Lithium Ore Laboratory Test
Lithium metal is a vital energy metal. It is an essential material for the manufacture of energy storage batteries. With the development of the global new energy automobile industry, the demand for lithium materials and mines is also increasing, which has caused a rapid rise in the price of lithium and lithium batteries. Lithium is one of the dilute alkaline elements, and it is widely distributed in nature. The mineral raw materials used to produce lithium are spodumene and lepidolite.
Lithium Ore Samples
Lithium ore samples: Spodumene, Lepidolite, Lithiumite, Lithium feldspar, Iron Lepidolite, etc.
Lithium ore is gray, coarse crystal-pegmatite structure, massive structure, mainly composed of hydroxyaluminite, quartz, spodumene, muscovite, and beryl.
The hydroxyaluminite in the quartz-spodumene belt is a short columnar hydroxyaluminite crystal with a diameter of 4.5 cm and a length of 7 cm, which is symbiotic with muscovite, quartz, spodumene, and na-li beryl.
Lepidolite is one of the primary raw materials for extracting rare metal lithium. Lepidolite often contains rubidium and cesium, and it is also an important raw material for extracting these rare metals. Lithium is the lightest metal with a specific gravity of 0.534. It can produce lithium-6 needed for thermonuclear and is an essential fuel for hydrogen bombs, rockets, nuclear submarines, and new jet aircraft.
Lithium can absorb neutrons and is used as a control rod in an atomic reactor. It is also used as a red luminescent agent for signal flares and flares and as a thick lubricant for aircraft. Lithium is used in metallurgy to make light alloys and as a purifying agent for metal products.
Lithium Ore Testing Items
Lithium content determination, gold content detection. Hardness testing, complete composition testing, iron oxide content, heat loss testing, alumina content testing, silicon dioxide content, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide content testing, manganese oxide content, spectroscopic analysis, radioactive testing, etc.
The content of lithium in the earth’s crust is about 0.0065%. There are more than 150 known lithium-containing minerals, mainly spodumene, lepidolite, petalite, and phosphate ore.
Spodumene
Spodumene is off-white, smoky gray, and gray-green. The emerald green spodumene is called emerald spodumene, which Cr causes in the composition. The Mn contained in the composition is purple, and it is purple spodumene. The spodumene has a glass luster, and the cleavage surface has a slight pearl luster. The angle is 87°, the degree is 6.5~7, and the relative density is 3.03~3.23g/cm3. The chemical composition of spodumene is relatively stable, the chemical formula is LiAl[Si2O6], and the theoretical lithium content is 3.75% (lithium oxide 8.04%).
Lepidolite
Lepidolite is the most common lithium mineral and an important mineral for extracting lithium. It is a basic aluminosilicate of potassium and lithium, which is one of the mica minerals. Lepidolite is generally only produced in granite pegmatites. The color is purple and pink and can be light to colorless. It has a pearly luster and is in the form of short columns, small flake aggregates, or large plate-shaped crystals. The composition is KLi1.5Al1.5[AlSi3O10](F,OH)2, and the content of LiO2 is 1.23~5.90%.
Petalite
Petalite is a framework silicate mineral. Chemical formula H4AlLiO10Si4, white or yellow, occasionally pink, monoclinic crystal system, usually massive, glass luster, pearl luster on the cleavage surface, Mohs hardness 6-6.5, density 2.3-2.5g/cm3, brittle. It is mainly produced in granite pegmatite and coexists with spodumene, cesium garnet, and colored tourmaline. In order to extract lithium, it can be used as raw material for ceramics and unique glass.
Phospholithite
Phospholithite is a kind of lithium ore, a phosphate mineral [(Li, Na)AlPO4(F, OH)] of lithium, sodium, and aluminum, which is an ore for extracting lithium. It is often a large white translucent block produced in granite pegmatite rich in lithium and phosphate. People once regarded The excellent quality as a gem, with a density of 3.02g/cm3 and a Mohs hardness of 5-6.
Lithium Ore Testing Method
1. Chemical methods
When detecting lithium ores such as spodumene and lepidolite, traditional chemical methods include flame atomic absorption spectrometry, gravimetric determination of lithium oxide in lithium ores, and titration. However, these are all chemical analysis methods, which generally require samples to be returned to the laboratory, and complicated sample preparation work, which is relatively professional and has high professional requirements for analysts. In addition, the chemical analysis method takes a long time to produce results, and it is impossible to judge the lithium ore grade in a short time quickly. This method often takes 3-5 days to get the results, and it may take longer in some regions with limited testing capacity, such as Africa.
2. Handheld laser-induced breakdown spectrometer on-site analysis method
The handheld laser-induced breakdown spectrometer is an atomic emission spectrometer. It uses a high-energy focused pulsed laser beam to excite the sample’s surface and analyzes the generated atomic spectrum to obtain the corresponding element composition and content. It is a rapid qualitative and quantitative industrial use of analytical techniques.
For lithium ore prospectors, the handheld lithium ore analyzer brings a new on-site lithium ore composition detection method, greatly improving the efficiency of lithium ore exploration work without getting many samples back to the laboratory for testing and waiting for the results. Facilitate quick decision-making on site. For lithium ore traders, it saves the time spent on sampling, inspection, and transaction reports. It can make quick decisions. It avoids the transaction risks caused by lithium ore grade issues and price fluctuations.
Lithium Ore Testing Process
- Online or telephone consultation, communication test items.
- Send samples or come to take samples to confirm the experimental plan.
- Sign the confidentiality agreement and pay the test fee.
- Organize the experimental data and issue a test report.
Jiangxi Asia-Africa International Mining and Metallurgy Research Co., Ltd. can provide lithium ore testing services. For problems encountered in product development and quality control, Asia-Africa International provides comprehensive solutions such as component testing, product testing, and instrument testing. We have complete instruments and a strong scientific research team, which can quickly issue test reports. You can send samples for testing services, the testing period is short, the testing cost is low, and the testing data is scientific and accurate.