Processing of fine Lithium mineral tailings

Spodumene is a primary Lithium source found in pegmatite deposits, typically associated with tantalite, cassiterite, quartz, and albite. Common processing methods for spodumene include dense medium separation (DMS), magnetic separation, and flotation. DMS exploits differences in specific density among minerals; however, the similar densities of spodumene and gangue minerals pose significant challenges to this method. This research aims to assess the potential of using DMS, as a processing method, to recover Lithium from fine tailings generated by a tantalite processing plant in Brazil. Heavy liquid separation (HLS) tests were conducted on fine particle size fractions (850/150 µm), yielding high-grade Lithium concentrates with up to 4.40% Li2O. These results highlight the potential for DMS in the processing of fine Lithium-bearing minerals.