An overview of coarse particle beneficiation of lithium ores

The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries, particularly for electric vehicles, underscores the importance of improving the sustainability of lithium mining operations. The objective of this review is to evaluate the feasibility, potential benefits, and challenges of integrating various beneficiation methods, including ore sorting, dense media separation, magnetic separation, and fluidized bed flotation into lithium ore processing. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on methods such as dense media separation, which allows for the early rejection of gangue minerals, and the use of fluidized bed flotation cells that can offer advantages like reduced grind size and lower environmental impact. Results indicate that while coarse particle flotation and other separation techniques promise energy savings and recovery efficiency, their application in lithium mining remains largely underexplored, limited to pilot scales. Key challenges identified include high water consumption, inadvertent entrainment of fine particles, and the need for desliming steps to improve separation efficiency. The review highlights essential pretreatment methods necessary for enhancing selectivity, recovery, and product grade in spodumene beneficiation operations, reflecting a need for further research in this area.