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said nozzles are used for recirculating the contents of said vessel. In some embodiments, said nozzles are used for mixing said vessel. In some embodiments, air is used to recirculate the contents of said vessel. In some embodiments, the adjustment of the pH is performed using an inline mixer that mixes the synthetic lithium solution with a liquid base.

[00560] In one embodiment, the synthetic lithium solution is neutralized by performing acid distillation. In some embodiments, said volatile acid is i) fresh or virgin volatile acid, ii) the recycled volatile acid, or iii) both. In some embodiments, said volatile acid is a volatile mineral acid comprising nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, or carbonic acid. In some embodiments, said volatile acid is nitric acid. In some embodiments, said volatile acid is hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at temperatures of about 50 to about 150 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at temperatures of about 100 to about 200 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at temperatures of about 100 to about 300 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at temperatures of about 200 to about 400 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at temperatures of about 400 to about 600 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at temperatures of above 600 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the distillation unit yields said lithium sulfate in aqueous form. In some embodiments, the distillation unit yields said lithium sulfate in solid form. In some embodiments, the distillation unit comprises a spray dryer to produce said lithium sulfate in solid form. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at pressures from about 0.01 atm to about 0.1 atm In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at pressures from about 0.1 atm to about 1.0 atm. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at pressures from about 1.0 atm to about 10 atm. In some embodiments, the distillation unit operates at pressures above 10 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at pressures from about 1 atm to about 10 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at pressures from about 10 atm to about 100 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at pressures from about 100 atm to about 1,000 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -200 degrees Celsius to about -100 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -100 degrees Celsius to about -50 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -50 degrees Celsius to about 0 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -30 degrees Celsius to about 20 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about 0 degrees Celsius to about 50 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius.

Methods for Precipitating Dissolved Transition Metals

[00561] Transition metals may be found in solution in the synthetic lithium solution. For final purification of the synthetic lithium solution to produce lithium products, said dissolved transition metals must be removed. In one embodiment, said transition metal impurities are removed from solution by precipitating them from the synthetic lithium solution in order to form a solid, and said solid is removed from the synthetic lithium solution through a solid-liquid separation method. In some embodiments, precipitation comprises the formation of a slurry comprising a) a solid comprising a transition metal species, and b) a liquid that used to contain said transition metal in solution prior to precipitation.

[00562] In one embodiment, said transition metal impurities are precipitated by raising the pH of the synthetic lithium solution, resulting in the precipitation of the transition metal such that the synthetic lithium solution is devoid of such transition metal and is thereby concentrated in lithium. In some embodiments, the pH is raised to between about 3 and about 4, about 4 and about 5, about 5 and about 6, about 6 and about 7, about 7 and about 8, about 8 and about 9, about 9 and about 10, about 10 and about 11, about 11 and about 12. In some embodiments, the pH is raised by adding NaOH, KOH, LiOH, RbOH, Mg(OH)₂, Ca(OH)₂, Sr(OH)₂, Ba(OH)₂, NH4OH, or other basic compounds, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof.

[00563] In some embodiments, titanium is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 6. In some embodiments, zirconium is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 7. In some embodiments, vanadium is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 6. In some embodiments, iron is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 9. In some embodiments, copper is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 5. In some embodiments, manganese is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 7. In some embodiments, molybdenum is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 4. In some embodiments, aluminum is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 5. In some embodiments, niobium is the transition metal, and the pH is raised to above 2.

[00564] In one embodiment, said transition metals are precipitated by changing the oxidation state of the transition metal to an insoluble state. In one embodiment, the oxidation state of said transition metal is changed by altering the oxidation-reduction potential (also known as ORP) of the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the ORP is changed to between about - 200mV and about -lOOmV, between about -lOOmV and about lOOmV, between about lOOmV and about 200m V, between about 200mV and about 500m V, between about 500mV and about 1000m V, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the ORP is adjusted in a redox modulation unit. In one embodiment, the oxidation state of said transition metal is changed by adding a redox agent to the synthetic lithium solution. In one embodiment, said redox agent is an oxidant. In some embodiments, said oxidant is air, oxygen, ozone, bleach, sodium hypochlorite, fluorine, chlorine, chlorate, perchlorate, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, nitric acid, or other oxidation agents, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said redox agent is a reductant. In some embodiments, said reductant is sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, sodium borohydride, formic acid, ascorbic acid, oxalic acid, potassium iodide, or other reducing agents, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the oxidation state of said transition metal is changed via electrolysis or electrowinning.

[00565] In some embodiments, Ti is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -100 mV. In some embodiments, Zr is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -1.5 V and below about 1.5 V. In some embodiments, V is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -600 mV. In some embodiments, Fe is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about 1200 mV. In some embodiments, Cu is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -400 mV. In some embodiments, Mn is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about 200 mV. In some embodiments, Mo is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -200 mV. In some embodiments, Al is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -1.75 V and below about 2 V. In some embodiments, Nb is the transition metal, and the ORP is raised to above about -250 mV.

[00566] In some embodiments, only the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is modified. In some embodiments, only the ORP of the synthetic lithium solution is modified. In some embodiments, a combination of both the pH and ORP of the synthetic lithium solution are modified.

[00567] In one embodiment, said transition metal impurities are precipitated by adding transition metal seed crystals to the synthetic lithium solution. In one embodiment, transition metal seed crystals are recirculated. In some embodiments, transition metal seed crystals are mixed with a solution comprising the same transition metal as the seed crystals. In some embodiments, transition metal seed crystals are mixed with a solution comprising a different transition metal as the seed crystals. In some embodiments, the addition of transition metal seed crystals to a tank where transition metals precipitate results in the formation of larger precipitates. In some embodiments, the formation of larger precipitates facilities solid-liquid separation of said precipitates.

[00568] In some embodiments, the precipitated solids comprise zirconium, titanium, vanadium, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, aluminum, niobium, mixtures or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the precipitated solids comprise zirconium, titanium, vanadium, iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, aluminum, niobium, lithium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, boron, strontium, barium, mixtures or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the precipitated solids comprise sulfate, chloride, fluoride, bromide, nitrate, carbonate, bicarbonate, hydrogencarbonate, phosphate, borate, mixtures or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the precipitated solids comprise a transition metal hydroxide, oxide, carbonate, sulfate, chloride, phosphate, bicarbonate, nitrate, bormide, borate, mixtures or combinations thereof.

[00569] In some embodiments, the molar ratio of lithium to the sum of all precipitated cations is about 1000:1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 500:1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 100:1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 50:1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 10:1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 5 : 1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 2: 1. In some embodiments, said molar ratio is about 1:1.

[00570] In some embodiments, said transition metal impurities are precipitated from the synthetic lithium solution in order to form a solid, and said solid is removed from the synthetic lithium solution through a solid-liquid separation method. [00571] In some embodiments, said filter retains particles smaller than about 0.01 microns, smaller than about 0.1 microns, smaller than about 0.5 microns, smaller than about 1 micron, smaller than about 5 microns, smaller than about 10 microns, smaller than about 100 microns, smaller than about 1 millimeter, smaller than about 1 centimeter.

[00572] In one embodiment, coordinating ligands are added to the synthetic lithium solution during precipitation of the transition metals. In one embodiment, said ligands are chelating agents. In one embodiment, said chelating agent is EDTA (or salts thereof), oxalate, egtazic acid (or salts thereof), or other chelators, mixtures, or combinations thereof.

[00573] In one embodiment, said transition metal impurities are precipitated by adding anions to the synthetic lithium solution that form insoluble salts with dissolved transition metals. In one embodiment, said complimentary anion comprises sulfide, phosphate, carbonate, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, said sulfide is H2S, Na2S, K2S, CaS, MgS, other sulfide compounds, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, said phosphate is NasPC , K3PO4, RbiPO-t, (NHfhPC , other phosphate salts, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, said carbonate is MgCCh, CaCCh, SrCCh, CO2, or other carbonate salts, or combinations thereof. [00574] In one embodiment, base is added to the synthetic lithium solution, to precipitate undesirable metals followed by separation from the synthetic lithium solution through solidliquid separations. In one embodiment, base is added to the synthetic lithium solution to precipitated undesirable metals followed by the addition of an oxidizing agent to further precipitate undesirable metals followed by separation from the synthetic lithium solution using solid-liquid separations. In one embodiment, base is added to the synthetic lithium solution followed by the addition of an oxidizing agent to precipitate the undesirable solids, followed by separation from the synthetic lithium solution through solid-liquid separations, followed by the addition of base for precipitation of undesirable metals followed by the separation from the synthetic lithium solution through solid-liquid separations.

Methods for Removal of Dissolved Impurities in the Synthetic Lithium Solution

[00575] In some embodiments, some amount of dissolved transition metal impurities removed directly from solution by treatment of the synthetic lithium solution.

[00576] In one embodiment, the dissolved transition metal impurities are removed from the synthetic lithium solution using solvent extraction with an organic liquid phase that preferentially binds transition metal ions. In one embodiment, a synthetic lithium solution is purified using solvent extraction with an organic liquid phase to preferentially bind monovalent ions or to preferentially bind divalent ions or to preferentially bind multivalent ions. In some embodiments, said multivalent ions comprise calcium, magnesium, strontium, boron, manganese, zirconium, barium, titanium, tin, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, aluminum, other cations, combinations or mixture thereof. In one embodiment, the solvent extraction is performed using neodecanoic acid, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid, mixtures or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a flow of lithium salt solution or the synthetic lithium solution is pumped through a series of one or more columns/tanks counter-current to a flow of other liquid phase, which can be kerosene or other solvent containing neodecanoic acid, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid, other extractants, mixture or combinations thereof.

[00577] In one embodiment, the dissolved transition metal impurities are removed using cation-exchange resins to preferentially absorb impurities. In one embodiment, the synthetic lithium solution is purified using cation-exchange resins to preferentially absorb multivalent ions while releasing sodium. In one embodiment, the synthetic lithium solution is purified using cation-exchange resins to preferentially absorb multivalent ions while releasing hydrogen. In one embodiment, the synthetic lithium solution is purified using cation-exchange resins to preferentially absorb multivalent ions while releasing lithium. In one embodiment, the cationexchange resin is a sulfonated polymer or a carboxylated polymer. In one embodiment, the cation-exchange resin is a sulfonated polystyrene polymer, a sulfonated polystyrene-butadiene polymer, or a carboxylated polyacrylic polymer. In one embodiment, the cation-exchange resin is loaded with Na so that Na is released as multi-valent ions are absorbed. In one embodiment, the cation-exchange resin is loaded with Li so that Li is released as multi-valent ions are absorbed.

[00578] In one embodiment, the dissolved transition metal impurities are removed using anion-exchange resins to preferentially absorb anionic impurities.

Methods for Separating Precipitated Solids from the Synthetic Lithium Solution

[00579] In some embodiments, solids precipitated from the synthetic lithium solution are removed from said synthetic lithium solution by solid-liquid separation, resulting in a synthetic lithium solution that is purified in its lithium content.

[00580] In one embodiment, the precipitated metals are separated from the synthetic lithium solution utilizing filtration, gravity sedimentation, centrifugal sedimentation, centrifugation, magnetic fields, other methods of solid-liquid separation, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said separating of the undesirable metal precipitate comprises using a filter, a settling tank, a clarifier, a hydrocyclone, a centrifuge, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, precipitated metals are removed from the synthetic lithium solution using a filter. In some embodiments, the filter is a belt filter, plate-and-frame filter press, pressure vessel containing filter elements, rotary drum filter, rotary disc filter, a candle filter, a bag filter, cartridge filter, a centrifugal filter with a fixed or moving bed, a metal screen, a perforated basket centrifuge, a three-point centrifuge, a peeler type centrifuge, or a pusher centrifuge. In some embodiments, the filter uses a scroll or a vibrating device. In some embodiments, the filter is horizontal, vertical, or uses a siphon. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution is recirculated through the solid-liquid separator.

[00581] In some embodiments, said filter retains particles smaller than about 0.01 microns, smaller than about 0.1 microns, smaller than about 0.5 microns, smaller than about 1 micron, smaller than about 5 microns, smaller than about 10 microns, smaller than about 100 microns, smaller than about 1 millimeter, smaller than about 1 centimeter.

[00582] In one embodiment, a filter cake is prevented, limited, or removed by using gravity, centrifugal force, an electric field, vibration, brushes, liquid jets, scrapers, intermittent reverse flow, vibration, crow-flow filtration, or pumping suspensions across the surface of the filter. In some embodiments, the precipitated metals and a liquid is moved tangentially to the filter to limit cake growth. In one embodiment, gravitational, magnetic, centrifugal sedimentation, or other means of solid-liquid separation are used before, during, or after filtering to prevent cake formation. In one embodiment, a filter comprises a screen, a metal screen, a sieve, a sieve bend, a bent sieve, a high frequency electromagnetic screen, a resonance screen, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, one or more particle traps are a solid-liquid separation apparatus. In some embodiments, one or more solid-liquid separation apparatuses are used in series or in parallel. In one embodiment, a dilute slurry is removed from the tank, transferred to an external solid-liquid separation apparatus, and separated into a concentrated slurry and a solution with low or no suspended solids. In one embodiment, the concentrated slurry is returned to the tank or transferred to a different tank. In one embodiment, precipitate metals are transferred from a liquid resource tank to another liquid resource tank, from an acid tank to another acid tank, from a washing tank to another washing tank, from a liquid resource tank to a washing tank, from a washing tank to an acid tank, from an acid tank to a washing tank, or from an acid tank to a liquid resource tank.

[00583] In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation apparatuses use gravitational sedimentation. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a settling tank, a thickener, a clarifier, a gravity thickener. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses are operated in batch mode, semi-batch mode, semi-continuous mode, or continuous mode. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a circular basin thickener with slurry entering through a central inlet such that the slurry is dispersed into the thickener with one or more raking components that rotate and concentrate the ion exchange particles into a zone where the particles can leave through the bottom of the thickener. [00584] In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a deep cone, a deep cone tank, a deep cone compression tank, or a tank wherein the slurry is compacted by weight. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a tray thickener with a series of thickeners oriented vertically with a center axle and raking components. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a lamellar-type thickener with inclined plates or tubes that are smooth, flat, rough, or corrugated. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a gravity clarifier that is a rectangular basin with feed at one end and overflow at the opposite end optionally with paddles and/or a chain mechanism to move particles. In some embodiments, the solid-liquid separation apparatuses comprise a particle trap. [00585] In some embodiments, the solid-liquid separation apparatuses use centrifugal sedimentation. In some embodiments, solid-liquid separation apparatuses include a tubular centrifuge, a multi-chamber centrifuge, a conical basket centrifuge, a scroll-type centrifuge, a sedimenting centrifuge, or a disc centrifuge. In some embodiments, precipitated metals are discharged continuously or intermittently from the centrifuge. In some embodiments, the solidliquid separation apparatus is a hydrocyclone. In some embodiments, a solid-liquid separation apparatus is an array of hydrocyclones or centrifuges in series and/or in parallel. In some embodiments, sumps are used to reslurry the precipitated metals. In some embodiments, the hydrocyclones have multiple feed points. In some embodiments, a hydrocyclone is used upside down. In some embodiments, liquid is injected near the apex of the cone of a hydrocyclone to improve sharpness of cut. In some embodiments, a weir rotates in the center of the particle trap with a feed of slurried precipitated metals entering near the middle of the apparatus, and precipitated metals get trapped at the bottom and center of the apparatus due to a “teacup effect”. [00586] In one embodiment, the solid-liquid separation apparatuses use a membrane filter. In one embodiment, solid-liquid separations membrane filters are operated in batch mode, semibatch mode, semi-continuous mode or continuous mode. In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation membrane filters are operated in cross-flow with concentrate routed to solid-liquid feed. In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation membrane filters are operated in cross-flow with concentrate fed back into the synthetic lithium solution along with the base. In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation membrane filters are operated in cross-flow with concentrate fed back into the synthetic lithium solution along with the oxidizing agent. In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation membrane filters are operated without cross-flow (dead end mode), and back-washed at intervals with back-wash stream fed back into the synthetic lithium solution along with the base. In one embodiment, solid-liquid separation membrane filters are operated without cross-flow (dead end mode), and back-washed at intervals with back-wash stream fed back into the synthetic lithium solution along with the oxidizing agent. [00587] In one embodiment, the precipitated metal solids separated by one or more of the above embodiments are split into two or more streams and fed back into the synthetic lithium solution along with base. In some embodiments, the solids in said stream act as nucleation sites on which other metals precipitate. In some embodiments, this method serves to grow larger precipitate crystals faster. In one embodiment, the precipitated metal solids separated by one or more of the above embodiments are split into two or more streams and fed back into the synthetic lithium solution along with the oxidizing agent as nucleation sites on which the metals precipitate.

[00588] In one embodiment of the metal precipitation system, the tanks include a mixing tank where the base or acid is mixed with the synthetic lithium solution to adjust its pH. In one embodiment, this mixing tank is mixed using one or more submerged stirrers, pumped circulation, injection of compressed gas, such as air or ozone. In one embodiment, the tanks include a settling tank, where precipitates optionally settle to the bottom of the settling tank to concentrate the solid precipitates. In one embodiment, the tanks include a storage tank where the synthetic lithium solution is stored prior to mixing tank, settling tank, or other tanks. In one embodiment, some tanks in the recirculating reactor optionally serve a combination of purposes including pH adjustment, ORP adjustment, base mixing tank, settling tank, or storage tank. In any embodiment, a tank optionally does not fulfil two functions at the same time. For example, a tank is not a base mixing tank and a settling tank.

Device for Removal of Precipitated Impurities in the Synthetic Lithium Solution

[00589] Disclosed herein are systems and processes for extracting transition metal impurities from a synthetic lithium solution using one or more agitated vessels where transition metals are precipitated form said synthetic lithium solution.

[00590] In one embodiment, transitions metals are 1) precipitated from a liquid resource, and 2) removed from the liquid resource. In one embodiment, transitions metals are removed from a liquid resource through precipitation by addition of base, oxidant, or combinations thereof, followed by removal of the resulting solids (via said precipitation of the undesirable metals) from the liquid resource, followed by disposal of said solid undesirable metals. In one embodiment, transitions metals are removed from a liquid resource through precipitation by addition of base, oxidant, or combinations thereof, followed by removal of the resulting solids from the liquid resource, followed by reprocessing of resulting solids into ion exchange materials. In one embodiment, removed transitions metals are redissolved using acid and reductant, followed by mixing with raffinate, waste water, liquid resource, water, or other liquids. In one embodiment, redissolved transitions metals are mixed with raffinate, waste water, liquid resource, water, or other liquids for disposal. In one embodiment, solids of transitions metals are dissolved in raffinate, waste water, liquid resource, water, or other liquids for disposal. In one embodiment, transitions metals are mixed with raffinate, waste water, liquid resource, water, or other liquids for disposal.,

[00591] In one embodiment of the metal precipitation system, the tanks include a mixing tank where the base is mixed with the synthetic lithium solution. In one embodiment, this mixing tank is mixed using one or more submerged stirrers, pumped circulation, injection of compressed gas, such as air or ozone. In one embodiment, the tanks include a settling tank, where precipitates optionally settle to the bottom of the settling tank to concentrate the solid precipitates. In one embodiment, the tanks include a storage tank where the synthetic lithium solution is stored prior to mixing tank, settling tank, or other tanks. In one embodiment, some tanks in the recirculating reactor optionally serve a combination of purposes including base mixing tank, settling tank, or storage tank. In any embodiment, a tank optionally does not fulfil two functions at the same time. For example, a tank is not a base mixing tank or a settling tank. [00592] In one embodiment of the metal precipitation system, base is added to a mixing tank, which is optionally a continuous stirred tank system, a confluence of the synthetic lithium solution flow and base flow followed by a static mixer, a confluence of the synthetic lithium solution flow and base flow followed by a paddle mixer, a confluence of the synthetic lithium solution flow and base flow followed by a turbine impeller mixer, or a continuous stirred tank system in the shape of a vertical column which is well mixed at the bottom and settled near the top. In one embodiment, the base is optionally added as a solid or as an aqueous solution. In one embodiment, the base is optionally added continuously at a constant or variable rate. In one embodiment, the base is optionally added discretely in constant or variable aliquots or batches. In one embodiment, the base is optionally added according to one or more pH meters, which optionally samples the synthetic lithium solution downstream of the mixing tank or elsewhere in the recirculating system.

[00593] In one embodiment of the metal precipitation system, oxidant is added to a mixing tank, which is optionally a continuous stirred tank system, a confluence of the synthetic lithium solution flow and oxidant flow followed by a static mixer, a confluence of the synthetic lithium solution flow and oxidant flow followed by a paddle mixer, a confluence of the synthetic lithium solution flow and oxidant flow followed by a turbine impeller mixer, or a continuous stirred tank system in the shape of a vertical column which is well mixed at the bottom and settled near the top. In one embodiment, the oxidant is optionally added as a solid or as an aqueous solution. In one embodiment, the oxidant is optionally added continuously at a constant or variable rate. In one embodiment, the oxidant is optionally added discretely in constant or variable aliquots or batches. In one embodiment, the base is optionally added according to one or more oxidationreduction potential meters, which optionally samples the synthetic lithium solution downstream of the mixing tank or elsewhere in the recirculating system.

[00594] In some embodiments, the oxidant is chosen from one of more of oxygen, air, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, nitric acid, a nitrate compound, sodium hypochlorite, bleach, a chlorite, a chlorate, a perchlorate, potassium permanganate, a permanganate, sodium perborate, a perborate, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof.

[00595] In one embodiment of the metal precipitation system, base, oxidant, or a combination there of is added to a mixing tank, which is optionally a continuous stirred tank system, which is a conical bottom tank. In one embodiment, the mixing tank is a false bottom tank.

