The spinel lithium manganese oxide(Li1+xMn2-Xo4(0<x<0.33)) was prepared by solid state reaction from the reduction-ammoniacal leaching residue of polymetallic nodules and LiOH. The ion sieve was obtained by washing precursor with acid. The static saturated absorption capacity of ion sieve was up to 12.8 mg/g. The ion sieve had high selectivity to Li+ and the sequence of distribution coefficient was following: Li+»Na+> K+>Mg2+>Ca2+. The separation coefficients of lithium-calcium and lithium-magnesium were 16756 and 35483 respectively. It was of great significance in comprehensive utilization and development of functional materials for polymetallic nodules.
Many countries have done a lot of work on the ploy-metallic nodules exploration and suggested many extracting processes. The Beijing General Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy(BGRIMM) has suggested a self-catalysis reduction-ammoniacal leaching process which can recover nickel, cobalt and copper effectively and comprehensively. BGRIMM is studying on functional materials produced from the reduction-ammoniacal leaching residue in order to achieve no-slag smelting and clean extracting of poly-metallic nodules. Lithium is known as Energy Element in the 21st century. Now salt lake brine has been the main material to produce lithium products replacing lithium ore. About 80% of global lithium production comes from the salt lake brine. China is one of the countries abundant with modern salt lake resource. Lithium resource from salt lake accounts for 80% of the national lithium reserves in China and most of them are undeveloped. In this paper the synthesis of lithium ion sieve by reductionammoniacal leaching residue is discussed which provides a new way to develope the lithium resource from salt lake in China.
The reduction-ammoniacal leaching residue of polymetallic nodules was of large specific surface area and well-ordered mesoporous.
