US Patent Issued to Tianqi Lithium Kwinana on March 17 for "Process for producing alumina and a lithium salt" (Australian Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,577,115, issued on March 17, was assigned to Tianqi Lithium Kwinana Pty Ltd (Western Australia, Australia).

"Process for producing alumina and a lithium salt" was invented by Yafeng Guo (Western Australia, Australia) and Hazel Lim (Western Australia, Australia).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A process for producing alumina and a lithium salt comprising the steps of: (a) calcining an alpha spodumene ore or concentrate to produce beta spodumene; and (b) (I) leaching beta spodumene from the calcining step (a) with an alkaline solution under pressure; or (II) sulphating beta spodumene with at least sodium sulphate and leaching said sulphated...