Lithium Carbonate Precipitation

[00596] In some embodiments, lithium chloride present in a lithium solution is converted to lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, a lithium solution is a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, soda ash, or equivalently sodium carbonate, is added to a lithium solution to increase the carbonate concentration of the solution (e.g., provide a lithium solution with an increased carbonate concentration). In some embodiments, soda ash is added to a lithium solution as a solid. In some embodiments, soda ash is added to a lithium solution as a liquid solution. In some embodiments, soda ash is added to a lithium solution as a slurry.

[00597] In some embodiments, lithium hydroxide present in a lithium solution is converted to lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, lithium hydroxide present in a lithium solution is converted to lithium bicarbonate. In some embodiments, a lithium solution is a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide is added to a lithium solution to increase the carbonate concentration of the solution (e g., provide a lithium solution with an increased carbonate concentration). In some embodiments, carbon dioxide is added to a lithium solution as a gas. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide is added to a lithium solution as a solution. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide is added to a lithium solution as a supercritical fluid. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide is added to a lithium solution as a solid.

[00598] In some embodiments, a lithium solution with an increased carbonate concentration is heated to generate solid lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, the lithium solution and the soda ash are independently heated before they are combined, but the lithium solution with an increased carbonate concentration is not in itself heated. In some embodiments, a lithium solution with an increased carbonate concentration reaches a temperature of about 355 K to generate solid lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, a lithium solution with an increased carbonate concentration reaches a temperature of about 345 K to of about 365 K to generate solid lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, the generation of solid lithium carbonate takes place in a single tank. In some embodiments, the generation of solid lithium carbonate takes place in multiple tanks. In some embodiments, the generation of solid lithium carbonate takes place in multiple tanks arranged so that the outlet of one tank is fed into a subsequent tank. In some embodiment, each subsequent tank has a higher solids content than the previous tank. In some embodiments, the generation of solid lithium carbonate takes place in multiple tanks in fluid contact or communication with one another.

[00599] In some embodiments, the tanks where lithium carbonate precipitates are crystallizers. In some embodiments, the crystallization tanks are heated. In some embodiments, the crystallization tanks are not heated. In some embodiments, the crystallization tanks are insulated. In some embodiments, the crystallization tanks are agitated tanks. In some embodiments, the crystallization tanks are mechanical vapor recompression units. In some embodiments, the crystallization tanks comprise one or more draft tube baffle crystallizers, which comprise an agitator, a center tube, and a cylindrical baffle to allowed clarified liquor to be withdrawn and thicken the operating slurry magma density. In some embodiments, only one crystallizer is present in the system. In some embodiments, two crystallizers in series are present in the system. In some embodiments, three crystallizers in series are present in the system. In some embodiments, four crystallizers in series are present in the system. In some embodiments, five or more crystallizers are present in the system. In some embodiments, soda ash is added only to the first crystallizer in a series of crystallization tanks. In some embodiments, soda ash is added to the first two crystallizers in the series of crystallization tanks. In some embodiments, soda ash is added to the first three crystallizers in the series of crystallization tanks. In some embodiments, soda ash is added to all crystallizers in the series of crystallization tanks.

[00600] In some embodiments, solid crystals of lithium carbonate are added to the first tank. In some embodiments, this facilitates the precipitation of lithium carbonate with desired properties. In some embodiments, solid crystals of lithium carbonate are added to several of the tanks where crystallization occurs. In some embodiments, said solid crystals are fed into the first tank as a slurry. In some embodiments, said slurry is collected from a thickener at the outlet of a series of lithium carbonate crystallization tanks.

[00601] In some embodiments, sodium carbonate is added as a solution. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium carbonate in said solution is approximately 30 % on a weight basis. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium carbonate in said solution is higher than 25 % but lower than 35 % on a weight basis. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium carbonate in said solution is higher than 10 % but lower than 20 % on a weight basis. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium carbonate in said solution is higher than 20 % but lower than 30 % on a weight basis. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium carbonate in said solution is higher than 30 % but lower than 40 % on a weight basis. In some embodiments, said solution is added at a temperature of about 70 to about 80 °C. In some embodiments, said solution is added at a temperature of about 75 to about 85 °C. In some embodiments, said solution is added at a temperature of about 80 to about 90 °C. In some embodiments, said solution is added at a temperature of about 90 to about 100 °C. In some embodiments, said solution is filtered prior to addition to the lithium carbonate precipitation tanks.

[00602] In some embodiments, said solution of sodium carbonate is prepared by dissolving sodium carbonate in a liquid. In some embodiments, said liquid is water. In some embodiments, said liquid is water that has been used to wash lithium carbonate crystals. In some embodiments, said liquid contains dissolved lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, said liquid is filtered.

[00603] In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 60 to about 70 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 75 to about 85 microns. In some embodiments, the side of the solids produced in the crystallizers is 80 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 60 to about 70 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 70 to about 80 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 80 to about 90 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 90 to about 100 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 100 to about 120 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 120 to about 140 microns. In some embodiments, the size of solids produced in the crystallizers is from about 140 to about 200 microns. In some embodiments, the individual lithium carbonate crystals have a size of from about 20 to about 40 microns, but these crystals aggregate to form larger solids. In some embodiments, the final lithium carbonate crystals are micronized to a size of about 5 microns.

[00604] In some embodiments, solid lithium carbonate is separated from its mother liquor. In some embodiments, solid lithium carbonate is separated from its mother liquor by centrifugation. In some embodiments, solid lithium carbonate is separated from its mother liquor by employing a filter press. In some embodiments, solid lithium carbonate is separated from its mother liquor by employing a belt filter. In some embodiments, the solids are washed with water to remove impurities. [00605] In some embodiments, the lithium carbonate solids are redissolved in water and recrystallized with a second system as the one described above, resulting in a solid lithium carbonate product with reduced impurities. In some embodiments, the lithium carbonate solids are re-slurried in pure water, re-separated in a solid-liquid separator, and re-washed. In some embodiments, the lithium carbonate solids are re-slurried in water, carbon dioxide is added to dissolve the solids, and said solids are recrystallized, resulting in solids of higher purity. In some embodiments, said dissolution occurs at ambient temperature. In some embodiments, the solids are recrystallized with a second system as the one described above, resulting in a solid lithium carbonate product with reduced impurities.

System for Removing Carbonates from the Mother Liquor

[00606] In some embodiments, a mother liquor is a solution that contains lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, a mother liquor is a solution that contains lithium carbonate that is a liquid byproduct of a process for generating solid lithium carbonate. In some embodiments of the processes, methods, and systems disclosed herein, the synthetic lithium solution is a mother liquor. In some embodiments of the processes, methods, and systems disclosed herein, the liquid resource is a mother liquor.

[00607] In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter.

[00608] In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium carbonate in a mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter.

[00609] In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 7.0 but less than 13.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 7.0 but less than 10.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 10.0 but less than 13.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 7.0 but less than 12.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 7.0 but less than 11.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 8.0 but less than 13.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 9.0 but less than 13.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 8.0 but less than 12.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 9.0 but less than 12.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 8.0 but less than 11.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 9.0 but less than 11.0. In some embodiments, the pH value of a mother liquor is greater than 8.0 but less than 10.0.

[00610] In some embodiments a mother liquor may comprise sodium. In some embodiments a mother liquor may comprise potassium. In some embodiments a mother liquor may comprise boron. In some embodiments a mother liquor may comprise chloride.

[00611] In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter.

[00612] In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter.

[00613] In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of boron in a mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter.

[00614] In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be lowered. In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be lowered such that the mother liquor becomes essentially free of carbonate. In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be lowered by the addition of acid to the mother liquor to generate carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, said acid is hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, a solid acid, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be reduced by placing the mother liquor in contact with an ion exchange material that absorbs lithium while releasing protons to generate carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be reduced by lowering the pH of the mother liquor to a neutral pH to generate carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be reduced by lowering the pH of the mother liquor to an acidic pH to generate carbon dioxide.

[00615] In some embodiments, the carbonate content of a mother liquor may be converted to carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide may be removed from a mother liquor by injecting a gas stream free of carbon dioxide into the mother liquor. In some embodiments, said gas is air free of carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, said gas is nitrogen. In some embodiments, said gas is steam. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide may be removed from a mother liquor by employing a steam stripping column. In some embodiments, the carbon dioxide may be removed from a mother liquor by a stripping column wherein said mother liquor is contacted with a gas stream fee of carbon dioxide.

System for Recovering Water and Salts from the Mother Liquor

[00616] In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered to generate water (e.g., collected water) and a concentrated mother liquor. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered after the carbonate content of the mother liquor has been lowered by a prior-implemented process. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered before any process has been implemented that lowers the carbonate content of the mother liquor.

[00617] In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered by employing an evaporation system. In some embodiments, said evaporation system comprises a condensation unit to condense the evaporated water. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered by employing a mechanical vapor recompression system. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered by employing a multiple effects evaporator. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered by employing an evaporation pond. In some embodiments, an evaporation pond is an open vessel or depression configured to expose a liquid solution to air currents and optionally sunlight for the purpose of lowering the water content of the liquid solution. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered by distillation of water from the mother liquor. In some embodiments, distillation involves the evaporation, condensation and collection of water from a liquid solution. In some embodiments, the water content of a mother liquor may be lowered by heating the mother liquor. In some embodiments, heating of a mother liquor may optionally involve boiling the mother liquor.

[00618] In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at pressures from about 1 atm to about 10 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at pressures from about 10 atm to about 100 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at pressures from about 100 atm to about 1,000 atm. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -200 degrees Celsius to about -100 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -100 degrees Celsius to about -50 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -50 degrees Celsius to about 0 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about -30 degrees Celsius to about 20 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures from about 0 degrees Celsius to about 50 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the condensation unit operates at temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius.

[00619] In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of -20 to 150 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of -20 to 120 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of -20 to 100 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of -20 to 80 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of 0 to 150 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of 20 to 150 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of 40 to 120 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the mother liquor may be at a temperature of 40 to 100 °C when its water content is being lowered.

[00620] In some embodiments, a concentrated mother liquor is one of the products generated by lowering the water content of a mother liquor. In some embodiments, a concentrated mother liquor may have a higher lithium concentration than the mother liquor from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated mother liquor may have a higher sodium concentration than the mother liquor from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated mother liquor may have a higher potassium concentration than the mother liquor from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated mother liquor may have a higher chloride concentration than the mother liquor from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated mother liquor may have a higher carbonate concentration than the mother liquor from which it was generated. [00621] In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter. [00622] In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter. [00623] In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 50000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 50000 milligrams per liter and less than about 100000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 100000 milligrams per liter and less than about 200000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 200000 milligrams per liter and less than about 300000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated mother liquor is greater than about 300000 milligrams per liter and less than about 500000 milligrams per liter.

[00624] In some embodiments, solid salts are generated in the course of lowering the water content of a mother liquor. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium chloride and potassium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts are essentially free of lithium. In some embodiments, the solid salts are collected for further use. In some embodiments, the solid salts are dissolved in water to yield a solution of solid salts. In some embodiments, the solid salts are dissolved in water obtained as a product of lowering the water content of a mother liquor to yield a solution of solid salts.

[00625] In some embodiments, a removal system is used generated solid salts in the course of lowering the water content of a mother liquor. In some embodiments, more than one water removal system is used, wherein one removal system produces solids of different type and purity. In some embodiments, multiple removal systems are utilized. In some embodiments, a first removal system is utilized to generate solid that is 80% or more sodium chloride by weight of the solid, and a second removal system us utilized to generate a mixture of sodium chloride and potassium chloride in which sodium chloride is present in less than 80% by weight.

[00626] In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as a chemical precursor for generating acid and base. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as a chemical precursor for generating hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be further purified and used as a chemical precursor for generating hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as a chemical precursor for generating hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide.

[00627] In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as an input to a chloralkali plant that generates acid and base. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used an input to a chloralkali plant that generates hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as an input to a chloralkali plant that generates hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a chloralkali plant may comprise a system for electrolysis of an aqueous solution containing sodium and chloride to generate chlorine, hydrogen, and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a chloralkali plant may comprise a system for electrolysis of an aqueous solution containing sodium, potassium, and chloride to generate chlorine, hydrogen, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a chloralkali plant may comprise a unit that promotes conversion of chlorine and hydrogen gases into hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the hydrochloric acid generated by a chloralkali plant may be used as a reagent in lithium-selective ion exchange processes. In some embodiments, the sodium hydroxide generated by a chloralkali plant may be used as a reagent in lithium-selective ion exchange processes. In some embodiments, the potassium hydroxide generated by a chloralkali plant may be used as a reagent in lithium-selective ion exchange processes.

[00628] In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as an input to a plant that generates acid and base. In some embodiments, a said plant may comprise a 3-compartment bipolar electrodialysis plant. In some embodiments, said plant may comprise a 2-compartment bipolar electrodialysis plant. In some embodiments, said plant may comprise a multiple electrodialysis circuits. In some embodiments, said plant may comprise an electrolysis cell.

System for Recovering Lithium from the Mother Liquor

[00629] In some embodiments, a mother liquor or concentrated mother liquor may be directed to enter a system or subsystem for the purpose of recovering the lithium content of the mother liquor or concentrated mother liquor. In some embodiments, a mother liquor or concentrated mother liquor may be combined with a liquid resource to yield a combined stream that enters a lithium extraction unit containing a lithium-selective sorbent. In some embodiments, a mother liquor or concentrated mother liquor may be combined with a synthetic lithium solution or lithium eluate to yield a combined solution that enters a purification circuit configured to remove impurities from the combined solution. In some embodiments, a mother liquor or concentrated mother liquor may be combined with a synthetic lithium solution or lithium eluate to yield a combined solution that enters a carbonation unit configured to increase the carbonate concentration of the combined solution.

[00630] In some embodiments, a mother liquor is subjected to precipitation as detailed herein by the addition of phosphate to recover the lithium remaining in the mother liquor in the form of lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the lithium phosphate obtained from the mother liquor may be employed in any suitable aspect of the methods and processes disclosed herein. In some embodiments, lithium is recovered from the mother liquor in the form of lithium phosphate after at least some carbonates have been removed from the mother liquor. In some embodiments, lithium is recovered from the mother liquor in the form of lithium phosphate after about all carbonates have been removed from the mother liquor. In some embodiments, lithium is recovered from the mother liquor in the form of lithium phosphate without removing carbonates from the mother liquor.

[00631] In some embodiments, about 100 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 80 mg/L to about 100 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 100 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 60 mg/L to about 80 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 100 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 10 mg/L to about 60 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 500 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 400 mg/L to about 500 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 500 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 200 mg/L to about 400 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 500 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 100 mg/L to about 200 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 1000 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 800 mg/L to about 1000 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate In some embodiments, about 1000 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 600 mg/L to about 800 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 1000 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 100 mg/L to about 600 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 2000 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 1500 mg/L to about 2000 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 2000 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 1000 mg/L to about 1500 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, about 2000 mg/L of lithium remains in the mother liquor and about 100 mg/L to about 1000 mg/L of lithium are recovered as lithium phosphate.

Precipitation of Lithium Phosphate

[00632] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, lithium phosphate is generated in a solid form, wherein the lithium phosphate comprises lithium derived from a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution is obtained according to a process for extracting lithium from a liquid resource with a lithium selective sorbent. The synthetic lithium solution can have previously been subjected to one or more steps or processes for purifying or otherwise modulating the synthetic lithium solution prior to the precipitation of lithium phosphate therefrom. As a non-limiting example, a synthetic lithium solution can be purified by adding a first aliquot of phosphate to precipitate impurities as detailed herein to provide a synthetic lithium solution reduced in impurities from which lithium phosphate is then precipitated. It shall be understood that lithium phosphate obtained as a solid or in solution according to the processes and methods described herein can comprise lithium in addition to any one or more of phosphate (PO4³ ), hydrogen phosphate (HPCL^2-), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4 ), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), salts thereof (e.g., salts with sodium, potassium rubidium, ammonium, etc.), and combinations thereof.

[00633] The stoichiometry and compositions of solids comprising lithium (e.g., lithium phosphate) obtained according to any of the methods and processes detailed under this subheading shall be understood to depend on at least the concentrations of the various components in the synthetic lithium solution. The stoichiometry and compositions of solids comprising lithium obtained according to any of the methods and processes detailed under this sub-heading can depend on one or more of pH, temperature, and oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the solids comprising lithium (e.g., lithium phosphate) comprise IJ3PO4. In some embodiments, the solids comprising lithium (e.g., lithium phosphate) comprise Li2HPO4. In some embodiments, the solids comprising lithium (e g., lithium phosphate) comprise UH2PO4. In some embodiments, the solids comprising lithium (e.g., lithium phosphate) comprise hydroxide. In some embodiments, the solids comprising lithium (e.g., lithium phosphate) comprise water (e.g., waters of hydration incorporated into the crystalline lattice of one or more compounds that constitute the solids comprising lithium). In some embodiments, lithium phosphate obtained from a synthetic lithium solution is used as a precursor in the synthesis of LiFePOr

[00634] In some embodiments, phosphate (e.g., a phosphate salt) is added to a synthetic lithium solution to precipitate lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, a phosphate source (e.g., a phosphate salt) is added to a synthetic lithium solution to precipitate lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate, while a salt comprising at least a cation derived from the phosphate source remains dissolved in solution. In some embodiments, sodium phosphate (NaaPC ) is added to a synthetic lithium solution to precipitate lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, sodium phosphate (NasPC ) is added to a synthetic lithium solution comprising chloride to precipitate lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate while sodium chloride remains in solution. In some embodiments, ammonium phosphate ((NF ^PC ) is added to a synthetic lithium solution to precipitate lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, ammonium phosphate ((NF ^POr) is added to a synthetic lithium solution to precipitate lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate, wherein the ammonium cations also serve to neutralize base within the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the lithium phosphate obtained is substantially free of impurities (e.g., Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Sr, etc.). In some embodiments, phosphate is added to a synthetic lithium solution to precipitate compounds of calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and strontium from the synthetic lithium solution while also precipitating lithium from the synthetic lithium solution in the form of lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, phosphate is added to the synthetic lithium solution in the form of phosphate (PO4³'), hydrogen phosphate (HPOr^2-), dihydrogen phosphate (FhPCU'). phosphoric acid (H3PO4), including salts thereof (e.g., salts with sodium, potassium rubidium, ammonium, etc.) and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a phosphate source is added to the synthetic lithium solution in the form of phosphate (PO4³'), hydrogen phosphate (HPO4²'), dihydrogen phosphate (FhPC ’), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), including salts thereof (e.g., salts with sodium, potassium rubidium, ammonium, etc.) and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a phosphate source comprises one or more cations selected from: sodium, potassium, and ammonium. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution comprises one or more anions selected from: chloride, carbonate, bromide, sulfate, and nitrate; wherein the one or more anions remain dissolved in solution following the precipitation of lithium phosphate from the synthetic lithium solution.

[00635] In some embodiments, the quantity of phosphate added to the synthetic lithium solution is between about 0.1 to about 10 molar equivalents with respect to the quantities of lithium in the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 0.1 to about 1 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 1 to about 2 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 2 to about 3 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 3 to about 4 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 4 to about 5 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 5 to about 6 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 6 to about 7 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 7 to about 8 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 8 to about 9 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, between about 9 to about 10 molar equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, about 0.1, about 0.5, about 1, about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9, or about 10 equivalents of phosphate are added to the synthetic lithium solution.

[00636] In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated before the addition of phosphate. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated after the addition of phosphate. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated by the addition of phosphate. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated by the addition of an acid. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated by the addition of a base. Said modulation can raise the pH of the synthetic lithium solution. Said modulation can lower the pH of the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 0 and about 14. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 0. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 1. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 2. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 3. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 4. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 5. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 6. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 8. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 9. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 10. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 11. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 12. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 13. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is about 14. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 1 and about 3. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 1 and about 4. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 1 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 2 and about 4. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 2 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 3 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 4 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 7 and about 9. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 7 and about 11. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 7 and about 13. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 9 and about 11. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 9 and about 13. In some embodiments, the pH of the synthetic lithium solution following said modulation is between about 11 and about 13.

[00637] In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated before the addition of phosphate. In some embodiments, modulation of a oxidation-reduction potential (e g., of the synthetic lithium solution, of the liquid resource) can be achieved by adding a chemical additive. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated after the addition of phosphate. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution is modulated by the addition of phosphate. Said modulation can raise the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution. Said modulation can lower the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 50.0 mV and less than about 800.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 100.0 mV and less than about 500.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 200.0 mV and less than about 400.0 mV In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about -450.0 mV and less than about 0.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about -200.0 mV and less than about 50.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about -50.0 mV and less than about 100.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidationreduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 50.0 mV and less than about 300.0 mV. In some embodiments the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 100.0 mV and less than about 400.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation -reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 200.0 mV and less than about 600.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 300.0 mV and less than about 800.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 500.0 mV and less than about 1000.0 mV. In some embodiments, the oxidation-reduction potential of the synthetic lithium solution following modulation is greater than about 750.0 mV and less than about 1100.0 mV.

[00638] In some embodiments of the methods, processes, and systems disclosed herein, following the precipitation of lithium phosphate from a synthetic lithium solution, the synthetic lithium solution is retained in a tank for a period of time that is a residence time. In some embodiments of the methods, processes, and systems disclosed herein, flowing the precipitation of lithium from a synthetic lithium solution, the synthetic lithium solution is retained in a tank for a period of time that is a residence time. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution is agitated during the residence time. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution is not agitated during the residence time. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 1 second and about 10 days. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 1 second and about 300 seconds. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 1 minute and about 5 minutes. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 5 minutes and about 10 minutes. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 10 minutes and about 30 minutes. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 30 minutes and about 60 minutes. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 1 hour and about 3 hours. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 3 hour and about 6 hours. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 6 hour and about 12 hours. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 12 hour and about 24 hours. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 1 day and about 2 days. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 2 days and about 3 days. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 3 days and about 5 days. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 5 days and about 7 days. In some embodiments, the residence time is between about 7 days and about 10 days. In some embodiments, once the residence time has passed the synthetic lithium solution is separated from any solids present in the tank. In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution is separated from any solids present in the tank (e.g., lithium phosphate) by a method of liquidsolid separation. In some embodiments, lithium phosphate solids are separated from a liquid phase using a particle trap.

