Techniques for Recovering Metal Values from Postflash Geothermal Brines
- Key words
- Brine Technology; Direct Use; USA; California; Imperial; Salton Sea; Brine; Solubility; Hydrogen Sulfide; pH; Composition; Zinc; Lead; Iron; Manganese; Lithium
- Location
- Imperial Valley; Salton Sea, California
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1984
- Session
- Direct use; Mineral extraction
- Language
- English
Abstract
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Devised methods for recovering metal values from postflash geothermal brines. A ZnS-PbS concentrate was obtained by treating brine with H2S and lime. Subsequently iron and manganese were removed by using a lime slurry to adjust the pH of the brine to 8.5. Lithium was precipitated by treating brine with a solution of A1C13 and adjusting the pH to 7.5 with a lime slurry. The mixed A1-Li precipitate was dissolved with HC1, and the resulting solution was treated with gaseous HC1 to separate Li and A1 and recover A1C13 for recycle. the LiC1 solution was distilled to recover HC1, and the distillation residue was purified to removed CaC12. The LiC1 product was 99.9 pct pure. The treated brine was acidified to pH 5.5 an returned to the injection well.
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