Direct extraction of lithium from ores by electrochemical leaching

With the rapid increase in lithium consumption for electric vehicle applications, its price has soared during the past decade. To secure a reliable and cost-effective supply chain, it is critical to unlock alternative lithium extraction resources beyond conventional brine. This study develops an electrochemical method to directly leach lithium from α-phase spodumene. The use of an H2O2 promoter significantly reduces the leaching potential by facilitating electron transfer and altering the reaction pathway. Notably, upon leaching, β-phase spodumene undergoes a typical phase transformation to HAlSi2O6, while leached α-phase remains in its original crystal phase with a lattice shrinkage. To demonstrate the scale-up potential of electrochemical leaching, we design a catalyst-modified high-throughput current collector for high loading of suspended spodumene, achieving a leaching current of 18 mA and a leaching efficiency of 92.2%. This method promises to revolutionize traditional leaching and recycling processes by minimizing environmental footprint and energy consumption.