[00639] In some embodiments, the methods, processes, and systems disclosed herein comprise a liquid-solid separation method. In some embodiments, said methods comprise filtration, gravity sedimentation, centrifugal sedimentation, magnetic fields, other methods of solid-liquid separation, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said method comprises filtration. In some embodiments, the filter is a belt filter, plate-and-frame filter press, recessed- chamber filter press, pressure vessel containing filter elements, candle filter, pressure filter, pressure-leaf filter, Nutsche filter, rotary drum filter, rotary disc filter, cartridge filter, bag filter, a centrifugal filter with a fixed or moving bed, a metal screen, a perforated basket centrifuge, a three-point centrifuge, a peeler type centrifuge, a decanter centrifuge, or a pusher centrifuge. In some embodiments, the filter may use a scroll or a vibrating device. In some embodiments, the filter is horizontal, vertical, or may use a siphon. In some embodiments, a liquid-solid separation method is used to collect lithium phosphate for further use.

[00640] In some embodiments of the methods, processes, and systems disclosed herein, precipitation of lithium phosphate comprises the addition of seed crystals to the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the addition of seed crystals to the synthetic lithium solution increases the rate of precipitation (of impurities and/or lithium) from the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the addition of seed crystals to the synthetic lithium solution increases the average particle size (by volume) of the precipitates obtained by precipitation (of impurities and/or lithium) from the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the seed crystals comprise the same chemical compound as the compound being precipitated from the synthetic lithium solution (e.g., lithium phosphate). In some embodiments, the seed crystals do not comprise the same chemical compound as the compound being precipitated from the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 0.1 micron to about 5 mm. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 0.1 micron to about 1 micron. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 1 micron to about 10 microns. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 10 microns to 100 microns. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 100 microns to 500 microns. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 500 microns to 1 mm. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 1 mm to 2 mm. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 2 mm to 3 mm. In some embodiments, the seed crystals have an average diameter of about 3 mm to 5 mm.

[00641] In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity between about 0.01 g/L and about 10 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity between about 0.1 g/L and about 10 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity between about 1 g/L and about 10 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity between about 1.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 2.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 3.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 4.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 5.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 6.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 7.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, about 8.0 g/L and about 10 g/L, or about 9.0 g/L and about 10 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity between about 0.10 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.20 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.30 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.40 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.50 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.60 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.70 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, about 0.80 g/L and about 1.0 g/L, or about 0.90 g/L and about 1.0 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity between about 0.01 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.02 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.03 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.04 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.05 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.06 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.07 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, about 0.08 g/L and about 0.1 g/L, or about 0.09 g/L and about 0.1 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity that is about 1.0 g/L, about 2.0 g/L, about 3.0 g/L, about 4.0 g/L, about 5.0 g/L, about 6.0 g/L, about 7.0 g/L, about 8.0 g/L, about 9.0 g/L, or about 10 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity that is about 0.10 g/L, about 0.20 g/L, about 0.30 g/L, about 0.40 g/L, about 0.50 g/L, about 0.60 g/L, about 0.70 g/L, about 0.80 g/L, about 0.90 g/L, or about 1.0 g/L. In some embodiments, seed crystals are added in a quantity that is about 0.01 g/L, about 0.02 g/L, about 0.03 g/L, about 0.04 g/L, about 0.05 g/L, about 0.06 g/L, about 0.07 g/L, about 0.08 g/L, about 0.09 g/L, or about 0.1 g/L.

[00642] In some embodiments, if seed crystals are added in a quantity that is below 0.05 g/L, then the average diameter of said seed crystals is below 6 microns or above 25 microns. In some embodiments, if seed crystals are added in a quantity that is below 0.05 g/L, then the average diameter of said seed crystals is below 6 microns. In some embodiments, if seed crystals are added in a quantity that is below 0.05 g/L, then the average diameter of said seed crystals is above 25 microns.

Conversion of Lithium Phosphate into Other Compounds of Lithium in an Aqueous Medium

[00643] In some embodiments of the processes, methods, and systems disclosed herein, lithium phosphate is converted into one or more other compounds of lithium. In some embodiments, the other compounds of lithium have a higher aqueous solubility as compared to that of lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the other compounds of lithium comprise: lithium hydroxide, lithium chloride, lithium bromide, lithium fluoride, lithium sulfate, lithium hydroxide monohydrate, lithium carbonate, lithium bicarbonate, lithium hydrogencarbonate, or combinations thereof.

[00644] It shall be understood for the purposes of the present disclosure that embodiments directed to the conversion of lithium phosphate are also operably directed to the solids comprising lithium and phosphate as detailed herein that can be obtained from synthetic lithium solutions as detailed herein.

[00645] In some embodiments, solid lithium phosphate or a suspension thereof in an aqueous medium is added to a solution or suspension of an anion source (e.g., a metathesis salt) in an aqueous medium to provide a solution of one or more other lithium compounds. In some embodiments, an anion source (e.g., a metathesis salt) is added to solid lithium phosphate or a suspension thereof in an aqueous medium to provide a solution of one or more other lithium compounds. In some embodiments, solid lithium phosphate or a suspension thereof in an aqueous medium is added to a solution or suspension of an anion source (e.g., a metathesis salt) in an aqueous medium to provide a solution of one or more other lithium compounds and a suspension of precipitates that comprise phosphate (e.g., the solid phosphate salt). In some embodiments, an acid is added to facilitate the conversion of lithium phosphate into one or more other lithium compounds. In some embodiments, a base is added to facilitate the conversion of lithium phosphate into one or more other lithium compounds. In some embodiments, an acid is added to reduce the solubility of the precipitates that comprise phosphate. In some embodiments, a base is added to reduce the solubility of the precipitates that comprise phosphate. In some embodiments, an acid is added to increase the solubility of the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the acid comprises hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, organic acids (e.g., acetic acid, formic acid, propanoic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, other carboxylic acids), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the base comprises NaOH, KOH, Mg(0H)2, Ca(OH)2, CaO, Sr(OH)3, organic bases (e g., acetate, formate, propanoate, citrate, lactate, other carboxylates, methoxide, ethoxide, isopropoxide, butoxides, other alkoxides, amines), other bases, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the base comprises NaOH or KOH. In some embodiments, a solubilizing agent is added to facilitate the conversion of lithium phosphate into one or more other lithium compounds. [00646] In some embodiments, the anion source (e g., the metathesis salt) comprises an anion selected from: chloride, bromide, fluoride, bicarbonate, sulfate, hydroxide, nitrate, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises an acid selected from: hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, organic acids (e.g., acetic acid, formic acid, propanoic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, other carboxylic acids), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises nitric acid. In some embodiments the anion source comprises sulfuric acid. In some embodiments, the anion source (e.g., the metathesis salt) comprises a cation selected from: calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium, sodium, potassium, aluminum, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments the anion source comprises one or more of Al(0H)3, CaCb, CaSC , Ca(OH)2, MgCh, MgSC , and Mg(OH)2. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises Ca(OH)2. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises Mg(OH)2. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises CaCh. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises MgCh. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises CaSCh. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises MgSCh. In some embodiments, the anion source comprises Al(0H)3.

[00647] In some embodiments, the solubilizing agent comprises a gas. In some embodiments, the gas comprises HC1 gas, CO2, SO2, SO3, H2S, NO, NO2, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the solubilizing agent comprises carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the solubilizing agent comprises SO2. In some embodiments, the solubilizing agent comprises glycerol. In some embodiments, the solubilizing agent comprises a chelating agent (e.g., a chelator) as detailed herein. In some embodiments, the chelating agent is selected from EDTA, egtazic acid, citric acid, a compound comprising oxalate, salts thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the chelating agent is selected from EDTA, citric acid, a compound comprising oxalate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the chelating agent is EDTA. In some embodiments, the chelating agent is citric acid. In some embodiments, the chelating agent comprises oxalate. In some embodiments, the chelating agent is egtazic acid. In some embodiments, the chelating agent comprises a minopolycarboxylic acid, a nitrilotriacetic acid, a salt thereof, or a combination thereof.

[00648] In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium wherein lithium phosphate is converted into one or more other lithium compounds is modulated prior to addition of the anion source. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium wherein lithium phosphate is converted into one or more other lithium compounds is modulated following addition of the anion source. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium wherein lithium phosphate is converted into one or more other lithium compounds is modulated by the addition of the anion source. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium is modulated by the addition of an acid. In some embodiments, the pH of aqueous medium is modulated by the addition of a base. Said modulation can raise the pH of the aqueous medium. Said modulation can lower the pH of the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 0 and about 14. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 0. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 1. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 2. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 3. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 4. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 5. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 6. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 8. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 9. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 10. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 11. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 12. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 13. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is about 14. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 1 and about 3. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 1 and about 4. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 1 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 2 and about 4. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 2 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 3 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 4 and about 7. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 7 and about 9. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 7 and about 11. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 7 and about 13. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 9 and about 11. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 9 and about 13. In some embodiments, the pH of the aqueous medium following said modulation is between about 11 and about 13.

[00649] In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 100% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 90% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise more than 90% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 80% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise more than 80% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates comprise about 70% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 60% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 50% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 40% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 30% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates comprise about 20% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise about 10% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise less than about 10% of the phosphate derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) form following modulation of the pH of the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, lowering the pH of the aqueous medium increases the quantity of precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt). In some embodiments, increasing the pH of the aqueous medium increases the quantity of precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt).

[00650] It shall be understood for the purposes of this disclosure that the composition of the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) can vary just as the composition of the synthetic lithium solution, the source of phosphate added thereto, and the lithium phosphate solids obtained therefrom can vary. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e g., the solid phosphate salt) are described and characterized, in part or in whole, in terms of their elemental and/or ionic constituents. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) are described and characterized, in part or in whole, in terms of their chemical properties (e.g., solubility, including pH-dependent solubility). In some embodiments, the composition of the precipitates is inferred by differential analysis of the synthetic lithium solution before and after the precipitates are formed therefrom. In some embodiments, the composition of the precipitates varies with dependence on the pH of the synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise one chemical compound. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise multiple chemical compounds. In some embodiments, the precipitates (e.g., the solid phosphate salt) comprise one or more of: monopotassium phosphate, di-potassium phosphate, tri-potassium phosphate, mono-sodium phosphate, di-sodium phosphate, tri-sodium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, zinc phosphate, poly-ammonium phosphate, sodium-hexa-metaphosphate, struvite, mono-magnesium phosphate, di-magnesium phosphate, tri-magnesium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, chlorapatite, carbonate apatite, calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite, calcium-deficient fluorapatite, calcium- deficient chlorapatite, calcium-deficient carbonate apatite, one or more other apatites, monocalcium phosphate, di-calcium phosphate, and tri-calcium-phosphate.

[00651] In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 100% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 90% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises more than 90% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 80% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises more than 80% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 70% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 60% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 50% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 40% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 30% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 20% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises about 10% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium comprises less than about 10% of the lithium derived from the lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the lithium content of the aqueous medium increases following modulation of the pH of the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, lowering the pH of the aqueous medium increases the quantity of lithium therein. In some embodiments, increasing the pH of the aqueous medium increases the quantity of lithium therein.

[00652] In some embodiments, the one or more other lithium compounds are separated from the aqueous medium by nanofiltration. In some embodiments, nanofiltration utilizes one or more nanofiltration membrane units arranged in series and/or parallel. In some embodiments, nanofiltration utilizes a nanofiltration membrane material. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, polyamide, poly(piperazine-amide), mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of a thin-film composite. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of polyamide with a support comprised of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyethersulfone, polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfone, cellulose acetate, polyimide, polypropylene, polyketone, polyethylene terephthalate, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of ceramic material. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of alumina, zirconia, yttria stabilized zirconia, titania, silica, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the nanofiltration membrane material is comprised of zeolite mixed matrix membrane with polyamide and/or polysulfone support, alumina filled polyvinyl alcohol mixed matrix membrane materials, mixtures thereof, modifications thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, nanofiltration provides a first solution comprising lithium and a second solution comprising phosphate.

[00653] In some embodiments, lithium phosphate is converted to one or more other lithium compounds in a vessel. In some embodiments the vessel is a mixing tank. In some embodiments, said vessel is a jacketed vessel. In some embodiments, said jacket is used to add heat to or remove heat from said vessel. In some embodiments, said vessel contains two or more baffles. In some embodiments, said vessel contains nozzles for injecting liquid, air, gas, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said nozzles are used for recirculating the contents of said vessel. In some embodiments, said nozzles are used for mixing said vessel In some embodiments, air is used to recirculate the contents of said vessel. In some embodiments, the vessel comprises agitators. In some embodiments, said agitators comprise one or more impellers. In some embodiments, said one or more impellers comprise propellers, anchor impellers, hydrofoils, pitched blade turbines, curved blade turbines, spiral turbine, flat blade turbines, radial blades, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said impellers contain one or more blades. In some embodiments, the shaft and impellers are comprised of carbon steel, stainless steel, titanium, Hastelloy, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the shaft and impellers are coated with glass, epoxy, rubber, a polymer coating, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, fluidization by means of said agitator is aided by baffles mounted inside of said tank (e.g., vessel). In some embodiments, said baffles comprise flat rectangular structures mounted onto the side of the tank. In some embodiments, said baffles are oriented perpendicular to the plane of agitator of the impeller. In some embodiments, the presence of one or more baffles aid with the fluidization of the ion exchange beads inside the vessel. In some embodiments, the presence of one or more baffles reduce the swirling and vortexing associated with fluidization by an impeller. In some embodiments, the presence of said baffles results in more uniform suspension of particles (e.g., lithium phosphate, anion source, precipitates) in the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the presence of said baffles results in reduce attrition of particles being fluidized. In some embodiments, said baffles are constructed to span the entire vertical length of the vessel. In some embodiments, the baffles are constructed to span from about the height of the settled bed of ion exchange beads to the top of the vessel. In some embodiments, the baffles are constructed to span from about 6” from the bottom of the vessel to the top of the vessel. In some embodiments, there is a gap between the wall of the vessel and the baffle. In some embodiments, said gap measures less than 1/8”, less than

less than 1 ”, or less than 1”. In some embodiments, said baffles measure a width that is equivalent to approximately one twelfth of the width of the vessel. In some embodiments, said baffles measure a width that is equivalent to approximately less than one tenth of the width of the vessel. In some embodiments, said baffles measure a width that is equivalent to more than approximately one fifteenth of the width of the vessel. In some embodiments, all baffles are of equivalent dimensions. In some embodiments, baffles are not of the same dimensions. In some embodiments, the tank contains two baffles. In some embodiments, the tank contains three baffles. In some embodiments, the tank contains four baffles. In some embodiments, the tank contains more than four baffles. [00654] In some embodiments, the vessel is configured such that the pressure inside the vessel can be at a non-ambient value. In some embodiments, the pressure inside the vessel is between about 0.01 bar and about 100 bar. In some embodiments, the pressure inside the vessel is about 0.1 bar, about 0.2 bar, about 0.3 bar, about 0.4 bar, about 0.5 bar, about 0.6 bar, about 0.7 bar, about 0.8 bar, about 0.9 bar, or about 1 bar. In some embodiments, the pressure inside the vessel is about 1 bar, about 2 bar, about 3 bar, about 4 bar, about 5 bar, about 6 bar, about 7 bar, about 8 bar, about 9 bar, or about 10 bar. In some embodiments, the pressure inside the vessel is about 1 bar to about 2 bar, about 2 bar to about 3 bar, about 3 bar to about 4 bar, about 4 bar to about 5 bar, about 5 bar to about 6 bar, about 6 bar to about 7 bar, about 7 bar to about 8 bar, about 8 bar to about 9 bar, or about 9 bar to about 10 bar. In some embodiments, the pressure inside the vessel is about 10 bar, about 20 bar, about 30 bar, about 40 bar, about 50 bar, about 60 bar, about 70 bar, about 80 bar, about 90 bar, or about 100 bar. In some embodiments, the pressure inside the vessel is about 10 bar to about 20 bar, about 20 bar to about 30 bar, about 30 bar to about 40 bar, about 40 bar to about 50 bar, about 50 bar to about 60 bar, about 60 bar to about 70 bar, about 70 bar to about 80 bar, about 80 bar to about 90 bar, or about 90 bar to about 100 bar.

[00655] In some embodiments, lithium phosphate is converted to one or more other lithium compounds using two or more separate vessels. In some embodiments, a first vessel contains lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the first vessel is configured to pass an aqueous medium into the first vessel, wherein the aqueous medium contacts the lithium phosphate and partially dissolves the lithium phosphate, and pass the aqueous medium out of the first vessel, wherein the aqueous medium exiting the first vessel is free of lithium phosphate particles or lithium phosphate solids. In some embodiments, a second vessel contains an anion source that is dissolved or suspended in an aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the second vessel is configured to add the aqueous medium exiting the first vessel to the dissolved or suspended anion source. In some embodiments, the precipitates form in the second vessel. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium dissolved in the second vessel increases as more aqueous medium exiting the first vessel is added thereto. One or more first vessels can be used in conjunction with one or more second vessels. In some embodiments, the first vessel comprises a filter press. In some embodiments, the first vessel comprises a filter. In some embodiments, the first vessel comprises a particle trap.

[00656] In some embodiments, lithium phosphate is converted to one or more other lithium compounds using two or more separate vessels. In some embodiments, a first vessel contains an anion source. In some embodiments, the first vessel is configured to pass an aqueous medium into the first vessel, wherein the aqueous medium contacts the anion source and partially dissolves the anion source, and pass the aqueous medium out of the first vessel, wherein the aqueous medium exiting the first vessel is free of anion source particles or anion source solids. In some embodiments, a second vessel contains lithium phosphate that is dissolved or suspended in an aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the second vessel is configured to add the aqueous medium exiting the first vessel to the dissolved or suspended lithium phosphate. In some embodiments, the precipitates form in the second vessel. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium dissolved in the second vessel increases as more aqueous medium exiting the first vessel is added thereto. One or more first vessels can be used in conjunction with one or more second vessels. In some embodiments, the first vessel comprises a filter press. In some embodiments, the first vessel comprises a filter. In some embodiments, the first vessel comprises a particle trap.

Production of Lithium Sulfate and Products Derived Therefrom

[00657] In some embodiments, the synthetic lithium solution comprises lithium sulfate. In some embodiments, water is removed from said synthetic lithium solution to yield solid lithium sulfate crystals. In some embodiments, said lithium sulfate crystals comprise anhydrous lithium sulfate, lithium sulfate monohydrate, higher hydrates thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said solid lithium sulfate solids are pure. In some embodiments, said lithium sulfate solids have a purity of more than about 99.9 %, more than about 99 %, more than about 95 %, more than about 90 %, more than about 80 %, more than about 70 %, more than about 50 %, or more than about 10 %.

[00658] In some embodiments, said synthetic lithium solution comprising lithium sulfate is treated with sodium carbonate to generate lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, lithium carbonate is precipitated upon generation thereof. In some embodiments, lithium carbonate is crystallized upon generation thereof. In some embodiments, lithium carbonate is precipitated following generation thereof. In some embodiments, lithium carbonate is crystallized following generation thereof. In some embodiments, precipitation or crystallization of lithium carbonate comprises heating a solution (e.g., a synthetic lithium solution) that comprises lithium carbonate. [00659] In some embodiments, said synthetic lithium solution comprising lithium sulfate is treated with sodium hydroxide to produce a solution comprising lithium, sulfate, hydroxide, and sodium ions. In some embodiments, said solution is further treated to crystallize a salt of sodium and sulfate, while lithium hydroxide remains in solution. In some embodiments, said treatment of said solution comprises an adjustment in temperature. In some embodiments, said adjustment in temperature comprises cooling. In some embodiments, said salt of sodium and sulfate is removed to yield a solution of lithium hydroxide. In some embodiments, said solution comprises a mixture of lithium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, said solution is fractionally crystallized to crystallize solids of lithium hydroxide, while sodium hydroxide remains in solution. In some embodiments, said sodium hydroxide is recycled to treat said synthetic lithium solution comprising lithium sulfate as detailed herein.

[00660] In some embodiments, a solution of lithium and sodium (e.g., a synthetic lithium solution) is processed to precipitate Na2SO4’10H2O (“glauber’s salt”), Na2SO4, hydrated Na2SO4, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the solution is chilled to precipitate glauber’s salt, Na2SO4, hydrated Na2SO4, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a solution is chilled to precipitate solids of glauber’s salt, Na2SO4, hydrated N 2SO4, or combinations thereof, and the resulting solution contains cations that are primarily lithium. In one embodiment, the solution is processed to remove glauber’s salt, Na2SO4, hydrated Na2SO4, or combinations thereof to remove sodium from the solution so that the solution can be further processed into lithium hydroxide with low sodium content. In one embodiment, the solution is chilled to precipitate glauber’s salt, Na2SO4, hydrated Na2SO4, or combinations thereof at a temperature of less than about 40 °C, less than about 20 °C, less than about 10 °C, less than about 0 °C, or less than about -10 °C. In some embodiments, the glauber’s salt, Na2SO4, hydrated Na2SC>4, or combinations thereof are reprocessed into acid and base. In some embodiments, the glauber’s salt, N 2SO4, hydrated N 2SO4, or combinations thereof are redissolved into an aqueous solution and processed into acid and base. In some embodiments, the glauber’s salt, Na2S€)4, hydrated Na2SO4, or combinations thereof are redissolved into an aqueous solution and processed into acid and base using electrochemical cell units. In some embodiments, water is removed from the solution to precipitate glauber’s salt Na2SO4, hydrated Na2SO4, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, water is removed from the solution using one or more evaporation systems as described herein.

