Direct Lithium Extraction from α-Spodumene through Solid-State Reactions for Sustainable Li₂CO₃ Production

With increasing battery demand comes a need for diversified Li sources beyond brines. Among all Li-bearing minerals, spodumene is most often used for its high Li content and natural abundance. However, the traditional approach to process spodumene is costly and energy-intensive, requiring the mineral be transformed from its natural α to β phase at >1000 °C. Acid leaching is then applied, followed by neutralization to precipitate Li