Lithium Recovery from Brines of Gohar Zamin Iron Ore Mine Using Solvent Extraction Method

Authors

1 Department of Environment, Institute of Science and High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran

2 Department of Mining Engineering, Higher education complex of Zarand, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

3 Department of Comparative Biosciences, Veterinary and Comparative Biomedical Research, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.48306/juem.2025.557869.1123
Abstract
In the present study, extraction of lithium from salts obtained from brine desalination in Gohar Zamin iron ore mine (Sirjan) was investigated using D2EHPA extractant solvent and kerosene diluent. This laboratory-scale study included 29 sets of experiments using a solvent extraction system. To perform the desired extraction experiments, equal volumes of the aqueous phase (10 ml) were contacted with the organic phase (D2EHPA + kerosene) at a specified concentration and then subjected to stirring in a magnetic stirrer for 30, 45, and 60 minutes at laboratory temperature (23 °C). In this investigation, was utilized form Box-Behnken (response surface design) to optimize and assessment of main variables influence of solvent extraction process such as pH, organic to aqueous phase ratio, stirring time, and D2EHPA percentage on lithium recovery. The linear interference model (2FI vs Linear) was applied as the response for lithium recovery. The accuracy and validity from this model were evaluated using variance analysis (ANOVA). According to the process results, optimal operating conditions for lithium recovery were 69.81% at condition of volume of D2EHPA extractant of 29.2%, pH of 5.6, organic to aqueous phase ratio 3:1, and 52.05 min stirring time. The results illustrated that the stirring time had a smaller effect than the two variables of extractant amount and ratio of O/A. The organic to aqueous phase ratio index O/A was more effective than other parameters on lithium recovery.

Keywords



Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 04 April 2026

  • Receive Date 08 November 2025
  • Revise Date 01 December 2025
  • Accept Date 14 December 2025
  • First Publish Date 04 April 2026
  • Publish Date 04 April 2026