Recovery of Water from a Liquid Resource

[00661] In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered to generate water and a concentrated liquid resource. In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered to generate water and a concentrated liquid resource and solid salts.

[00662] In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered by employing a mechanical vapor recompression system. In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered by employing a multiple effects evaporator. In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered by employing an evaporation pond. In some embodiments, an evaporation pond is an open vessel or depression configured to expose a liquid solution to air currents and optionally sunlight for the purpose of lowering the water content of the liquid solution. In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered by distillation of water from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, distillation involves the evaporation, condensation and collection of water from a liquid solution. In some embodiments, the water content of a liquid resource may be lowered by heating the liquid resource. In some embodiments, heating of a liquid resource may optionally involve boiling the liquid resource.

[00663] In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of -20 to 150 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of -20 to 120 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of -20 to 100 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of -20 to 80 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of 0 to 150 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of 20 to 150 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of 40 to 120 °C when its water content is being lowered. In some embodiments, the liquid resource may be at a temperature of 40 to 100 °C when its water content is being lowered.

[00664] In some embodiments, a concentrated liquid resource is one of the products generated by lowering the water content of a liquid resource. In some embodiments, a concentrated liquid resource may have a higher lithium concentration than the liquid resource from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated liquid resource may have a higher sodium concentration than the liquid resource from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated liquid resource may have a higher potassium concentration than the liquid resource from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated liquid resource may have a higher chloride concentration than the liquid resource from which it was generated. In some embodiments, a concentrated liquid resource may have a higher carbonate concentration than the liquid resource from which it was generated.

[00665] In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of lithium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 30000 milligrams per liter.

[00666] In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 5000 milligrams per liter and less than about 10000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of sodium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 30000 milligrams per liter.

[00667] In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 1000.0 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 10 milligrams per liter and less than about 100 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 100 milligrams per liter and less than about 500 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 500 milligrams per liter and less than about 1000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments, the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 1000 milligrams per liter and less than about 5000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 10000 milligrams per liter and less than about 30000 milligrams per liter. In some embodiments the concentration of potassium in a concentrated liquid resource is greater than about 30000 milligrams per liter.

[00668] In some embodiments, solid salts are generated in the course of lowering the water content of a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium chloride and potassium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium, potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise potassium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise magnesium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise calcium chloride.

[00669] In some embodiments, the solid salts are essentially free of lithium. In some embodiments, the solid salts are collected for further use. In some embodiments, the solid salts are dissolved in water to yield a solution of solid salts. In some embodiments, the solid salts are dissolved in water obtained as a product of lowering the water content of a liquid resource to yield a solution of solid salts.

[00670] In some embodiments, a removal system is used to generate solid salts in the course of lowering the water content of a liquid resource. In some embodiments, more than one removal system is used, wherein each removal system produces solid salts of a particular composition and purity. In some embodiments, multiple removal systems are utilized. In some embodiments, a first removal system is utilized to generate solid salts that are 80% or more sodium chloride by weight, and a second removal system is utilized to generate solid salts that comprise a mixture of sodium chloride and potassium chloride wherein sodium chloride is present in an amount that is less than 80% by weight of the mixture.

[00671] In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as a chemical precursor for generating acid and base. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as a chemical precursor for generating hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be further purified and used as a chemical precursor for generating hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as a chemical precursor for generating hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide.

[00672] In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as an input to a chloralkali plant that generates acid and base. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used an input to a chloralkali plant that generates hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as an input to a chloralkali plant that generates hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a chloralkali plant may comprise a system for electrolysis of an aqueous solution containing sodium and chloride to generate chlorine, hydrogen, and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a chloralkali plant may comprise a system for electrolysis of an aqueous solution containing sodium, potassium, and chloride to generate chlorine, hydrogen, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, a chloralkali plant may comprise a unit that promotes conversion of chlorine and hydrogen gases into hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the hydrochloric acid generated by a chloralkali plant may be used as a reagent in lithium-selective ion exchange processes. In some embodiments, the sodium hydroxide generated by a chloralkali plant may be used as a reagent in lithium-selective ion exchange processes. In some embodiments, the potassium hydroxide generated by a chloralkali plant may be used as a reagent in lithium-selective ion exchange processes.

[00673] In some embodiments, a solution of solid salts may be used as an input to a plant that generates acid and base. In some embodiments, a said plant may comprise a 3-compartment bipolar electrodialysis plant. In some embodiments, said plant may comprise a 2-compartment bipolar electrodialysis plant. In some embodiments, said plant may comprise a multiple electrodialysis circuits. In some embodiments, said plant may comprise an electrolysis cell.

[00674] In some embodiments, water is recovered from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, water is recovered from the liquid resource before lithium is extracted therefrom. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is heated during water recovery. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is cooled during water recovery. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained from its natural source at a temperature higher than ambient, and the liquid resource is cooled in the process of water recovery. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained from its natural source at a temperature lower than ambient, and the liquid resource is heated in the process of water recovery.

[00675] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 5 °C and about 400 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature that is about 5 °C, about 10 °C, about 15 °C, about 20 °C, about 25 °C, about 30 °C, or about 40 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 5 °C and about 40 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 5 °C and about 20 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 40 °C and about 400 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 40 °C and about 100 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 100 °C and about 200 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 200 °C and about 300 °C. In some embodiments, the liquid resource is obtained at a temperature between about 300 °C and about 400 °C. [00676] In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered (e.g., the liquid resource is cooled, the liquid resource is heated) before or during water recovery therefrom. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 10 °C to about 150 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 20 °C to about 150 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 10 °C to about 30 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 10 °C to about 40 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 100 °C to about 150 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be about 100 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 120 °C to about 150 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 100 °C to about 120 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 40 °C to about 100 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 60 °C to about 100 °C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid resource is altered to be between about 80 °C to about 100 °C.

[00677] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is cooled during water recovery. In some embodiments, said cooling process occurs in a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger uses air as a cooling fluid. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger is a cooler, air blast cooler, fin fan cooler, or a mixture thereof. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger is a double tube or tube within tube heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, or a plate and frame heat exchanger. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger is a cooling tower. In some embodiments, said cooling tower evaporates water from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, said evaporated water is condensed and recovered for use in the lithium production process (e.g., the methods and systems disclosed herein). In some embodiments, the cooling process precipitates solids. In some embodiments, said solids comprise solid salts. In some embodiments, said solid salts are recovered for use in other subprocesses of the lithium production process. In some embodiments, said solid salts are used in the production of reagents used in the production of lithium. In some embodiments, said reagents include an acid or a base, which can be generated by electrolysis within one or more electrochemical cells or within a chloralkali plant as described herein.

[00678] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is cooled during water recovery. In some embodiments, said cooling process occurs in a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger uses air as a cooling fluid. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger is a cooler, air blast cooler, fin fan cooler, or a mixture thereof. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger is a double tube or tube within tube heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, or a plate and frame heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the fluid used to cool the liquid resource originates from a different part of the lithium plant In some embodiments, said fluid is a lithium carbonate mother liquor.

[00679] In some embodiments, the liquid resource is heated during water recovery. In some embodiments, said heated process occurs in a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger uses air as a cooling fluid. In some embodiments, said heat exchanger is a double tube or tube within tube heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, or a plate and frame heat exchanger. In some embodiments, said heater is a heat pump. In some embodiments, said heater is a fired furnace. In some embodiments, the fluid used to heat the liquid resource originates from a different part of the lithium plant. In some embodiments, said fluid is a lithium carbonate mother liquor.

[00680] In some embodiments, water is recovered from a process stream. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a liquid resource. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a brackish water stream. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a solution used to wash a liquid resource from an ion exchange material. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a used aqueous wash solution. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a washing stream used to wash entrained brine. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a reverse osmosis concentrate, also termed reverse osmosis reject. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a lithium eluate. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a synthetic lithium solution. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a raffinate. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a mother liquor. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises an effluent stream. In some embodiments, said process stream comprises an eluate from an impurity ion exchange process (e.g., a process that uses an ion exchange material selective for one or more non-lithium ions, a process that uses a multi-valent cation-selective ion exchange material). In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a lithium-depleted liquid resource.

[00681] In some embodiments, said process stream comprises one or more dissolved salts. In some embodiments, said dissolved salts comprise sodium, potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said dissolved salts comprise chloride. In some embodiments, said dissolved salts comprise sulfate. In some embodiments, said dissolved salts comprise chloride, fluoride, bromide, iodide, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said dissolved salts comprise sulfate, nitrate, mixtures thereof or combinations thereof. [00682] In some embodiments, said process stream comprises a stream containing precipitated solids. In some embodiments, said solids are solid salts. In some embodiments, said solid salts are recovered for use in other subprocesses or subsystems for lithium production (e.g„ the processes and systems disclosed herein). In some embodiments, said solid salts are used in the production of reagents used in the production of lithium. In some embodiments, said reagents include an acid or a base. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium chloride and potassium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium, potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, mixtures thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise sodium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise potassium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise magnesium chloride. In some embodiments, the solid salts comprise calcium chloride.

[00683] In some embodiments, water is recovered from multiple process streams described above. In some embodiments, said process streams are combined prior to water being recovered in a single system. In some embodiments, water is recovered from each process stream separately. In some embodiments, one or more process streams are recovered in one water recovery system, while other process streams are recovered in a separate water recovery system.

[00684] In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises reverse osmosis, ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis, osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit, osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit, mechanical evaporation, mechanical vapor recompression, solar thermal heating, concentrated solar thermal heating, and/or solar evaporation. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a membrane. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises electrodialysis. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a multi-stage flash distillation system. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a multiple effect distillation system. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a vapor compression distillation system.

Water Use in the Production of Lithium Products

[00685] In some embodiments, water is used for lithium production. Exemplary embodiments of water use in the lithium production process are described herein. These exemplary embodiments comprise use of water for washing, use of water for dilution, use of water for heat exchange, use of water for pump seals, use of water for impurity removal, use of water for filter cleaning, use of water for ion exchange, use of water for sealing of centrifuge, use of water for centrifugation, use of water for reagent generation, use of water for utilities in the plant, use of water for a filter backwashing. In some embodiments, water is used for one or more of the above.

[00686] In some embodiments, a system for lithium production is designed such that a minimal amount of water is required for a lithium-selective ion exchange process. In some embodiments, the total amount of water required to produce a tonne (e.g., a metric ton, 1000 kg) of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) is less than about 0.1 tonnes, less than about 1 tonne, less than about 5 tonnes, less than about 10 tonnes, less than about 15 tonnes, less than about 20 tonnes, less than about 25 tonnes, less than about 50 tonnes, less than about 100 tonnes, less than about 200 tonnes, less than about 300 tonnes, less than about 500 tonnes, or less than about 1000 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 0.1 tonnes and about 1 tonne. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 1 tonne and about 5 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 5 tonnes and about 10 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 10 tonnes and about 20 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 20 tonnes and about 50 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 50 tonnes and about 100 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 100 tonnes and about 250 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 250 tonnes and about 500 tonnes. In some embodiments, the amount of water required to produce a tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents is between about 500 tonnes and about 1000 tonnes.

[00687] In some embodiments, the process for lithium production is designed such that the water required for carrying out the process is obtained entirely from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system for lithium production is designed such that the water required for operation of the system is obtained entirely from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the process for lithium production is designed such that some of the water required for carrying out the process is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system for lithium production is designed such that some of the water required for operation of the system is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the process for lithium production is designed such that most of the water required for carrying out the process is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system for lithium production is designed such that most of the water required for operation of the system is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 1 % of the water required (e.g., required for operation of the system, required for carrying out the process) is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 5 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 10 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 15 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 20 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 25 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 30 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 40 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 50 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 60 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 70 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 80 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that at least 90 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the system or process is designed such that 100 % of the water required is obtained from the liquid resource.

[00688] In some embodiments, no external water sources are required to carry out the lithium production process. In some embodiments, no external water sources are required to operate the system for lithium production.

[00689] In some embodiments, the processes and systems for lithium production disclosed herein allow for low water consumption (e.g., require the use of less water) as compared to other processes and systems for lithium production. In some embodiments, said low water consumption is enabled by the chemical properties of the ion exchange process and the combinations of purification, modulation, and treatment steps detailed herein. In some embodiments, said low water consumption is enabled by the fact that flows of high salinity brine (e.g., liquid resource) and eluent can be completely segregated. In some embodiments, said segregation is enabled by the sequence of: absorbing lithium from a liquid resource into an ion exchange material, removing entrained liquid resource from said ion exchange material, and subsequently eluting lithium from said ion exchange material to produce a synthetic lithium solution; realizing the benefits of this sequence with complete efficiency is not feasible when using other lithium selective sorbents wherein lithium is eluted from the sorbent immediately upon contact of the sorbent with water, which invariably results in some mixing of eluent with the high-salinity liquid resource to generate synthetic lithium solutions comprising a lower purity of lithium. The lower efficiency of other processes and systems that generate synthetic lithium solutions comprising a lower purity of lithium can lead to greater quantities of water being required as compared to processes and systems that can take advantage of the complete segregation of liquid resource and eluent flows.

[00690] Detailed further herein are non-limiting exemplary embodiments of processes and systems that minimize external water use in lithium production. In some embodiments, lowering the amount of water required for a process or system leads to a greater percentage of said amount of water being recovered from the liquid resource.

Evaporation Systems

[00691] In some embodiments, the water recovery system (e.g., a system or unit used for water recovery, a system or unit configured for recycling water, a system or unit configured to collect water) utilizes reverse osmosis, ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis, mechanical evaporation, mechanical vapor recompression, solar thermal heating, concentrated solar thermal heating, and/or solar evaporation. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a membrane. In some embodiments, the water recovery system uses electrodialysis. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a multi-stage flash distillation system. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a multiple effect distillation system. In some embodiments, the water recovery system comprises a vapor compression distillation system.

[00692] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression system is designed to minimize the energy requirements for water recovery. In some embodiments, evaporation of water results in the crystallization of solids within the mechanical vapor recompression system and said solid are removed and optionally recycled. In some embodiments, evaporation of water is limited to prevent the crystallization of solids within the mechanical vapor recompression system and said solid are removed.

[00693] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit (e.g., the mechanical vapor recompression evaporator, the evaporator) comprises a heat exchanger, a vapor separator, and a vapor compressor. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger comprises a process side and a steam side, such that heat may exchange between the contents of the process side and the contents of the steam side. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit consists of a heat exchanger, a vapor separator, and a vapor compressor. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured for recycling water. In some embodiments, the liquid from which water is to be collected (e.g., a process fluid) passes through the process side of the heat exchanger, wherein the liquid absorbs heat, and then the liquid passes into the vapor separator. In some embodiments, the absorbed heat causes a portion of the water in the liquid to evaporate, thus forming water vapor that is separated from the remaining liquid within the vapor separator. In some embodiments, the water vapor flows through the vapor compressor, wherein the pressure of the water vapor is increased, and then the water vapor is passed into the steam side of the heat exchanger. In some embodiments, increasing the pressure of the water vapor increased the condensation temperature of the water vapor In some embodiments, increasing the pressure of the water vapor leads to condensation of the water vapor to form collected water. In some embodiments, increasing passing the water vapor through the steam side of the heat exchanger leads to condensation of the water vapor to form collected water. In some embodiments, passing water vapor through the steam side of the heat exchanger leads to the absorption of heat by the contents of the process side of the heat exchanger, such that water vapor is generated from the contents of the process side. In some embodiments, the remaining liquid exiting the vapor separation unit is directed to an additional heat exchanger, wherein the remaining liquid transfers heat to liquid from which water is to be collected before the liquid from which water is to be collected enters the mechanical vapor recompression unit. In some embodiments, the collected water exiting the vapor separation unit is directed to an additional heat exchanger, wherein the collected transfers heat to liquid from which water is to be collected before the liquid enters the mechanical vapor recompression unit. In some embodiments, heat is supplied to the mechanical vapor recompression unit or the contents thereof from external heat sources. In some embodiments, external heat sources comprise heat recovered from a power generator or a co-generation system.

[00694] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit (e.g., the mechanical vapor recompression evaporator, the evaporator) operates at a temperature between about 30 degrees Centigrade and about 200 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature between about 100 degrees Centigrade and about 200 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature between about 30 degrees Centigrade and about 100 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature between about 50 degrees Centigrade and about 100 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature between about 30 degrees Centigrade and about 50 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature between about 100 degrees Centigrade and about 150 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature between about 150 degrees Centigrade and about 200 degrees Centigrade. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a temperature of about 30 degrees Centigrade, about 50 degrees Centigrade, about 80 degrees Centigrade, about 100 degrees Centigrade, about 120 degrees Centigrade, about 150 degrees Centigrade, about 170 degrees Centigrade, or about 200 degrees Centigrade.

[00695] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit (e.g., the mechanical vapor recompression evaporator, the evaporator) operates at a pressure between about 0 psi (pounds per square inch) and about 50 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 0.01 psi and about 50 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 0.1 psi and about 50 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 1 psi and about 50 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 0.01 psi and about 50 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 0.01 psi and about 10 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 0.01 psi and about 20 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 1 psi and about 10 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 10 psi and about 20 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 20 psi and about 30 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 30 psi and about 40 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure between about 40 psi and about 50 psi. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit operates at a pressure of about 0 psi, about 0.01 psi, about 0.1 psi, about 1 psi, about 5 psi, about 10 psi, about 20 psi, about 25 psi, about 30 psi, about 35 psi, about 40 psi, about 45 psi, or about 50 psi.

[00696] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit (e.g., the mechanical vapor recompression evaporator, the evaporator) is configured to operate using forced circulation, falling film, natural circulation, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, forced circulation involves pumping the liquid from which water is to be collected through the heat exchanger and into the vapor separator in a flooded condition. In some embodiments, falling film involves pumping the liquid from which water is to be collected through a distribution device, which directs the liquid onto the heat exchanger surfaces (e.g., surfaces within the process side, surfaces within the steam side) as a film and this liquid film falls into the vapor separator under the force of gravity. In some embodiments, natural circulation involves having liquid from which water is to be collected flow up through the heat exchanger naturally by convection currents, due to the difference in density across the liquid (e.g., a difference in density across the liquid resulting from a temperature gradient through the liquid or a portion thereof). In some embodiments, the heat exchanger is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a plate-and-from heat exchanger, or a plate coil heat exchanger.

[00697] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit (e.g., the mechanical vapor recompression evaporator, the evaporator) is constructed of materials comprising iron, stainless steel, nickel, carbon steel, titanium, Hastelloy, Inconel, zirconium, tantalum, an alloy thereof, a mixture thereof, or a combination thereof.

[00698] In some embodiments, the vapor compressor comprises a centrifugal compressor, one fan or a plurality of fans in series, a rotary lobe blower, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the vapor compressor is driven by an electric motor, a steam turbine, a plurality thereof, or a combination thereof.

[00699] In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit (e.g., the mechanical vapor recompression evaporator, the evaporator) is used to collect water from liquids (e.g., process streams) with a boiling point rise below a certain threshold. In some embodiments, the boiling point rise of a liquid is the difference in boiling point of the liquid and the boiling point of water that is at the same pressure as is the liquid. In some embodiments, boiling point rise of a liquid is a colligative property that is measured directly or is calculated based upon the results of compositional analysis of the liquid. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit is used to collect water from liquids with a boiling point rise of about 10 degrees Centigrade or less. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit is used to collect water from liquids with a boiling point rise of about 5 degrees Centigrade or less. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit is used to collect water from liquids with a boiling point rise of about 8 degrees Centigrade or less. In some embodiments, the mechanical vapor recompression unit is used to collect water from liquids with a boiling point rise of about 15 degrees Centigrade or less.

[00700] In some embodiments, when the liquid from which water is to be collected has a boiling point rise above a certain threshold (e.g., about 5 degrees Centigrade, about 8 degrees Centigrade, about 10 degrees Centigrade, or about 15 degrees Centigrade), alternative evaporation units are used in place of the mechanical vapor recompression unit. In some embodiments, evaporation units suitable for collecting water from liquids with a boiling point rise above a certain threshold are single effect evaporators, multiple effects evaporators, thermal recompression evaporators, or a combination thereof

[00701] In some embodiments, the vapor compressor has a compression ratio limit, wherein the compression ratio limit leads to a limitation in how much the vapor compressor can increase the condensation temperature of water vapor that is increased in pressure by the vapor compressor. In some embodiments, a fan, such as a fan used in a vapor compressor, has a compression ratio limit of about 1.4. In some embodiments, a centrifugal compressor, such as a centrifugal compressor used in a vapor compressor, has a compression ratio limit of about 1.8 In some embodiments, two fans in series can achieve a similar compression ratio limit to a centrifugal compressor. In some embodiments, the vapor compressor uses two fans in series, three fans in series, four fans in series, five fans in series, or more than five fans in series.

Water Consumption in Devices used in the Extraction of Lithium

[00702] An aspect of the disclosure herein is a device for lithium extraction from a liquid resource, wherein said device is configured to minimize the use of water required for lithium extraction. One embodiment of a device constructed to minimize the use of water during lithium extraction is provided in Example 6.

[00703] Washing of the sorbent with water is an essential process step in the embodiment of lithium extraction devices, systems, and processes described herein. For example, after the lithium selective sorbent has absorbed lithium from a liquid resource, the sorbent must be washed of any entrained liquid resource, to ensure that impurities present in said liquid resource do not report to the eluent product when the lithium is released. Similarly, after the lithium selective sorbent has been eluted to release lithium and generate a synthetic lithium solution, the sorbent must be washed with water to recover any remaining entrained synthetic lithium solution, which contains valuable lithium product. Thus, in embodiments described herein, it is essential that the lithium extraction device be configured to maximize washing efficiency and minimize water consumption.

