World's largest production of lithium is mostly performed through the acid lixiviation of β-spodumene mineral (LiβS), LiAlSi₂O_6. The process generates large amounts of leached spodumene residues (LSR) containing the protonated form, here denoted HβS, among the several impurities from the system. HβS preserves the structure of LiβS, and can be used for capturing and recycling lithium ions. In this work, a nanotechnological approach, called magnetic nanohydrometallurgy (MNHM), was applied to selectively extract HβS from the leached spodumene residues. Accordingly, maghemite nanoparticles functionalized with diethylenetriamine (MagNP) were employed, because of their great stability and large positive zeta potentials in the protonated form. Such nanoparticles interact strongly with the negatively charged β-spodumene particles, allowing their magnetic separation as MagNP//HβS composites. After releasing the HβS content by an acid treatment, the product was isolated in pure form and used for recovering lithium ions. This material performs with great efficiency, reaching a lithium content of 3.55% in the final composition, corresponding to 95.1% of the theoretical value (3.73%) predicted for this mineral. In comparison with the previously reported values using directly the leached spodumene residues for the capture of lithium ions, a great improvement has been achieved in this work. The MagNP//HβS composite also can be used for lithium ion capture. By increasing the HβS purity, MNHM can promote lithium recycling, in a sustainable way.

世界上最大的锂生产主要是通过酸浸出 β-锂辉石矿物 (LiβS) LiAlSi ₂ O _{6 进行的。}该过程会产生大量浸出的锂辉石残渣 (LSR)，其中含有质子化形式（此处表示为 HβS），以及来自系统的几种杂质。HβS保留了LiβS的结构，可用于捕获和回收锂离子。在这项工作中，采用称为磁性纳米湿法冶金 (MNHM) 的纳米技术方法从浸出的锂辉石残渣中选择性地提取 HβS。因此，使用了用二亚乙基三胺 (MagNP) 功能化的磁赤铁矿纳米颗粒，因为它们在质子化形式中具有很高的稳定性和较大的正 zeta 电位。这种纳米颗粒与带负电的 β-锂辉石颗粒强烈相互作用，使其磁性分离为 MagNP//HβS 复合材料。通过酸处理释放 HβS 含量后，产物以纯品形式分离并用于回收锂离子。这种材料的效率很高，最终成分中的锂含量达到 3.55%，相当于该矿物预测的理论值 (3.73%) 的 95.1%。与之前报道的直接使用浸出的锂辉石残渣捕获锂离子的值相比，这项工作取得了很大的进步。MagNP//HβS 复合材料也可用于锂离子捕获。通过提高 HβS 纯度，MNHM 可以以可持续的方式促进锂的回收。与之前报道的直接使用浸出的锂辉石残渣捕获锂离子的值相比，这项工作取得了很大的进步。MagNP//HβS 复合材料也可用于锂离子捕获。通过提高 HβS 纯度，MNHM 可以以可持续的方式促进锂的回收。与之前报道的直接使用浸出的锂辉石残渣捕获锂离子的值相比，这项工作取得了很大的进步。MagNP//HβS 复合材料也可用于锂离子捕获。通过提高 HβS 纯度，MNHM 可以以可持续的方式促进锂的回收。