The lithium recovery from geothermal waters of Ömer-Gecek (Afyonkarahisar) area

The thesis was carried out in order to produce adsorbents in the laboratory for the recovery of lithium in geothermal waters and to perform adsorption of lithium ion with the help of the adsorbent produced. The geothermal water used in the study was obtained from AF-25 drilling well of AFJET AS in Ömer-Gecek (Afyonkarahisar) geothermal region with medium enthalpy. Sodium silicate (glass water) was used as binder with MnCO3 and LiOH to produce lithium ion-sensitive inorganic adsorbent. The most suitable binder ratio in terms of both strength and adsorption performance was determined by using different sodium silicate binder after firing process at 450 oC mixture with Li/Mn ratio. The mixture consisting of Li / Mn and binder material was shaped by means of syringe in the dimensions of 0.3x0.4cm, dried in the oven at 105oC temperature, cooked in ash oven at 650oC temperature and acid washing operations were performed with HCl. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis for adsorbent characterization showed that Li2MnO3 peaks with spinel crystal structure were observed in the samples. In addition, it was determined that acid washing process caused deterioration of the spinel crystal structure. As a result of batch adsorption study, Li+ adsorption capacity of 1.6 mg / g was achieved in the solutions prepared with artificial lithium stock solution. Thus, the adsorbent material was found to have a certain adsorption ability in artificially prepared waters containing high concentration Li+ or geothermal waters. As a result of the 27-hour column experiments carried out in geothermal waters, the adsorption capacity of 1,7 ppm was reached with 1 g/min feed.