[00704] In embodiments of lithium extraction devices, wash water use efficiency can be characterized by the amount of bed volumes required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent. For example, an efficient washing procedure would result in a quick displacement of any entrained liquid to a target level after a minimal amount of wash water is used to wash the bed of sorbent. In some embodiments, the amount of wash water required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent is characterized by the number of bed volumes of wash water required, where bed volumes refers to the volume occupied by the bed of lithium selective sorbent within the lithium extraction device. In some embodiments, less than about 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100 bed volumes of wash water are required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent. In some embodiments, less than about 1 bed volumes of wash water are required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent. In some embodiments, less than about 5 bed volumes of wash water are required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent. In some embodiments, less than about 10 bed volumes of wash water are required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent. In some embodiments, less than about 20 bed volumes of wash water are required to substantially reduce the amount of entrained liquid from the bed of sorbent. [00705] In embodiments of lithium extraction devices, wash water use efficiency can be characterized by the amount of wash water required to reduce the concentration of an impurity to a target level. In some embodiments, the target level is determined by the total dissolved solids in the outlet wash solution. In some embodiments, said target level is less than about 1 mg/L, 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 100 mg/L, 1 g/L, 5 g/L, 10 g/L, 20 g/L, 50 g/L, 100 g/L, 500 g/L, or less than about 1 kg/L of total dissolved solids. In embodiments comprising a liquid resource comprising a sodium bearing brine, said target level can be characterized by a residual sodium (Na) concentration. In some embodiments, said target residual sodium concentration is less than about 1 mg/L, 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 50, mg/L, 100 mg/L, 250 mg/L, 500 mg/L, 1 g/L, 2.5 g/L, 5 g/L, 10 g/L, 20 g/L, 50 g/L, 100 g/L, or less than about 250 g/L of dissolved sodium.

[00706] In some existing lithium selective sorbents used for lithium extraction, including lithium aluminum intercalated, release absorbed lithium when contacted with wash water. Because this initial wash water also contains displaced entrained liquid resource, some of the absorbed lithium is thereby released in wash water that contains a substantial quantity of impurities from said entrained liquid resource. This impure lithium is unsuitable for further conversion into lithium products, and is thus either discarded or mixed with the liquid resource to recover the lithium. The net effect is the increased use of wash water, either because it is discarded, or because it is mixed with the liquid resource, from which it cannot be easily recovered. In contrast, other lithium selective sorbents, such as ion exchange materials, have a more stable binding with lithium ions, and they do not release any lithium during washing, releasing lithium only when acidic protons (hydrogen ions) are present in the washing solution. Thus, in embodiments comprising such ion exchange materials, the steps of using wash water used to displace any entrained liquid resource can be segregated from the lithium release step which utilizes an acidic eluent solution. Thus, the wash water containing entrained liquid resource, and the purified acidic synthetic lithium solution can be collected separately, and processed by the systems and methods described herein to recover water from them. The net result is a system that is designed to efficiently minimize the use of water for the production of lithium. In some embodiments, therefore, the choice of lithium selective sorbent impacts the total consumption of water by the lithium production system. In some embodiments, therefore, the use of ion exchange materials for lithium extraction is preferred, as the systems can be more optimally configured to minimize water consumption. In some preferred embodiments, said ion exchange materials can be contained in lithium extraction devices comprising filter presses, resulting in a most optimal configuration for minimizing water use.

[00707] In some embodiments, the lithium extraction device is configured to ensure uniform distribution of liquid through the sorbent material. In some embodiment, the device is designed to ensure that each volume of sorbent material within the device is contacted with the same volume of liquid within a given time period. In some embodiments, said uniform contacting of a volume of liquid with each volume of sorbent material ensures maximal efficiency in the washing of the sorbent, thereby minimizing water consumption during washing of the sorbent. In some embodiments, said uniform contacting of a volume of liquid with each volume of sorbent material ensures maximal efficiency in the absorption of lithium by the sorbent, thereby maximizing the uptake of lithium. In some embodiments, said uniform contacting of a volume of liquid with each volume of sorbent material ensures maximal efficiency in the release of lithium by the sorbent during elution to produce a synthetic lithium solution, thereby maximizing the production of lithium. In some embodiments, In some embodiments, said uniform contacting of a volume of liquid with each volume of sorbent material results in maximal efficiency in washing, maximum lithium uptake, maximum lithium released, or a combination thereof, thereby maximizing the performance of the lithium extraction devices and associated process, while minimizing water consumption.

[00708] In some embodiments, the device is configured to reduce the pressure drop across the lithium-selective sorbent housed in said device. In some embodiments, the device is configured to minimize the use of water required for lithium extraction by ensuring uniform distribution of liquid through the sorbent material, minimizing the pressure drop across the sorbent material, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the uniform distribution of liquid results in a higher lithium absorption capacity and selectivity. In some embodiments, the reduced pressure drop lowers the energy consumption.

In some embodiments, said device comprises one or more filter banks containing a lithiumselective sorbent. In some embodiments, said lithium extraction comprises a filter press. In some embodiments, said sorbent is an ion-exchange material. Further details on the construction, configuration, and operation of this device can be found in the sections titled “Embodiments wherein the Ion Exchange Device Comprises a Filter Press”.

Systems for recovering water comprising a semi-permeable membrane

[00709] An aspect of the disclosure provided herein is a system to recover. An aspect of the disclosure provided herein is a system to recover water from an eluate or synthetic lithium solution generated by eluting lithium from ion exchange beads. In some embodiments, the recovered water is recycled.

[00710] In some embodiments, the water content of the eluate or other aqueous stream is lowered to generate water and a concentrated eluate or other concentrated aqueous stream (e.g., a concentrated lithium solution). In some embodiments, the concentrated eluate is further processed to produce a lithium product. In some embodiments, said product is lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium sulfate, lithium phosphate, or a combination thereof.

[00711] In some embodiments, the water content of any aqueous stream is lowered to recover water from said aqueous stream. In some embodiments, the water content of any aqueous stream is lowered by employing a system comprising a semi -permeable membrane. In some embodiments, said semi-permeable membrane is impermeable to at least a fraction of the solids dissolved in the aqueous stream, thereby allowing water to pass across the membrane to generate a permeate solution, while retaining at least a fraction the solids dissolved to generate and a concentrated solution. Stated differently, in some embodiments, said semi-permeable membrane allows water molecules to move across it, but does not allow salts dissolved in water to move across it. The net result is that for an inlet comprising salts dissolved in water, two outlets are produced: a permeate stream comprising pure water (which permeated across the membrane), and a retentate stream comprising some water and most of the salts dissolved in the inlet stream; the retentate stream therefore comprises a salt solution of higher concentration than the inlet stream. In some embodiments, the permeate stream comprises about 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 99%, or 99.9% of the water content in the inlet to said system. In some embodiments, the permeate stream comprises from about 0.01 to about 1%, from about 1% to about 5%, from about 5% to about 10%, from about 10% to about 25%, from about 25% to about 50%, from about 50% to about 75%, from about 75% to about 90%, from about 90% to about 99%, from about 99% to about 99.9%, from about 99.9% to about 99.99% of the water content in the inlet to said system. In some embodiments, the retante stream comprises about 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 99%, or 99.9% of the dissolved solids content in the inlet to said system. In some embodiments, the retentate stream comprises from about 0.01 to about 1%, from about 1% to about 5%, from about 5% to about 10%, from about 10% to about 25%, from about 25% to about 50%, from about 50% to about 75%, from about 75% to about 90%, from about 90% to about 99%, from about 99% to about 99.9%, from about 99.9% to about 99 99% of the total dissolved solid content in the inlet to said system.

[00712] In some embodiments, said water removal unit comprises a reverse osmosis (RO) semi-permeable membrane. In some embodiments, said water unit comprises a nanofiltration semi-permeable membrane. In some embodiments, said system comprises more than one system for lowering the water content. In some embodiments, said system comprises than one reverse osmosis systems. In some embodiments, said system comprises one or more membrane systems. In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis comprises an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis system. In some embodiments, said osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit comprises a low salt rejection osmotically-assisted reverse osmosis unit, a sweep solution osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit, or a combination thereof In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis comprises a forward osmosis system. In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis comprises a single pass system, a two pass system, a three pass system, a four pass system, a five pass system, a six pass system, a seven pass system, an eight pass system, a nine pass system, a ten pass system, a twenty pass system, a system with more passes, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis comprises a brine staged system.

[00713] In some embodiments, the stream from which water is removed, also called the concentrate, is recycled to the feed of one or more reverse osmosis (RO) units in said system. In some embodiments, one or more streams comprising water, salt, gas, or a combination thereof are redirected to one or more locations within the system to maximize the recovery of water in the system. In some embodiments, one or more streams comprising water, salt, gas, or a combination thereof are redirected to one or more locations within the system to maximize the recovery of lithium in the system.

[00714] In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis (RO) system comprises a brackish water RO system. In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis system comprises a seawater RO system. In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis system comprises a low salinity RO system. In some embodiments, said reverse osmosis system comprises an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis system. In some embodiments, said osmotically assisted reverse osmosis system comprises two or more types of reverse osmosis membranes, wherein a first membrane is a conventional reverse osmosis membrane, and the second or more membranes have a lower salt rejection than the first membrane.

[00715] In some embodiments, said water removal unit comprises a forward osmosis unit.

[00716] In some embodiments, said water removal unit comprises a comprises a membrane. In some embodiments, said membrane is a reverse osmosis membrane, a low-salt rej ection reverse osmosis membrane, an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis membrane, a nanofiltration membrane, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, said membrane is contained in a membrane element. In some embodiments, said element comprises a spiral wound membrane. In some embodiments, said element comprises a hollow fiber membrane. In some embodiments, said element comprises a polymeric membrane, or a ceramic membrane. In some embodiments, multiple membranes are contained within a single pressure housing. In some embodiments, a single membrane is contained within a single pressure housing.

[00717] In some embodiments, the operating pressure of said water removal unit is greater than about 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, or 5000 psi. In some embodiments, the operating pressure of said reverse osmosis system is greater than about 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, or 5000 psi. In some embodiments, the transmembrane pressure of the semi-permeable membrane in the water removal unit is greater than about 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, or 5000 psi. In some embodiments, the transmembrane pressure (the pressure across the semi-permeable membrane) of each of the one or more semi-permeable membranes in the water removal unit is from about 0 to about 1 psi, from about 1 to about 5 psi, from about 5 to about 10 psi, from about 10 to about 20 psi, from about 20 to about 50 psi, from about 50 to about 100 psi, from about 100 to about 150 psi, from about 150 to about 200 psi, from about 200 to about 300 psi, from about 300 to about 500 psi, from about 500 to about 750 psi, from about 750 to about 1000 psi, or from about 1000 to about 2000 psi. In some embodiments, the flux of each of the one or more semi- permeable membranes in the water removal unit is from about 0 to about 1 gallons per square foot per day (abbreviated gfd), from about 1 to about 5 gfd, from about 5 to about 10 gfd, from about 10 to about 20 gfd, from about 20 to about 50 gfd, from about 50 to about 100 gfd, from about 100 to about 150 gfd, from about 150 to about 200 gfd, from about 200 to about 300 gfd, from about 300 to about 500 gfd, from about 500 to about 750 gfd, from about 750 to about 1000 gfd, or from about 1000 to about 2000 gfd. In some embodiments, the flux through said membrane varies with transmembrane pressure. In some embodiments, any one or more of the operating parameters of the water removal unit, including but not limited to transmembrane pressure, feed flow rate, salinity, salt-rejection, water recovery, and any other operating parameter, is controlled to increase flux across the semi-permeable membrane, increase membrane life, improve permeate quality, maximize reject concentration, or a combination thereof.

[00718] In some embodiments, an energy recovery device is used to recover the energy of the high-pressure stream when this stream is depressurized, and said energy is used to pressurize the inlet stream into the unit comprising the semi-permeable membrane. In some embodiments, an energy recovery device is used to recover the energy of the high-pressure stream when this stream is depressurized, and said energy is used to pressurize the inlet stream into the unit comprising the reverse osmosis membrane.

Some Embodiments of the Disclosure

[00719] Detailed below are certain non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure.

Embodiment 1. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a. contact the liquid resource or a treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution, wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 2. The system of Embodiment 1, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 3. The system of Embodiment 1 or 2, further comprising an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 4. The system of Embodiment 3, wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 5. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, further comprising a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream.

Embodiment 6. The system of Embodiment 5, wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 7. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: a. an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; b. an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: i. contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and ii. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and c. a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 8. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (tLCE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 9. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution or a non-aqueous alternate phase.

Embodiment 10. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with a non-aqueous alternate phase.

Embodiment 11. The system of Embodiment 10, wherein the non-aqueous alternate phase is a gas or an organic solvent.

Embodiment 12. The system of Embodiment 9, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution to yield a used aqueous wash solution.

Embodiment 13. The system of Embodiment 12, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises partially saline water.

Embodiment 14. The system of Embodiment 12, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises fresh water.

Embodiment 15. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a pEI modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the synthetic lithium solution. Embodiment 16. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 17. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the treated liquid resource during the ion exchange process.

Embodiment 18. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 17, wherein the downstream subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used in the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 19. The system of Embodiment 7 or 8, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used in the extraction subsystem.

Embodiment 20. The system of any one of Embodiments 3 to 19, wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used in the upstream subsystem.

Embodiment 21. The system of Embodiment 19 or 20, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 22. The system of any one of Embodiments 19 to 21, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the treated liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 23. The system of any one of Embodiments 18 to 22, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 24. The system of Embodiment 23, wherein recycling water comprises collecting 95% or more of the water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 25. The system of any one of Embodiments 18 to 24, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 26. The system of any one of Embodiments 18 to 24, wherein recycling water comprises directing the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the upstream subsystem, wherein the used aqueous wash solution directed to the upstream subsystem or a portion thereof is added to the liquid resource.

Embodiment 27. The system of any one of Embodiments 18 to 24, wherein recycling water comprises directing the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the upstream subsystem, wherein the used aqueous wash solution directed to the upstream subsystem or a portion thereof is added to the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 28. The system of any one of Embodiments 18 to 27, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the synthetic lithium solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 29. The system of any one of Embodiments 18 to 28, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the effluent stream or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 30. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 29, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 31. The system of Embodiment 30, wherein the reverse osmosis unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 32. The system of Embodiment 30 or 31, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 33. The system of any one of Embodiments 30 to 32, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 34. The system of any one of Embodiments 30 to 33, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a membrane distillation unit.

Embodiment 35. The system of any one of Embodiments 30 to 34, wherein the reverse osmosis unit generates an aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 36. The system of Embodiment 35, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous retentate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 37. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 36, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a forward osmosis unit.

Embodiment 38. The system of Embodiment 37, wherein the forward osmosis unit generates an aqueous permeate.

Embodiment 39. The system of Embodiment 38, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous permeate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 40. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 39, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit.

Embodiment 41. The system of Embodiment 40, wherein the evaporation unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 42. The system of Embodiment 40 or 41, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

Embodiment 43. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 42, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to recycle water from the aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 44. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 43, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to recycle water from the aqueous permeate.

Embodiment 45. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 44, wherein operation of the evaporation unit generates solid salts.

Embodiment 46. The system of Embodiment 45, wherein the solid salts are recycled for use in the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 47. The system of Embodiment 46, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 48. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 44, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when the evaporation unit is in operation.

Embodiment 49. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 48, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to minimize the amount of energy required to collect water by operating the evaporation unit. Embodiment 50. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 49, wherein the evaporation unit requires thermal energy to collect water, and at least a portion of the thermal energy is obtained from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 51. The system of any one of Embodiments 40 to 49, wherein the evaporation unit requires thermal energy to collect water, and at least a portion of the thermal energy is obtained from process streams within the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 52. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 51, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a condensation unit.

Embodiment 53. The system of Embodiment 52, wherein the condensation unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 54. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 53, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a nanofiltration unit.

Embodiment 55. The system of Embodiment 54, wherein the nanofiltration unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 56. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 55, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises two or more of a reverse osmosis unit, an evaporation unit, and a condensation unit.

Embodiment 57. The system of Embodiment 56, wherein the downstream subsystem is configured to: i. collect water using the reverse osmosis unit, thereby generating collected water and an aqueous retentate; ii. collect water from the aqueous retentate using the evaporation unit, thereby generating collected water.

Embodiment 58. The system of Embodiment 57, wherein the evaporation unit further generates a solution saturated in dissolved salts.

Embodiment 59. The system of Embodiment 57 or 58, wherein the evaporation unit further generates solid salts.

Embodiment 60. The system of any one of Embodiments 57 to 59, wherein the evaporation unit collects more than 50% of the water present in the aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 61. The system of any one of Embodiments 56 to 60, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

Embodiment 62. The system of any one of Embodiments 3 to 61, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured treat the liquid resource. Embodiment 63. The system of any one of Embodiments 3 to 62, wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to remove impurities from the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 64. The system of Embodiment 63, wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to remove impurities from the liquid resource via precipitation, crystallization, filtration, electrolysis, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 65. The system of any one of Embodiments 3 to 64, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a concentration modulation unit configured to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 66. The system of Embodiment 65, wherein the concentration modulation unit is configured to collect water from the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource

Embodiment 67. The system of Embodiment 66, wherein the concentration modulation unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 68. The system of Embodiment 67, wherein the concentration modulation unit comprises an evaporator and a condenser, wherein the evaporator evaporates water from the liquid resource to generate water vapor and subsequently the condenser condenses said water vapor, thereby providing water for recycling and modulating the concentration of lithium in the liquid resource.

Embodiment 69. The system of Embodiment 68, wherein the evaporator does not require an external source of heat, and wherein the temperature of the liquid resource exiting the evaporator is about equal to the temperature of the liquid resource entering the evaporator.

Embodiment 70. The system of any one of Embodiments 66 to 69, wherein solid salts form upon evaporating water or collecting water from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 71. The system of Embodiment 70, wherein the solid salts are recycled for use in the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 72. The system of Embodiment 71, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 73. The system of any one of Embodiments 68 to 72, wherein the evaporator is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when evaporating water from the liquid resource. Embodiment 74. The system of any one of Embodiments 68 to 73, wherein the evaporator is configured to minimize the amount of energy required to evaporate water from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 75. The system of any one of Embodiments 67 to 74, wherein evaporating water or collecting water from the liquid resource increases the concentration of lithium in the liquid resource

Embodiment 76. The system of any one of Embodiments 67 to 75, wherein the liquid resource is obtained from a natural source, wherein obtaining the liquid resource comprises diluting the liquid resource with water, and wherein the concentration modulation unit is configured to collect said water used for diluting the liquid resource or a portion thereof.

Embodiment 77. The system of any one of Embodiments 68 to 76, wherein the evaporator comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

Embodiment 78. The system of Embodiment 65, wherein the concentration modulation unit is configured to add water to the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 79. The system of any one of Embodiments 3 to 78, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a redox modulation unit configured to modulate the oxidationreduction potential of the liquid resource or treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 80. The system of Embodiment 79, wherein the redox modulation unit is configured to add a chemical additive to the liquid resource to modulate the oxidationreduction potential of the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 81. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 80, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises a redox modulation unit configured to modulate the oxidationreduction potential of the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 82. The system of Embodiment 81, wherein the redox modulation unit is configured to add a chemical additive to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 83. The system of Embodiment 80 or 82, wherein the chemical additive is added in the form of an aqueous solution.

Embodiment 84. The system of Embodiment 80 or 82, wherein the chemical additive is added in the form of a solid.

Embodiment 85. The system of any one of Embodiments 80 or 82 to 84, wherein the chemical additive comprises an oxidant. Embodiment 86. The system of any one of Embodiments 80 or 82 to 84, wherein the chemical additive comprises a reductant.

Embodiment 87. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 86, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a precipitation unit.

Embodiment 88. The system of Embodiment 87, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to remove impurities from the synthetic lithium solution and provide a solid precipitate comprising impurities.

Embodiment 89. The system of Embodiment 88, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to add a base to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 90. The system of Embodiment 88 or 89, wherein the precipitation unit is further configured to separate the synthetic lithium solution from the solid precipitate comprising impurities.

Embodiment 91. The system of any one of Embodiments 87 to 90, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 92. The system of Embodiment 91, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution by adding a precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 93. The system of Embodiment 92, wherein the precipitant comprises a carbonate salt, a sulfate salt, a hydroxide salt, a phosphate salt or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 94. The system of Embodiment 93, wherein the precipitant is sodium carbonate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium carbonate.

Embodiment 95. The system of Embodiment 93, wherein the precipitant is sodium phosphate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium phosphate.

Embodiment 96. The system of Embodiment 93, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, and the lithium product is lithium hydroxide.

Embodiment 97. The system of Embodiment 93 or 96, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, the synthetic lithium solution comprises lithium sulfate, and producing the lithium product comprises the formation of precipitated sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof.

Embodiment 98. The system of Embodiment 96 or 97, wherein the synthetic lithium solution is evaporated to provide the lithium product following addition of the precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution. Embodiment 99. The system of any one of Embodiments 91 to 98, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution by heating the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 100. The system of any one of Embodiments 91 to 99, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to precipitate sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof from the synthetic lithium solution by cooling the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 101. The system of any one of Embodiments 91 to 95, wherein the precipitation unit further provides a mother liquor.

Embodiment 102. The system of Embodiment 101, wherein the precipitation unit is further configured to separate the mother liquor from the lithium product.

Embodiment 103. The system of Embodiment 101 or 102, wherein the effluent stream comprises the mother liquor.

