spodumene Property

CAS DataBase Reference

66057-55-4

Hazard and Precautionary Statements (GHS)

spodumene Chemical Properties,Usage,Production

Description

Spodumene is the current principal commercial source of lithium for chemical manufacture and occurs in the greatest abundance of the four main lithium ores. It has a greater lithium content than either lepidolite or petalite. The chemical formula for spodumene is LiAlSi2O6. Theoretically it contains 3.75% lithium (8.04% lithia). The ore is concentrated by a flotation process to yield a product with 2.8-3.3% lithium (6-7% lithia), since it normally occurs mixed with other minerals. Large spodumene deposits are found in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, the USSR, Spain and the Congo.

Spodumene, a monoclinic pyroxene, may be thought to have a structure of -S1O3- chains bonded together by lithium and aluminum ions⁴ . When α-spodumene, the naturally occurring mineral, is heated to about 1000°C, an irreversible phase transition occurs to yield β-spodumene. The phase transformation is accompanied by a large increase in volume. The density of a-spodumene is about 3.2 g c m^-3 ; that of β-spodumene about 2.4 g cm^-3.

Chemical Properties

White, pale-green, emerald-green, pink, or purple mineral; white streak; vitreous luster. Con- tains up to 8% lithium oxide with some replace- ment by sodium.Insoluble in acids.

Uses

Source of lithium, in ceramics and glass as a source of lithia and alumina.