2648
Optimization of Lepidolite Recovery from Rare Metal Granites:
Case Study of the Beauvoir Granite
C. Korbel, B. Demeusy, I.V. Filippova, L.O. Filippov
CNRS, Université de Lorraine, GeoRessources laboratory
ABSTRACT: The global energy transformation necessitates a reliable supply of metals, with lithium playing
a pivotal role through its indispensable properties in energy storage. European lithium deposits, rare metal
granites, contain spodumene and lepidolite. To extract lepidolite from silicate, froth flotation is used with amine
collectors under acidic pH. This research optimizes lepidolite recovery from the Beauvoir granite (France),
addressing weathering effects leading to lepidolite’s association with muscovite or kaolinite that have close
floatability. Employing the design of experiments methodology, the study focuses mainly on surface chemistry.
A special attention was given to the desliming size, to maximize the lepidolite enrichment.
INTRODUCTION
Formed during the Variscan collision, the Beauvoir gran-
ite is a late granitic intrusion. This results in a high dif-
ferentiate peraluminous granite, enriched in rare metals,
namely lithium, beryllium, tantalum and niobium and tin
(Cuney et al., 1992 Monier et al., 1987). All these metals
are considered either critical or strategic for the European
commission, considering their importance in the energetic
transition (European Commission, 2020). Among all these
elements, lithium emerges as one of the metal of most
interest, as it is the economic root of the deposit. Hosted
in lepidolite, lithium is usually recovered from rare metal
granites using froth flotation with amine collectors under
acidic pH values (C Korbel et al., 2023 Sahoo et al., 2022
Tadesse et al., 2019).
However, one matter of concern considering the
Beauvoir granite is its supergene and hydrothermal weath-
ering. Both processes lead to the crystallization of either
kaolinite or muscovite (Cathelineau, 1986 Kosakevitch,
1976). Both these minerals have same floatability behaviors
as lepidolite, rending the concentration of lepidolite com-
plexe (Chen et al., 2015 Hanumantha Rao et al., 1990
Marion et al., 2015). Thus, in this study, through both
designs of experiments methodology and mineralogical
approaches. From this study, both optimal physico-chemi-
cal conditions (reagent dosage, pH value) and hydrodynam-
ics conditions (air flow rate, rotor speed) were identified
to optimise lepidolite recovery. Nevertheless, investigation
of the slimes main bearing minerals will be carried out to
identify its contribution to the lithium distribution in the
sample and its impact during the flotation stage.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sample
The samples used for this study are core samples of the
Beauvoir granite and were provided by Imerys (Imerys
Ceramics, France). The overall geochemistry of the sample
is given in Table 1.
As several studies observed, this sample is mainly
composed of albite, lepidolite, quartz and K-feldspar with
Optimization of Lepidolite Recovery from Rare Metal Granites:
Case Study of the Beauvoir Granite
C. Korbel, B. Demeusy, I.V. Filippova, L.O. Filippov
CNRS, Université de Lorraine, GeoRessources laboratory
ABSTRACT: The global energy transformation necessitates a reliable supply of metals, with lithium playing
a pivotal role through its indispensable properties in energy storage. European lithium deposits, rare metal
granites, contain spodumene and lepidolite. To extract lepidolite from silicate, froth flotation is used with amine
collectors under acidic pH. This research optimizes lepidolite recovery from the Beauvoir granite (France),
addressing weathering effects leading to lepidolite’s association with muscovite or kaolinite that have close
floatability. Employing the design of experiments methodology, the study focuses mainly on surface chemistry.
A special attention was given to the desliming size, to maximize the lepidolite enrichment.
INTRODUCTION
Formed during the Variscan collision, the Beauvoir gran-
ite is a late granitic intrusion. This results in a high dif-
ferentiate peraluminous granite, enriched in rare metals,
namely lithium, beryllium, tantalum and niobium and tin
(Cuney et al., 1992 Monier et al., 1987). All these metals
are considered either critical or strategic for the European
commission, considering their importance in the energetic
transition (European Commission, 2020). Among all these
elements, lithium emerges as one of the metal of most
interest, as it is the economic root of the deposit. Hosted
in lepidolite, lithium is usually recovered from rare metal
granites using froth flotation with amine collectors under
acidic pH values (C Korbel et al., 2023 Sahoo et al., 2022
Tadesse et al., 2019).
However, one matter of concern considering the
Beauvoir granite is its supergene and hydrothermal weath-
ering. Both processes lead to the crystallization of either
kaolinite or muscovite (Cathelineau, 1986 Kosakevitch,
1976). Both these minerals have same floatability behaviors
as lepidolite, rending the concentration of lepidolite com-
plexe (Chen et al., 2015 Hanumantha Rao et al., 1990
Marion et al., 2015). Thus, in this study, through both
designs of experiments methodology and mineralogical
approaches. From this study, both optimal physico-chemi-
cal conditions (reagent dosage, pH value) and hydrodynam-
ics conditions (air flow rate, rotor speed) were identified
to optimise lepidolite recovery. Nevertheless, investigation
of the slimes main bearing minerals will be carried out to
identify its contribution to the lithium distribution in the
sample and its impact during the flotation stage.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sample
The samples used for this study are core samples of the
Beauvoir granite and were provided by Imerys (Imerys
Ceramics, France). The overall geochemistry of the sample
is given in Table 1.
As several studies observed, this sample is mainly
composed of albite, lepidolite, quartz and K-feldspar with