Embodiment 104. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 103, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a carbonation unit configured to increase the carbonate concentration in the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 105. The system of any one of Embodiments 101 to 104, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a decarbonation unit configured to decrease the carbonate concentration in the mother liquor.

Embodiment 106. The system of any one of Embodiments 5 to 105, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an electrolysis unit.

Embodiment 107. The system of Embodiment 106, wherein the electrolysis unit is configured to pass an electric current through the synthetic lithium solution to generate an acidified solution and a basified solution comprising lithium.

Embodiment 108. The system of Embodiment 107, wherein the basified solution comprises lithium hydroxide.

Embodiment 109. The system of Embodiment 107 or 108, wherein the basified solution comprising lithium is evaporated to provide the lithium product.

Embodiment 110. The system of any one of Embodiments 107 to 109, wherein the acidified solution or a portion thereof is provided to the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 111. The system of Embodiment 110, wherein the eluent solution comprises the acidified solution or a portion thereof.

Embodiment 112. The system of Embodiment 110, wherein the effluent stream comprises the acidified solution of a portion thereof. Embodiment 113. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 112, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is a protonated ion exchange material.

Embodiment 114. The system of Embodiment 113, wherein said protonated ion exchange material is generated by treating a pre-activated ion exchange material with an acid.

Embodiment 115. The system of Embodiment 114, wherein said pre-activated ion exchange material comprises LiFePCh, LiMnPCh, LisMTiCE, Li2Mn€)3, Li2SnO3, Li4TisOi2, Li4MnsOi2, LiM CU, Li1.6Mm.6O4, LiA102, LiCuO2, LiTiO2, Li4TiO4, Li?TinO24, Li3VO4, Li₂Si₃O7, Li₂CuP2O7, modifications thereof, solid solutions thereof, or a combination thereof

Embodiment 116. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 112, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is an adsorbent.

Embodiment 117. The system of Embodiment 116, wherein the adsorbent comprises a crystalline lithium salt aluminate, a lithium aluminum intercalate, LiCT2Al(OH)3, crystalline aluminum trihydroxide (Al(0H)3), gibbsite, beyerite, nordstrandite, alumina hydrate, bauxite, amorphous aluminum trihydroxide, activated alumina layered lithiumaluminum double hydroxides, Li A12(OH)6C1, combinations thereof, compounds thereof, or solid solutions thereof.

Embodiment 118. The system of Embodiment 117, wherein the adsorbent comprises a lithium aluminum intercalate.

Embodiment 119. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 118, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is coated with a coating that is selected from an oxide, a polymer, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 120. The system of Embodiment 119, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is coated with a coating that is selected from SiCh, TiCh, ZrCh, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polydivinylbenzene, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 121. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 120, wherein the liquid resource is a natural brine, a pretreated brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a geothermal brine, a processed brine, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof. Embodiment 122. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 121, wherein the liquid resource is a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a geothermal brine, seawater, seawater, a desalination effluent, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled batteries, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 123. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 122, wherein the eluent solution is a non-acidic eluent solution.

Embodiment 124. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 123, wherein the eluent solution is an acidic eluent solution.

Embodiment 125. The system of Embodiment 124, wherein the acidic eluent solution comprises an acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 126. The system of Embodiment 125, wherein the acidic eluent solution comprises an acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 127. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 125, wherein less than about 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ECE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 128. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 125, wherein about 15 to 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (tLCE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 129. The system of any one of Embodiments 1 to 128, wherein no external water is required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 130. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: a. an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: i. contact the liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; ii. contact an aqueous wash solution with the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to remove the liquid from the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent; and iii. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and b. an evaporation unit configured to collected water from the liquid resource or the raffinate, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises the collected water, and wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical evaporator.

Embodiment 131. The system of Embodiment 130, wherein the mechanical evaporator processes the liquid resource to produce water before contact with the lithium-selective sorbent.

Embodiment 132. The system of Embodiment 130, wherein the mechanical evaporator processes the raffinate to produce water after contact with the lithium-selective sorbent.

Embodiment 133. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 132, wherein the mechanical evaporator is a mechanical vapor recompression evaporator unit.

Embodiment 134. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 133, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit is configured to minimize the amount of energy required to collect water by operating the evaporation unit.

Embodiment 135. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 134, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit requires thermal energy to collect water, and at least a portion of the thermal energy is obtained from the liquid resource or raffmate.

Embodiment 136. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 135, wherein the mechanical evaporator does not require an external source of heat, and wherein the temperature of the liquid resource or raffinate exiting the evaporator is about equal to the temperature of the liquid resource or raffinate entering the evaporator.

Embodiment 137. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 136, wherein operation of the mechanical evaporation unit generates solid salts.

Embodiment 138. The system of Embodiment 137, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 139. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 138, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when the mechanical evaporation unit is in operation.

Embodiment 140. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 139, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit generates a solution saturated in dissolved salts.

Embodiment 141. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 140, wherein evaporating water from the liquid resource or raffinate increases the concentration of lithium in said liquid resource or raffinate. Embodiment 142. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 141, wherein the liquid resource is obtained from a natural source, wherein obtaining the liquid resource comprises diluting the liquid resource with water, and wherein processing the liquid resource in said mechanical evaporator collects said water or a portion thereof used for diluting the liquid resource.

Embodiment 143. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 142, wherein 5 % or more, 10 % or more, 20 % or more, 30 % or more, 40 % or more, 50 % or more, 60 % or more, 70 % or more, 80 % or more, or 90 % or more, of the aqueous wash solution used in the extraction subsystem is obtained from the mechanical evaporator system.

Embodiment 144. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 143, wherein all of the aqueous wash solution used in the extraction subsystem is obtained from the mechanical evaporator system.

Embodiment 145. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 144, further comprising an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 146. The system of Embodiment 145, wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 147. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 146, further comprising a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream.

Embodiment 148. The system of Embodiment 147, wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 149. The system of Embodiments 147 or 148, wherein the eluent solution is processed in the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 150. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: a. an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; b. an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: i. contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and ii. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and c. a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; d. wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product; and e. wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ECE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 151. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: a. an upstream subsystem configured to: i. yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; and ii. reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof; b. an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: i. contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and ii. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and c. a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit, wherein the evaporation unit is a mechanical vapor recompression unit, and wherein the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof.

Embodiment 152. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: a. an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; b. an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: i. contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffmate; and ii. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and c. a downstream subsystem configured to: i. process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; and ii. reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof; wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit, d. wherein the evaporation unit is a mechanical vapor recompression unit, and e. wherein the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water from the raffinate or a portion thereof.

Embodiment 153. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising: a. an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; b. an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: i. contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and ii. contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and c. a downstream subsystem configured to: i. process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; and ii. reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof; d. wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 154. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 153, wherein less than about 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ECE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 155. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 154, wherein no external water is required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 156. The system of any one of Embodiments 150 to 155, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution or a non-aqueous alternate phase.

Embodiment 157. The system of Embodiment 156, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithiumselective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution to yield a used aqueous wash solution.

Embodiment 158. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 149, 156 or 157, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises partially saline water.

Embodiment 159. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 149, 156 or 158, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises fresh water.

Embodiment 160. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 159, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 161. The system any one of Embodiments 147 to 159, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 162. The system of Embodiment 161, wherein the reverse osmosis unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 163. The system of Embodiment 161 or 162, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 164. The system of any one of Embodiments 161 to 163, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis unit. Embodiment 165. The system of any one of Embodiments 162 to 164, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a membrane distillation unit.

Embodiment 166. The system of any one of Embodiments 162 to 165, wherein the reverse osmosis unit generates an aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 167. The system of Embodiment 166, wherein recycling or collecting water comprises collecting water from the aqueous retentate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 168. The system of any one of Embodiments 162 to 167, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a forward osmosis unit.

Embodiment 169. The system of Embodiment 168, wherein the forward osmosis unit generates an aqueous permeate.

Embodiment 170. The system of Embodiment 169, wherein recycling or collecting water comprises collecting water from the aqueous permeate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 171. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 170, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit.

Embodiment 172. The system of Embodiment 171, wherein the evaporation unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 173. The system of Embodiment 171 or 172, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

Embodiment 174. The system of any one of Embodiments 171 to 173, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to recycle water from the aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 175. The system of Embodiment 174, wherein the evaporation unit recycles a more than 50% of the water present in the aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 176. The system of any one of Embodiments 171 to 175, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to recycle water from the aqueous permeate.

Embodiment 177. The system of any one of Embodiments 171 to 176, wherein operation of the evaporation unit generates solid salts.

Embodiment 178. The system of Embodiment 177, wherein the solid salts are recycled for use in the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 179. The system of Embodiment 177 or 178, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem.

Embodiment 180. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 179, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a nanofiltration unit.

Embodiment 181. The system of Embodiment 180, wherein the nanofiltration unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 182. The system of any one of Embodiments 145 to 181, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to treat the liquid resource.

Embodiment 183. The system of any one of Embodiments 145 to 181 wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to remove impurities from the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 184. The system of Embodiment 183 wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to remove impurities from the liquid resource via precipitation, crystallization, filtration, electrolysis, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 185. The system of any one of Embodiments 145 to 184, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a redox modulation unit configured to modulate the oxidationreduction potential of the liquid resource or treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 186. The system of Embodiment 185, wherein the redox modulation unit is configured to add a chemical additive to the liquid resource to modulate the oxidationreduction potential of the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 187. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 186, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises a redox modulation unit configured to modulate the oxidation-reduction potential of the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 188. The system of Embodiment 187, wherein the redox modulation unit is configured to add a chemical additive to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 189. The system of any one of Embodiment 185 to 188, wherein the chemical additive is added in the form of an aqueous solution.

Embodiment 190. The system of any one of Embodiment 185 to 188, wherein the chemical additive is added in the form of a solid.

Embodiment 191. The system of any one of Embodiments 185 to 190, wherein the chemical additive comprises an oxidant.

Embodiment 192. The system of any one of Embodiments 185 to 190, wherein the chemical additive comprises a reductant. Embodiment 193. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 192, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a precipitation unit.

Embodiment 194. The system of Embodiment 193, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to remove impurities from the synthetic lithium solution and provide a solid precipitate comprising impurities.

Embodiment 195. The system of Embodiment 193, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to add a base to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 196. The system of Embodiment 193 or 194, wherein the precipitation unit is further configured to separate the synthetic lithium solution from the solid precipitate comprising impurities.

Embodiment 197. The system of any one of Embodiments 193 to 196, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 198. The system of Embodiment 197, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution by adding a precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 199. The system of Embodiment 198, wherein the precipitant comprises a carbonate salt, a sulfate salt, a hydroxide salt, or a phosphate salt.

Embodiment 200. The system of Embodiment 199, wherein the precipitant is sodium carbonate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium carbonate.

Embodiment 201. The system of Embodiment 198, wherein the precipitant is sodium phosphate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium phosphate.

Embodiment 202. The system of Embodiment 201, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, and the lithium product is lithium hydroxide.

Embodiment 203. The system of Embodiment 199 or 202, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, the synthetic lithium solution comprises lithium sulfate, and producing the lithium product comprises the formation of precipitated sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof.

Embodiment 204. The system of Embodiment 202 or 203, wherein the synthetic lithium solution is evaporated to provide the lithium product following addition of the precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 205. The system of any one of Embodiments 193 to 204, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution by heating the synthetic lithium solution. Embodiment 206. The system of any one of Embodiments 193 to 205, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to precipitate sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof from the synthetic lithium solution by cooling the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 207. The system of any one of Embodiments 193 to 206, wherein the precipitation unit further provides a mother liquor.

Embodiment 208. The system of Embodiment 207, wherein the precipitation unit is further configured to separate the mother liquor from the lithium product.

Embodiment 209. The system of Embodiment 206 or 207, wherein the effluent stream comprises the mother liquor.

Embodiment 210. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 209, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a carbonation unit configured to increase the carbonate concentration in the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 211. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 209, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a decarbonation unit configured to decrease the carbonate concentration in the mother liquor.

Embodiment 212. The system of any one of Embodiments 147 to 211, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an electrolysis unit.

Embodiment 213. The system of Embodiment 212, wherein the electrolysis unit is configured to pass an electric current through the synthetic lithium solution to generate an acidified solution and a basified solution comprising lithium.

Embodiment 214. The system of Embodiment 213, wherein the basified solution comprises lithium hydroxide.

Embodiment 215. The system of Embodiment 213 or 214, wherein the basified solution comprising lithium is evaporated to provide the lithium product.

Embodiment 216. The system of any one of Embodiments 213 to 215, wherein the acidified solution or a portion thereof is provided to the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 217. The system of Embodiment 216, wherein the eluent solution comprises the acidified solution or a portion thereof.

Embodiment 218. The system of Embodiment 216, wherein the effluent stream comprises the acidified solution of a portion thereof.

Embodiment 219. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 218, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is a protonated ion exchange material.

Embodiment 220. The system of Embodiment 219, wherein said protonated ion exchange material is generated by treating a pre-activated ion exchange material with an acid. Embodiment 221. The system of Embodiment 220, wherein said pre-activated ion exchange material comprises LiFePCU, LiMnPCU, Li2MTiC>3, Li2MnC>3, Li2SnO3, Li4Ti50i2, Li4MnsOi2, LiMn2O4, Li1.6Mn1.6O4, LiA102, LiCuO2, LiTiO2, Li4TiO4, Li7TinO24, Li3VO4, Li₂Si₃O7, Li2CuP2O?, modifications thereof, solid solutions thereof, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 222. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 218, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is an adsorbent.

Embodiment 223. The system of Embodiment 222, wherein the adsorbent comprises a crystalline lithium salt aluminate, a lithium aluminum intercalate, LiCT2Al(OH)3, crystalline aluminum trihydroxide (A1(OH)3), gibbsite, beyerite, nordstrandite, alumina hydrate, bauxite, amorphous aluminum trihydroxide, activated alumina layered lithiumaluminum double hydroxides, Li A12(OH)6C1, combinations thereof, compounds thereof, or solid solutions thereof.

Embodiment 224. The system of Embodiment 223, wherein the adsorbent comprises a lithium aluminum intercalate.

Embodiment 225. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 224, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is coated with a coating that is selected from an oxide, a polymer, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 226. The system of Embodiment 225, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is coated with a coating that is selected from SiCh, TiCh, ZrCh, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polydivinylbenzene, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 227. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 226, wherein the liquid resource is a natural brine, a pretreated brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 228. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 227, wherein the eluent solution is a non-acidic eluent solution.

Embodiment 229. The system of any one of Embodiments 130 to 227, wherein the eluent solution is an acidic eluent solution.

Embodiment 230. The system of Embodiment 229, wherein the acidic eluent solution comprises an acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 231. A process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: i. contacting the liquid resource or a treated liquid resource with a lithiumselective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and ii. contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution, iii. wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 232. The process of Embodiment 231, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 233. The process of Embodiment 231 or 232, further comprising treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 234. The process of Embodiment 233, wherein treating the liquid resource reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 235. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 234, further comprising processing the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream.

Embodiment 236. The system of Embodiment 235, wherein processing the synthetic lithium solution reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 237. A process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: a. treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; b. contacting the treated liquid resource with a lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; c. contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and d. processing the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; e. wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 238. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 237, wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 239. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 238, further comprising contacting the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution or a non-aqueous alternate phase.

Embodiment 240. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 238, further comprising contacting the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with a non-aqueous alternate phase.

Embodiment 241. The process of Embodiment 240, wherein the non-aqueous alternate phase is a gas or an organic solvent.

Embodiment 242. The process of Embodiment 239, further comprising contacting the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution to yield a used aqueous wash solution.

Embodiment 243. The process of Embodiment 242, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises partially saline water.

Embodiment 244. The process of Embodiment 242, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises fresh water.

Embodiment 245. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 244, further comprising regulating the pH of the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 246. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 245, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises regulating the pH of the liquid resource.

Embodiment 247. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 246, wherein further comprising regulating the pH of the treated liquid resource when the treated liquid resource is contacted with the lithium-selective sorbent.

Embodiment 248. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 247, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used to process the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 249. The process of Embodiment 237 or 238, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used to provide the synthetic lithium solution. Embodiment 250. The process of any one of Embodiments 233 to 249, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used for treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 251. The process of Embodiment 249 or 250, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 252. The process of any one of Embodiments 249 to 251, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the treated liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 253. The process of any one of Embodiments 248 to 252, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 254. The process of Embodiment 253, wherein recycling water comprises collecting 95% or more of the water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 255. The process of any one of Embodiments 248 to 254, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 256. The process of any one of Embodiments 248 to 254, wherein recycling water comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the liquid resource, such that treating the liquid resource comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the liquid resource.

Embodiment 257. The process of any one of Embodiments 248 to 254, wherein recycling water comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, such that treating the liquid resource comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 258. The process of any one of Embodiments 248 to 257, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the synthetic lithium solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 259. The process of any one of Embodiments 248 to 258, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the effluent stream or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 260. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 259, further comprising providing a reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 261. The process of Embodiment 260, wherein the reverse osmosis unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 262. The process of Embodiment 260 or 261, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 263. The process of any one of Embodiments 260 to 262, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis unit.

Embodiment 264. The process of any one of Embodiments 260 to 263, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a membrane distillation unit.

Embodiment 265. The process of any one of Embodiments 260 to 264, wherein the reverse osmosis unit generates an aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 266. The process of Embodiment 265, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous retentate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 267. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 266, further comprising providing a forward osmosis unit.

Embodiment 268. The process of Embodiment 267, wherein the forward osmosis unit generates an aqueous permeate.

Embodiment 269. The process of Embodiment 268, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous permeate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 270. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 269, further comprising providing an evaporation unit.

Embodiment 271. The process of Embodiment 270, wherein the evaporation unit is configured for recycling water. Embodiment 272. The process of Embodiment 270 or 271, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

Embodiment 273. The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 272, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to collect water from the aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 274. The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 273, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to collect water from the aqueous permeate.

Embodiment 275. The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 274, wherein operation of the evaporation unit generates solid salts.

Embodiment 276. The process of Embodiment 275, wherein the solid salts are recycled for use in the process.

Embodiment 277. The process of Embodiment 276, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in treating the liquid resource, contacting the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent, contacting the eluent solution to the lithiated lithiumselective sorbent, processing the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 278. The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 274, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when the evaporation unit is in operation.

Embodiment 279. The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 278, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to minimize the amount of energy required to collect water by operating the evaporation unit.

Embodiment 280. The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 279, wherein the evaporation unit requires thermal energy to collect water, and at least a portion of the thermal energy is obtained from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 28 E The process of any one of Embodiments 270 to 279, wherein the evaporation unit requires thermal energy to collect water, and at least a portion of the thermal energy is obtained from the treated liquid resource, the raffinate, the synthetic lithium solution, the used aqueous wash solution, the effluent solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 282. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 281, further comprising providing a condensation unit.

Embodiment 283. The process of Embodiment 282, wherein the condensation unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 284. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 283, further comprising providing a nanofiltration unit. Embodiment 285. The process of Embodiment 284, wherein the nanofiltration unit is configured for recycling water.

Embodiment 286. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 285, further comprising providing two or more of a reverse osmosis unit, an evaporation unit, and a condensation unit.

Embodiment 287. The process of Embodiment 286, further comprising: i. collecting water using the reverse osmosis unit, thereby generating collected water and an aqueous retentate; ii. collecting water from the aqueous retentate using the evaporation unit, thereby generating collected water.

Embodiment 288. The process of Embodiment 287, wherein the evaporation unit further generates a solution saturated in dissolved salts

Embodiment 289. The process of Embodiment 287 or 288, wherein the evaporation unit further generates solid salts.

Embodiment 290. The process of any one of Embodiments 287 to 289, wherein the evaporation unit collects more than 50% of the water present in the aqueous retentate.

Embodiment 291. The process of any one of Embodiments 286 to 290, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

Embodiment 292. The process of any one of Embodiments 233 to 291, further comprising providing a pH modulation unit configured for treating the liquid resource.

Embodiment 293. The process of any one of Embodiments 233 to 292, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises removing impurities from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 294. The process of Embodiment 293, wherein removing impurities is achieved via precipitation, crystallization, filtration, electrolysis, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 295. The process of any one of Embodiments 233 to 294, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises modulating the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 296. The process of Embodiment 295, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises collecting water from the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource and provide collected water for recycling.

Embodiment 297. The process of Embodiment 296, wherein the collected water or a portion thereof is added to the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof. Embodiment 298. The process of Embodiment 297, further comprising providing an evaporator and a condenser, wherein the evaporator evaporates water from the liquid resource to generate water vapor and subsequently the condenser condenses said water vapor, thereby providing collected water for recycling and modulating the concentration of lithium in the liquid resource.

Embodiment 299. The process of Embodiment 298, wherein the evaporator does not require an external source of heat, and wherein the temperature of the liquid resource exiting the evaporator is about equal to the temperature of the liquid resource entering the evaporator.

Embodiment 300. The process of any one of Embodiments 296 to 299, wherein solid salts form upon evaporating water or collecting water from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 301. The process of Embodiment 300, wherein the solid salts are recycled for use in the process.

Embodiment 302. The process of Embodiment 301, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in treating the liquid resource, contacting the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent, contacting the eluent solution to the lithiated lithiumselective sorbent, processing the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 303. The process of any one of Embodiments 298 to 302, wherein the evaporator is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when evaporating water from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 304. The process of any one of Embodiments 298 to 303, wherein the evaporator is configured to minimize the amount of energy required to evaporate water from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 305. The process of any one of Embodiments 297 to 304, wherein evaporating water or collecting water from the liquid resource increases the concentration of lithium in the liquid resource.

Embodiment 306. The process of any one of Embodiments 297 to 305, wherein the liquid resource is obtained from a natural source, wherein obtaining the liquid resource comprises diluting the liquid resource with water, and wherein treating the liquid resource comprises collecting said water used for diluting the liquid resource or a portion thereof from the liquid resource.

Embodiment 307. The process of any one of Embodiments 298 to 306, wherein the evaporator comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit. Embodiment 308. The process of Embodiment 295, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises adding water to the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 309. The process of any one of Embodiments 233 to 308, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises modulating the oxidation-reduction potential of the liquid resource.

Embodiment 310. The process of Embodiment 309, treating the liquid resource comprises adding a chemical additive to the liquid resource to modulate the oxidation-reduction potential of the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

Embodiment 311. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 310, further comprising modulating the oxidation-reduction potential of the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 312. The process of Embodiment 311, comprising adding a chemical additive to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 313. The process of Embodiment 310 or 312, wherein the chemical additive is added in the form of an aqueous solution.

Embodiment 314. The process of Embodiment 310 or 312, wherein the chemical additive is added in the form of a solid.

Embodiment 315. The process of any one of Embodiments 310 or 312 to 314, wherein the chemical additive comprises an oxidant.

Embodiment 316. The process of any one of Embodiments 310 or 312 to 314, wherein the chemical additive comprises a reductant.

Embodiment 317. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 316, further comprising providing a precipitation unit.

Embodiment 318. The process of Embodiment 317, wherein the precipitation unit removes impurities from the synthetic lithium solution and provides a solid precipitate comprising impurities.

Embodiment 319. The process of Embodiment 318, further comprising adding a base is added to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 320. The process of Embodiment 318 or 319, wherein the precipitation unit separates the synthetic lithium solution from the solid precipitate comprising impurities.

Embodiment 321. The process of any one of Embodiments 317 to 320, wherein the precipitation unit provides the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution. Embodiment 322. The process of Embodiment 321, wherein a precipitant is added the synthetic lithium solution to generate the lithium product.

Embodiment 323. The process of Embodiment 322, wherein the precipitant comprises a carbonate salt, a sulfate salt, a hydroxide salt, or a phosphate salt.

Embodiment 324. The process of Embodiment 323, wherein the precipitant is sodium carbonate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium carbonate.

Embodiment 325. The process of Embodiment 323, wherein the precipitant is sodium phosphate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium phosphate.

Embodiment 326. The process of Embodiment 323, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, and the lithium product is lithium hydroxide.

Embodiment 327. The process of Embodiment 323 or 326, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, the synthetic lithium solution comprises lithium sulfate, and producing the lithium product comprises the formation of precipitated sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof.

Embodiment 328. The process of Embodiment 326 or 327, wherein the synthetic lithium solution is evaporated to provide the lithium product following addition of the precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 329. The process of any one of Embodiments 321 to 328, wherein the precipitation unit heats the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product.

Embodiment 330. The process of any one of Embodiments 321 to 329, wherein the precipitation unit cools the synthetic lithium solution to precipitate sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof from the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 331. The process of any one of Embodiments 321 to 325, wherein the precipitation unit provides a mother liquor.

Embodiment 332. The process of Embodiment 331, wherein the precipitation unit separates the mother liquor from the lithium product.

Embodiment 333. The process of Embodiment 331 or 332, wherein the effluent stream comprises the mother liquor.

Embodiment 334. The process of any one of Embodiments 235 to 333, wherein processing the synthetic lithium solution comprises increasing the carbonate concentration in the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 335. The process of any one of Embodiments 331 to 334, wherein processing the synthetic lithium solution comprises decreasing the carbonate concentration in the mother liquor. Embodiment 336. The process of any one of Embodiments 325 to 335, wherein processing the synthetic lithium solution comprises providing an electrolysis unit.

Embodiment 337. The process of Embodiment 336, wherein the electrolysis unit passes an electric current through the synthetic lithium solution to generate an acidified solution and a basified solution comprising lithium.

Embodiment 338. The process of Embodiment 337, wherein the basified solution comprises lithium hydroxide.

Embodiment 339. The process of Embodiment 337 or 338, wherein the basified solution comprising lithium is evaporated to provide the lithium product.

Embodiment 340. The system of any one of Embodiments 337 to 339, wherein the acidified solution or a portion thereof is added to the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the treated liquid resource, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 341. The process of Embodiment 340, wherein the eluent solution comprises the acidified solution or a portion thereof.

Embodiment 342. The process of Embodiment 340, wherein the effluent stream comprises the acidified solution of a portion thereof.

Embodiment 343. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 342, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is a protonated ion exchange material.

Embodiment 344. The process of Embodiment 343, wherein said protonated ion exchange material is generated by treating a pre-activated ion exchange material with an acid.

Embodiment 345. The process of Embodiment 344, wherein said pre-activated ion exchange material comprises LiFePCU, LiMnPCU, Li2MTiC>3, Li2MnOs, Li2SnO3, Li4TisOi2, Li4Mn50i2, LiMmCE, Li1.6Mm.6O4, LiA102, LiCuO2, LiTiO?, Li4TiO4, Li7TinO24, Li3VO4, Li₂Si₃O7, Li₂CuP₂O7, modifications thereof, solid solutions thereof, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 346. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 342, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is an adsorbent.

Embodiment 347. The process of Embodiment 346, wherein the adsorbent comprises a crystalline lithium salt aluminate, a lithium aluminum intercalate, LiCT2Al(OH)3, crystalline aluminum trihydroxide (A1(OH)3), gibbsite, beyerite, nordstrandite, alumina hydrate, bauxite, amorphous aluminum trihydroxide, activated alumina layered lithiumaluminum double hydroxides, Li A12(OH)6C1, combinations thereof, compounds thereof, or solid solutions thereof.

Embodiment 348. The process of Embodiment 347, wherein the adsorbent comprises a lithium aluminum intercalate. Embodiment 349. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 348, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is coated with a coating that is selected from an oxide, a polymer, or combinations thereof

Embodiment 350. The process of Embodiment 119, wherein said lithium selective sorbent is coated with a coating that is selected from SiCh, TiCh, ZrCh, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polybutadiene, polydivinylbenzene, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 351. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 350, wherein the liquid resource is a natural brine, a pretreated brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a geothermal brine, a processed brine, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 352. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 351, wherein the liquid resource is a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, a geothermal brine, seawater, seawater, a desalination effluent, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion exchange process, a liquid from a solvent extraction process, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled batteries, or combinations thereof.

Embodiment 353. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 352, wherein the eluent solution is a non-acidic eluent solution.

Embodiment 354. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 353, wherein the eluent solution is an acidic eluent solution.

Embodiment 355. The process of Embodiment 354, wherein the acidic eluent solution comprises an acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, chloric acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 356. The process of Embodiment 355, wherein the acidic eluent solution comprises an acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, or a combination thereof.

Embodiment 357. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 355, wherein less than about 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 358. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 355, wherein about 15 to 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) of the lithium product.

Embodiment 359. The process of any one of Embodiments 231 to 358, wherein no external water is required to produce the lithium product.

Embodiment 360. A process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: i. contacting the liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; ii. contacting an aqueous wash solution with the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to remove the liquid from the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent; iii. contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; iv. providing an evaporation unit; and v. collecting water from the liquid resource or the raffinate using the evaporation unit to provide collected water; vi. wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises the collected water, vii. wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical evaporator, and viii. wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

Embodiment 361. The process of Embodiment 360, wherein the mechanical evaporator processes the liquid resource to collect water before contacting the liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent.

EXAMPLES

[00720] The following example are included for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

Example 1: Integrated process for lithium recovery from a subsurface brine

[00721] With reference to FIG. 1, lithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e g., a liquid resource) via lithium-selective ion exchange, wherein the water necessary for the ion exchange process is partially obtained from said brine. [00722] The subsurface brine comprises approximately 100 mg/L of Li, and contains Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, among other cationic species, as well as sulfur-containing dissolved species. This brine originates from a wellfield at a temperature of approximately 350 K This brine 1011 is fed into a cooling system 101, comprising a cooling tower with a salt and water recovery system (e.g. concentration modulation unit, or evaporator and condenser). System 101 produces a cooled brine 1014, which is at a lower temperature and more concentrated in lithium than

1011. Water vapor exiting said cooling tower is condensed to produce recovered water stream

1012. Solid salts 1013 produced in this system are fed into system 106, which produces an acid and a base from said solid salts.

[00723] Cooled and concentrated brine 1014 is fed into treatment system 102, comprising a subsystem wherein sulfur containing species are converted into sulfates (e.g, a redox modulation unit), a subsystem where the pH of said brine is adjusted (e g. pH modulation unit), and a subsystem where said brine is filtered. The resulting treated brine 1021 (e.g. treated liquid resource), exiting treatment in system 102, is fed into ion exchange system 103, wherein lithium is extracted from 1021 to produce a synthetic lithium solution 1032. Said synthetic lithium solution 1032 contains lithium at a concentration greater than 1,000 mg/L, and cationic impurities, including Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, which together comprise less than 20 % of dissolved cationic species on a molar basis.

[00724] Selective ion exchange system 103 consumes water to produce synthetic lithium solution 1032. Part of the consumed water exits system 103 as wastewater stream 1031, which comprises soluble species from treated brine 1021 dissolved into said wastewater. Said wastewater stream 1031 is fed into reverse osmosis system 104, which produces a high-salinity stream 1041, and purified water stream 1042. Stream 1041 is treated in crystallizing system 105, which comprises a mechanical vapor recompressions system (evaporation unit). Said system produces a recovered water stream 1052, and a quasi-salt saturated stream 1051. The three combined recovered water streams, 1012, 1042, and 1052, are combined to provide water for the selective ion-exchange process conducted in 103.

[00725] Quasi-salt saturated stream 1051 is combined with solid salts 1013 to produced salt- saturated stream that is fed into system 106, which produces an acid and a base from said solid salts. Any waste brine from system 106, 1061, is combined with lithium-depleted brine (e g., raffinate) exiting ion-exchange system 103 to produce reject stream 1034, which is reinjected into the subsurface reservoir from which the subsurface brine was originally extracted.

[00726] The design of said system is such that the solute-free water required to produce lithium is partially provided from water recovery systems 101, 104, and 105, which recover water from the brine and other waste streams. As such, the overall water consumption of the process is lower compared to systems that require and external source of water, thereby lowering the environmental impact for lithium production.

Example 2: Water recovery from a lithium-depleted brine during lithium extraction

[00727] With reference to FIG. 2, lithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e.g., a liquid resource) via lithium-selective ion exchange. Water, which is necessary for washing of ion exchange beads and elution of Li from ion exchange beads used in said process, is obtained directly from the brine.

[00728] The subsurface brine comprises a natural salt flat, containing approximately 300 mg/L of Li, and contains Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, among other cationic species. The total dissolved solid content of this brine is approximately 180 g/L, and the temperature of the extracted brine is below the average ambient temperature, less than about 20 °C.

[00729] This brine is fed through stream 2011 into lithium extraction system 201, comprising a brine filtration and pH adjustment system, and a lithium-selective ion exchange system. In system 201, lithium is extracted to produce a synthetic lithium solution 2012. Said synthetic lithium solution 2012 contains lithium at a concentration greater than 1,000 mg/L, and cationic impurities, including Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, which together comprise less than 20 % of dissolved cationic species on a molar basis. A portion of the lithium-depleted brine, also termed the raffinate, from which Li has been extracted, exits the system through stream 2013.

[00730] Selective ion exchange system 201 consumes water to produce a synthetic lithium solution 2012. The volumetric ratio of water consumption to brine processed is approximately 1:9. This water is obtained from lithium-depleted brine 2013, through evaporation of water content of this brine. A portion of lithium-depleted brine (2014) is sent to evaporation unit 202, comprising a mechanical-vapor recompression evaporator. The volumetric flow ratio of 2014 to 2013 is approximately 2:9.

[00731] Evaporation unit 202 recovers 0.5 L of water per L of lithium-depleted brine. Inlet stream 2014 is heated and processed in this evaporator to produce condensate 2021, comprising water, and concentrate 2022, which comprises the portion of stream 2014 that is not evaporated. The ratio of volumetric liquid flow rates of 2014 to 2021 is approximately 2:1. Concentrate stream 2022, which is almost saturated in solids, is mixed with the lithium-depleted brine, to produce rejected brine stream 2015 which is discarded from the system.

[00732] The design of said system is such that the water required to produce the synthetic lithium solution is provided from water recovery system 202, which recovers water from the lithium-depleted brine (e.g. raffinate). As such, the overall water consumption of the process is lower compared to systems that require an external source of water, thereby at least lowering the environmental impact for lithium production.

Example 3: Water recovery from a lithium-depleted brine during lithium extraction

[00733] With reference to FIG. 3, lithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e.g., a liquid resource) via lithium-selective ion exchange. Water, necessary for washing of ion exchange beads and elution of Li from ion exchange beads used in said process, is obtained directly from the brine.

[00734] The subsurface brine comprises a natural salt flat, containing approximately 200 mg/L of Li, and contains Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, among other cationic species. The total dissolved solid content of this brine is approximately 250 g/L, and the temperature of the extracted brine is below the average ambient temperature, less than about 25 °C.

[00735] This brine is fed through stream 3011 into lithium extraction system 301, comprising a brine filtration and pH adjustment system, and a Li-selective ion exchange system. In system 301, lithium is extracted to produce a synthetic lithium solution 3012. Said synthetic lithium solution 3012 contains lithium at a concentration greater than 1,000 mg/L, and cationic impurities, including Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, which together comprise less than 20 % of dissolved cationic species on a molar basis. The lithium-depleted brine, also termed raffinate, from which Li has been extracted, exits the system through stream 3013.

[00736] Selective ion exchange system 301 consumes water to produce a synthetic lithium solution 3012, comprising a purified lithium stream. The volumetric ratio of water consumption to brine processed is approximately 1 :10. This water is obtained from lithium-depleted brine

3013, through evaporation of water content of this lithium-depleted brine. A portion of the lithium-depleted brine (3013) is sent to evaporation unit 302, comprising a mechanical -vapor recompression evaporator. The volumetric flow ratio of 3014 is 10 % higher than the volumetric flow rate of product 3012.

[00737] Evaporation unit 302 recovers 90 % of the water of the lithium-depleted brine stream

3014. Evaporation unit 302 produces condensate stream 3021 and slurry 3022, comprising precipitated solid salts. Condensate 3021 supplies all the water necessary to operate lithium extraction 301.

[00738] The design of said system is such that the water required to produce the synthetic lithium solution is provided from water recovery system 302, which recovers water from the lithium-depleted brine. As such, the overall water consumption of the process is lower compared to systems that require an external source of water, thereby lowering the environmental impact for lithium production. The only waste stream from the system comprises precipitated solid salts 3022, which can be optionally used to supply the acid and base plant that produce the reagents required for lithium extraction system 301.

Example 4: Integrated system for water recovery during lithium extraction

[00739] With reference to FIG. 4, lithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e.g., a liquid resource) via lithium-selective ion exchange. All water required for the process is obtained directly from the brine, thereby eliminating the need for securing water from fresh water sources. The water content in each stream in this system is described by the tonnes of water content per tonne of lithium carbonate produced by the system, abbreviated t/tLCE.

[00740] The subsurface brine comprises a natural salt flat brine, containing approximately 300 mg/L of Li, and contains Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, among other cationic species. The total dissolved solid (TDS) content of this brine is approximately 185 g/L, and the temperature of the extracted brine is below the average ambient temperature, less than about 15 °C.

[00741] This brine is fed through stream 4011 into lithium extraction system 401, comprising a brine filtration and pH adjustment system, and a selective ion exchange system which extracts the lithium from said brine. In system 401, lithium is extracted to produce a synthetic lithium solution 4012. Said synthetic lithium solution 4012 contains lithium at a concentration greater than 2,000 mg/L, and cationic impurities, including Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr. 83 t/tLCE (stream 4051) of water are supplied to system 401 for dilution of reagents (including an acid and a base) and system washing (including washing of ion exchange material and/or ion exchange beads), as required by optimized process operations. The lithium-depleted brine, also termed raffinate, from which Li has been extracted, exits the system through stream 4013. A portion of the lithium-depleted brine (4014) is sent to evaporation system 402, while the rest exits the system through stream 4015.

[00742] Synthetic lithium solution 4012 has a TDS content below 22 g/L and a flow of 92 t/tLCE. Water is recovered from this stream 4012 in system 403, comprising a reverse osmosis and evaporation-condensation system, which generates recovered water and a concentrated synthetic lithium solution. The recovered water 4032 (83 t/t cs) is sent to process water storage system 405. The concentrated synthetic lithium solution, now close to saturation at a TDS content of 350 g/L, is sent in stream 4031 for further processing into a solid lithium carbonate product. System 403 reduces the water content in stream 4031 exiting with the lithium product from 92 to 9 t/tLCE, resulting recycling of over 90 % of the water used to produce the synthetic lithium solution. [00743] Water (e.g., an aqueous wash solution) is additionally used in lithium extraction system 401 to wash brine entrained in the ion exchange beads, before lithium is eluted from said beads to produce the synthetic lithium solution. The used wash water (e g., the used aqueous wash solution), which contains entrained brine, exits system 401 as stream 4016 and proceeds to water recovery system 404. Water recovery system 404, comprising a reverse osmosis system, generates 35 t/tLCE of recovered water from said used wash water, and recycles the recovered water back to water storage system 405. The high salinity retentate from the reverse osmosis system (4042), which contains 6 t/tLCE of water, is sent to evaporation system 402.

[00744] Water storage system 405 supplies stream 4051 with 270 t/tLCE of water, as is required to run the ion exchange process. An additional 157 t/tLCE of water, supplied through stream 4052, is required for supplying other parts of the lithium production process, including a reagent plant that produces acid and base that are required for the lithium extraction process. Due to water losses, 15 t/tLCE of net water are required to be supplied into the system to supplement water recovery systems 403 and 404. This water is supplied by evaporating water from stream 4042 and from a portion of the lithium-depleted brine, 4014, in evaporation system 402

[00745] Evaporation unit 402 comprises a mechanical vapor recompression system. Evaporation unit 402 recovers 90 % of the water content in its feed streams 4042 and 4014. It produces condensate stream 4021, which comprises recovered water that is sent to water storage system 405. Evaporation of water in unit 402 causes the crystallization of solid salts in this solution, which are removed and discarded from unit 402.

[00746] High salinity stream 4016, originating from other sections of the plant, are discarded by combining with the lithium-depleted brine to form stream 4015.

[00747] The system is designed such that streams containing fresh water are fully segregated from streams containing brine. This, coupled with numerous water recovery systems, ensures that only 15 t/tLCE of net water are required for the lithium production process. As such, the overall water consumption of the process is low, which in part enables and the process to be carried out with no external supply of fresh water.

[00748] Other processes based on other lithium extraction technologies, including some based on lithium-selective sorbents, require higher amounts of fresh water in order to be carried out, in part because at least some of the fresh water supplied is mixed directly with the brine during the process and is therefore not recoverable by reverse osmosis. In particular, the mixing of brine (e.g., liquid resource) with a low salinity stream leads to a resulting waste stream with too high a TDS content for reverse osmosis to be carried out efficiently, cost-effectively, and/or to an extent that allows for all of the required water for the process to be recovered. As such, other processes not based on lithium-selective ion exchange result in much higher water requirements, making the supply of all required fresh water via an evaporation system as in 402 inviable, in part because of the large amounts of energy required to drive the evaporation, as well as the large amounts of solid precipitates produced from the evaporation process.

Example 5: Integrated system for water recovery during lithium extraction

[00749] With reference to FIG. 5, lithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e.g., a liquid resource) via lithium-selective ion exchange. All water required for the process is obtained directly from the brine, thereby eliminating the need for securing water from fresh water sources. The water content in each stream in this system is described by the tonnes of water content per tonne of lithium carbonate produced by the system, abbreviated t/tLCE.

[00750] The subsurface brine comprises a natural salt flat brine, containing approximately 500 mg/L of Li, and contains Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr, among other cationic species.

[00751] This brine is fed through stream 5011 into lithium extraction system 501, comprising a brine filtration and pH adjustment system, and a selective ion exchange system which extracts the lithium from said brine. In system 501, lithium is extracted to produce a synthetic lithium solution 5012. Said synthetic lithium solution 5012 contains lithium at a concentration greater than 1,000 mg/L, and cationic impurities, including Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Sr. 83 t/tLCE (stream 5051) of water are supplied to system 501 for dilution of reagents (including an acid and a base) and system washing, as required by optimized process operations. The lithium-depleted brine, also termed raffinate, from which Li has been extracted, exits the system through stream 5013. A portion of the lithium-depleted brine (5014) is sent to evaporation system 502, while the rest exits the system through stream 5015.

[00752] Synthetic lithium solution 5012 has a TDS content below 15 g/L and a flow of 92 t/tLCE. System 503 comprises a system for conversion of the synthetic lithium solution into battery grade lithium carbonate and for recovery of water. System 503 comprises subsystems including reverse osmosis units, mechanical vapor recompression evaporators, impurity removal systems, ion exchange systems, filters, evaporators and condensers operating through mechanical vapor recompression, tanks, crystallizers, solid-liquid separators, and dryers. System 503 produces battery grade lithium carbonate product 5031. In addition, system 503 produces recovered water stream 5032, which is sent to process water storage system 505, and high- salinity stream 5033 (TDS > 10 g/L). The total water content of streams 5032 and 5033 is greater than 91 t/tLCE; thus, over 99 % of the water used to produce the synthetic lithium solution. High-salinity stream 5033 is sent to water recovery system 502, where it is mixed with other high-salinity streams from the lithium production plant, and subsequently evaporated to recover fresh water.

[00753] Water (e g., an aqueous wash solution) is additionally used in lithium extraction system 501 to wash brine entrained in the ion exchange beads, before lithium is eluted from said beads to produce the synthetic lithium solution. This used wash water (e.g., a used aqueous wash solution), which contains entrained brine, exits system 501 as stream 5016 and proceeds to water recovery system 504. Water recovery system 504, comprising a reverse osmosis system, generates 35 t/tLCE of recovered water from said used wash water, and recycles the recovered water back to water storage system 505. The high-salinity retentate from the reverse osmosis system (5042), which contains 6 t/tLCE of water, is sent to evaporation system 502.

[00754] Water storage system 505 supplies stream 5051 with 270 t/tLCE of water, as is required to run the ion exchange process. An additional 157 t/tLCE of water, supplied through stream 5052, is required for supplying other parts of the lithium production process, including a reagent plant that produces acid and base required for the lithium extraction process. High salinity streams are also produced in these other parts of the lithium production process, and these streams are combined into high-salinity stream 5016, which is sent to system 502 for water recovery.

[00755] Evaporation system 502 is a zero-liquid discharge water recovery system, and comprises a mechanical vapor recompression system evaporator. Evaporation system 502 recovers 99 % of the water content in its feed streams. System 502 is fed with high-salinity streams from different parts of the plant, including streams 5033, 5042, and 5016 which are produced from water use for lithium carbonate production, lithium extraction water wash, and reagent production. System 502 produces condensate stream 5021, which supplies water to water storage system 505. Evaporation of water in system 502 causes the crystallization of solid salts this solution, which are removed and discarded from system 502.

[00756] Water from all high-salinity streams in the plant is recovered in system 502.

However, incidental water losses do occur in the overall system - including from evaporation in storage tanks and liquid entrained in solids. Thus, 4 t/tLCE of net water are required to be supplied into the overall plant. This water is supplied by diverting a portion of the lithium-depleted brine (5014) into evaporation system 502, while the rest exits the system through stream 5015. Stream 5014 comprises a flow rate of 4 t/tLCE of net water.

[00757] The system is designed such that streams containing fresh water are fully segregated from streams containing brine. This, coupled with numerous water recovery systems, ensures that only 4 t/tLCE of net water are required for the lithium production process. As such, the overall water consumption of the process is low, which enables direct capture of all required water from the liquid resource from which the lithium is extracted, and no external supply of fresh water.

Example 6: Low use of wash water by an efficiently designed lithium extraction device [00758] With reference to FIG. 6, lithium is extracted from a subsurface brine (e.g., a liquid resource) using a lithium-selective ion exchange device 601. Wash water 6011 is supplied to the lithium extraction system for washing of ion exchange beads. Specifically, water (e.g., an aqueous wash solution) is used in lithium extraction system 601 to wash brine entrained in the ion exchange beads, before lithium is eluted from said beads to produce the synthetic lithium solution.

[00759] The lithium extraction device 601 comprises a filter press filled with a lithiumselective ion exchange material. Each filter bank in this filter press comprises two opposing filter plates forming a compartment lined by permeable partitions, through which a process fluid such as wash water enters the compartment, contacts the ion exchange beads, and leaves the compartment and ion exchange device. This compartment containing the ion exchange beads is designed such that the ion exchange bed has uniform thickness, with an average thickness of 50 mm. Because of the uniform bed thickness, this design ensures that each volume of sorbent material within the device is contacted with the same volume of liquid wash water within a given time period, maximizing the uniformity of the washing step, and ensuring that any entrained brine is efficiently displaced by the wash water. Additionally, the thin nature of the bed of ion exchange material ensures that a low pressure is required to pump water across the bed of ion exchange material, reducing operational costs and increasing washing uniformity.

[00760] The efficiency of washing of the ion exchange beads can be quantified by the volume of wash water required to reach a certain concentration of washed species in the discharged wash solution. This volume is reported as the ratio of volume of wash water to volume of sorbent, also termed as “bed volume”. In one experiment, a filter press with four chambers with plates approximately 1200 mm in size and with a 32 mm bed thickness was used. The ion exchange beads were saturated with a brine saturated in sodium chloride, and subsequently washed with tap water to displace this entrained brine. The percentage (%) of residual sodium was measured to quantify the washing efficiency. 4 bed volumes of wash water were required to decrease the residual sodium levels to below 1% of those found in the sodium-saturated brine. 2 bed volumes of wash water were required to produce discharged wash water with an equivalent salinity < 10 g/L, suitable for water recovery by reverse osmosis.

[00761] The net result is a segregation of a concentrated solute stream 6012 comprising the first 2 bed volumes, with a total-dissolved solids (TDS) > 10 g/L and containing majority the entrained brine, from a low-salinity water stream 6013, comprising the remainder of the washing fluid. The concentrated stream 6012 can be discarded, or optionally processed through ultra-high pressure RO, osmotically assisted RO, mechanical vapor recompression, or other water recovery system to recover water. The low salinity water stream 6013 can be used to further wash entrained brine in a subsequent lithium extraction step, or can be processed through low-energy water recovery systems such as reverse osmosis, to recover water for subsequent reuse in the lithium production system. This segregation contrasts to other systems, such as stirred tanks (e.g., fluidized bed) systems, where the inefficient washing results in a larger bed volumes of high salinity 6012 being produced, resulting is more water use or unacceptably high costs for water recovery.

[00762] Therefore, the efficient design of the lithium extraction device results in a minimal water use for sorbent washing, and a lower overall water use and low water-recovery costs for the lithium production system.

[00763] While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. It is not intended that the disclosure be limited by the specific examples provided within the specification. While the disclosure has been described with reference to the aforementioned specification, the descriptions and illustrations of the embodiments herein are not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the disclosure. Furthermore, it shall be understood that all aspects of the disclosure are not limited to the specific depictions, configurations or relative proportions set forth herein which depend upon a variety of conditions and variables. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the disclosure described herein may be employed in practicing the disclosure. It is therefore contemplated that the disclosure shall also cover any such alternatives, modifications, variations or equivalents.

Claims

CLAIMS WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising:

(i) an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource;

(ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to:

(i) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate, and

(ii) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and

(iii) a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) of the lithium product.

3. The system of claims 1 or 2, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution or a non-aqueous alternate phase.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the non-aqueous alternate phase is a gas or an organic solvent.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the extraction subsystem is further configured to contact the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution to yield a used aqueous wash solution.

6. The system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises one or more filter banks, wherein one or more filter banks house the lithium-selective sorbent.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the one or more filter banks comprises:

(a) two filter plates that, when placed together, form a compartment;

(b) one or more permeable partitions, wherein the one or more permeable partitions line the interior of the compartment and contain the sorbent material; (c) one or more flow distributors optionally joined to the surface of one or both of the two filter plates, and

(d) one or more inlets and one or more outlets, wherein the one or more inlets and one or more outlets are configured to allow the liquid to flow through the one or more filter banks.

8. The system of any one of claims 6 to 7, wherein at least two filter banks are joined together with structural supports to form a filter press.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises partially saline water.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises fresh water.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the synthetic lithium solution

12. The system of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

13. The system of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured to regulate the pH of the treated liquid resource during the ion exchange process.

14. The system of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the downstream subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used in the downstream subsystem.

15. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used in the extraction subsystem.

16. The system of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used in the upstream subsystem.

17. The system of claim 15 or 16, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

18. The system of any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the treated liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

19. The system of any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein recycling water comprises collecting 95% or more of the water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

21. The system of any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

22. The system of any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein recycling water comprises directing the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the upstream subsystem, wherein the used aqueous wash solution directed to the upstream subsystem or a portion thereof is added to the liquid resource.

23. The system of any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein recycling water comprises directing the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the upstream subsystem, wherein the used aqueous wash solution directed to the upstream subsystem or a portion thereof is added to the treated liquid resource.

24. The system of any one of claims 14 to 23, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the synthetic lithium solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

25. The system of any one of claims 14 to 24, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the effluent stream or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

26. The system of any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a reverse osmosis unit.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the reverse osmosis unit is configured for recycling water.

28. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis unit.

29. The system of any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis unit.

30. The system of any one of claims 26 to 29, wherein the reverse osmosis unit comprises a membrane distillation unit.

31. The system of any one of claims 26 to 30, wherein the reverse osmosis unit generates an aqueous retentate.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous retentate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

33. The system of any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a forward osmosis unit.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the forward osmosis unit generates an aqueous permeate.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous permeate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

36. The system of any one of claims 1 to 35, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

38. The system of claims 36 or 37, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to recycle water from the aqueous retentate.

39. The system of any one of claims 36 to 38, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to recycle water from the aqueous permeate.

40. The system of any one of claims 36 to 39, wherein operation of the evaporation unit generates solid salts.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the solid salts are recycled for use in the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or any combination thereof.

42. The system of any one of claims 36 to 39, wherein the evaporation unit is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when the evaporation unit is in operation.

43. The system of any one of claims 1 to 42, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a condensation unit.

44. The system of any one of claims 1 to 43, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a nanofiltration unit.

45. The system of any one of claims 1 to 44, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises two or more of a reverse osmosis unit, an evaporation unit, and a condensation unit.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the downstream subsystem is configured to: i) collect water using the reverse osmosis unit, thereby generating collected water and an aqueous retentate; ii) collect water from the aqueous retentate using the evaporation unit, thereby generating collected water.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the evaporation unit further generates a solution saturated in dissolved salts.

48. The system of claim 46 or 47, wherein the evaporation unit further generates solid salts.

49. The system of any one of claims 45 to 48, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

50. The system of any one of claims 1 to 49, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a pH modulation unit configured treat the liquid resource.

51. The system of any one of claims 1 to 50, wherein the upstream subsystem is configured to remove impurities from the liquid resource to yield the treated liquid resource.

52. The system of any one of claims 1 to 51, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a concentration modulation unit configured to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource, the liquid resource, or a fraction thereof.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the concentration modulation unit is configured to collect water from the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource, the liquid resource, or a fraction thereof.

54. The system of any one of claim 53, wherein the evaporator comprises a mechanical vapor recompression unit.

55. The system of any one of claims 1 to 52, wherein the upstream subsystem comprises a redox modulation unit configured to modulate the oxidation-reduction potential of the liquid resource or treated liquid resource.

56. The system of any one of claims 1 to 55, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises a redox modulation unit configured to modulate the oxidation-reduction potential of the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the redox modulation unit is configured to add a chemical additive to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the chemical additive comprises an oxidant.

59. The system of any one of claims 1 to 58, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a precipitation unit

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to remove impurities from the synthetic lithium solution and provide a solid precipitate comprising impurities.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the precipitation unit is further configured to separate the synthetic lithium solution from the solid precipitate comprising impurities.

62. The system of any one of claims 59 to 61, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the precipitation unit is configured to provide the lithium product from the synthetic lithium solution by adding a precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the precipitant is sodium carbonate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium carbonate.

65. The system of claim 63, wherein the precipitant is sodium phosphate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium phosphate.

66. The system of claim 63, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, and the lithium product is lithium hydroxide.

67. The system of claim 63 or 66, wherein the precipitant is sodium hydroxide, the synthetic lithium solution comprises lithium sulfate, and providing the lithium product comprises the formation of precipitated sodium sulfate or a hydrate thereof.

68. The system of claim 66 or 67, wherein the synthetic lithium solution is evaporated to provide the lithium product following addition of the precipitant to the synthetic lithium solution.

69. The system of any one of claims 62 to 65, wherein the precipitation unit further provides a mother liquor.

70. The system of any one of claims 1 to 69, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a carbonation unit configured to increase the carbonate concentration in the synthetic lithium solution.

71. The system of claim 69 or 70, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a decarbonation unit configured to decrease the carbonate concentration in the mother liquor.

72. The system of any one of claims 1 to 71, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an electrolysis unit.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the electrolysis unit is configured to pass an electric current through the synthetic lithium solution to generate an acidified solution and a basified solution comprising lithium.

74. The system of any one of claims 1 to 73, wherein from about 15 to about 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ILCE) of the lithium product.

75. The system of any one of claims 1 to 73, wherein no external water is required to produce the lithium product.

76. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising:

(i) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to:

(i) contact the liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffmate;

(ii) contact an aqueous wash solution with the lithiated lithiumselective sorbent to remove the liquid from the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent; and

(iii) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and

(ii) an evaporation unit configured to collected water from the liquid resource or the raffinate, wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises the collected water, and wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical evaporator.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the mechanical evaporator processes the liquid resource to produce water before contact with the lithium-selective sorbent.

78. The system of claim 76, wherein the mechanical evaporator processes the raffinate to produce water after contact with the lithium-selective sorbent.

79. The system of any one of claims 76 to 78, wherein the mechanical evaporator is a mechanical vapor recompression evaporator unit.

80. The system of any one of claims 76 to 79, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit is configured to minimize the amount of energy required to collect water by operating the evaporation unit.

81. The system of any one of claims 76 to 80, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit requires thermal energy to collect water, and at least a portion of the thermal energy is obtained from the liquid resource or raffinate.

82. The system of any one of claims 76 to 81, wherein the mechanical evaporator does not require an external source of heat, and wherein the temperature of the liquid resource or raffinate exiting the evaporator is about equal to the temperature of the liquid resource or raffinate entering the evaporator.

83. The system of any one of claims 76 to 82, wherein operation of the mechanical evaporation unit generates solid salts.

84. The system of claim 83, wherein the solid salts are converted to an acid, a base, or a combination thereof, and said acid, said base, or said combination thereof is used in the downstream subsystem.

85. The system of any one of claims 76 to 84, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit is configured to prevent the generation of solid salts when the mechanical evaporation unit is in operation.

86. The system of any one of claims 76 to 85, wherein the mechanical evaporation unit generates a solution saturated in dissolved salts.

87. The system of any one of claims 76 to 86, wherein evaporating water from the liquid resource or raffinate increases the concentration of lithium in said liquid resource or raffinate.

88. The system of any one of claims 76 to 87, wherein the liquid resource is obtained from a natural source, wherein obtaining the liquid resource comprises diluting the liquid resource with water, and wherein processing the liquid resource in said mechanical evaporator collects said water or a portion thereof used for diluting the liquid resource.

89. The system of any one of claims 76 to 88, wherein 5 % or more, 10 % or more, 20 % or more, 30 % or more, 40 % or more, 50 % or more, 60 % or more, 70 % or more, 80 % or more, or 90 % or more, of the aqueous wash solution used in the extraction subsystem is obtained from the mechanical evaporator system.

90. The system of any one of claims 76 to 89, wherein all of the aqueous wash solution used in the extraction subsystem is obtained from the mechanical evaporator system.

91. The system of any one of claims 76 to 90, further comprising an upstream subsystem configured to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource.

92. The system of claim 91, wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

93. The system of any one of claims 76 to 92, further comprising a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream.

94. The system of claim 93, wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

95. The system of claims 93 or 94, wherein the eluent solution is processed in the downstream subsystem.

96. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising:

(iii) a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem, the extraction subsystem, the downstream subsystem, or a combination thereof is configured to reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product; and wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (tLcr) of the lithium product.

97. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising:

(i) an upstream subsystem configured to:

(i) yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource; and

(ii) reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof;

(i) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and (ii) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and

(iii) a downstream subsystem configured to process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the upstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit, wherein the evaporation unit is a mechanical vapor recompression unit, and wherein the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof.

98. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising:

(i) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and

(iii) a downstream subsystem configured to:

(i) process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; and

(ii) reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof; wherein the downstream subsystem comprises an evaporation unit, wherein the evaporation unit is a mechanical vapor recompression unit, and wherein the mechanical vapor recompression unit is configured to collect water from the raffinate or a portion thereof.

99. A system for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the system comprising:

(ii) an extraction subsystem comprising a lithium-selective sorbent, wherein the extraction subsystem is configured to: a) contact the treated liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate; and b) contact an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and

(iii) a downstream subsystem configured to: a) process the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; and b) reduce or eliminate the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof, wherein the downstream subsystem comprises a reverse osmosis unit.

100. A process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising:

(i) contacting the liquid resource or a treated liquid resource with a lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium -selective sorbent and a raffinate; and

(ii) contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution, wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.

101. The process of claim 100, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

102. The process of claim 100 or 101, further comprising treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource.

103. The process of claim 102, wherein treating the liquid resource reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

104. The process of any one of claims 100 to 103, further comprising processing the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream.

105. The system of claim 104, wherein processing the synthetic lithium solution reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

106. A process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising: (i) treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource from the liquid resource;

(ii) contacting the treated liquid resource with a lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate;

(iii) contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; and

(iv) processing the synthetic lithium solution to provide the lithium product and an effluent stream; wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product.

107. The process of any one of claims 100 to 106, wherein less than about 15 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (ttcr) of the lithium product.

108. The process of any one of claims 100 to 107, further comprising contacting the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution or a non-aqueous alternate phase.

109. The process of claim 108, further comprising contacting the lithiated lithiumselective sorbent or the lithium-selective sorbent with an aqueous wash solution to yield a used aqueous wash solution.

110. The process of any one of claims 100 to 109, further comprising regulating the pH of the synthetic lithium solution.

111. The process of any one of claims 100 to 110, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises regulating the pH of the liquid resource.

112. The process of any one of claims 100 to 111, wherein further comprising regulating the pH of the treated liquid resource when the treated liquid resource is contacted with the lithium-selective sorbent.

113. The process of any one of claims 104 to 112, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used to process the synthetic lithium solution.

114. The process of claim 106 or 107, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used to provide the synthetic lithium solution.

115. The process of any one of claims 102 to 114, wherein the process reduces or eliminates the amount of external water required to produce the lithium product by recycling water used for treating the liquid resource to yield a treated liquid resource.

116. The process of claim 114 or 115, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

117. The process of any one of claims 114 to 116, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the treated liquid resource or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

118. The process of any one of claims 113 to 117, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

119. The process of claim 118, wherein recycling water comprises collecting 95% or more of the water from the raffinate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

120. The process of any one of claims 113 to 119, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

121. The process of any one of claims 113 to 119, wherein recycling water comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the liquid resource, such that treating the liquid resource comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the liquid resource.

122. The process of any one of claims 113 to 119, wherein recycling water comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, such that treating the liquid resource comprises adding the used aqueous wash solution or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource.

123. The process of any one of claims 113 to 122, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the synthetic lithium solution or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

124. The process of any one of claims 113 to 123, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the effluent stream or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

125. The process of any one of claims 104 to 124, further comprising a reverse osmosis unit configured for recycling water.

126. The process of claim 125, further comprising generating an aqueous retentate through the use of a reverse osmosis unit.

127. The process of claim 126, wherein recycling water comprises collecting water from the aqueous retentate or a portion thereof and adding the collected water or a portion thereof to the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the synthetic lithium solution, the aqueous wash solution, or a combination thereof.

128. The process of any one of claims 104 to 127, further comprising: i) collecting water using the reverse osmosis unit, thereby generating collected water and an aqueous retentate; ii) collecting water from the aqueous retentate using the evaporation unit, thereby generating collected water.

129. The process of claim 128, wherein the evaporation unit further generates a solution saturated in dissolved salts.

130. The process of claim 127 or 128, wherein the evaporation unit further generates solid salts.

131. The process of any one of claims 128 to 130, wherein the evaporation unit collects more than 50% of the water present in the aqueous retentate.

132. The process of any one of claims 102 to 131, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises collecting water from the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource and provide collected water for recycling.

133. The process of claim 132, further comprising providing an evaporator and a condenser, wherein the evaporator evaporates water from the liquid resource to generate water vapor and subsequently the condenser condenses said water vapor, thereby providing collected water for recycling and modulating the concentration of lithium in the liquid resource.

134. The process of claims 132 or 133, wherein the liquid resource is obtained from a natural source, wherein obtaining the liquid resource comprises diluting the liquid resource with water, and wherein treating the liquid resource comprises collecting said water used for diluting the liquid resource or a portion thereof from the liquid resource.

135. The process of any one of claims 102 to 131, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises adding water to the liquid resource to modulate the concentration of lithium in the treated liquid resource.

136. The process of any one of claims 102 to 135, wherein treating the liquid resource comprises modulating the oxidation-reduction potential of the liquid resource.

137. The process of any one of claims 100 to 136, further comprising modulating the oxidation-reduction potential of the treated liquid resource, the eluent solution, the aqueous wash solution, the synthetic lithium solution, or a combination thereof.

138. The process of any one of claims 104 to 137, further comprising adding a base is added to the synthetic lithium solution.

139. The process of any one of claims 104 to 138, wherein a precipitant is added the synthetic lithium solution to generate the lithium product.

140. The process of claim 139, wherein the precipitant comprises a carbonate salt, a sulfate salt, a hydroxide salt, or a phosphate salt.

141. The process of claim 140, wherein the precipitant is sodium carbonate, and the lithium product is precipitated lithium carbonate.

142. The process of any one of claims 104 to 141, wherein processing the synthetic lithium solution comprises increasing the carbonate concentration in the synthetic lithium solution.

143. The process of any one of claims 100 to 142, wherein less than about 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (trcr) of the lithium product.

144. The process of any one of claims 100 to 142, wherein about 15 to 1 tonnes of external water are required to produce 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalents (tLcr) of the lithium product.

145. The process of any one of claims 100 to 144, wherein no external water is required to produce the lithium product.

146. A process for producing a lithium product from a liquid resource, the process comprising:

(i) contacting the liquid resource with the lithium-selective sorbent to provide a lithiated lithium-selective sorbent and a raffinate;

(ii) contacting an aqueous wash solution with the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to remove the liquid from the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent;

(iii) contacting an eluent solution to the lithiated lithium-selective sorbent to provide a synthetic lithium solution; (iv) providing an evaporation unit; and

(v) collecting water from the liquid resource or the raffinate using the evaporation unit to provide collected water; wherein the aqueous wash solution comprises the collected water, wherein the evaporation unit comprises a mechanical evaporator, and wherein the lithium product is produced from the synthetic lithium solution.