{
  "abstract": "The rapid expansion of the lithium industry has generated large quantities of lithium refinery residue (LRR), whose stockpiling and landfilling cause environmental risks and the loss of potentially recoverable resources. This review critically examines LRR generated from the processing of spodumene and lepidolite, with particular emphasis on how differences in their mineralogical and chemical characteristics affect subsequent utilization and resource-recovery strategies. Current utilization pathways are classified into bulk utilization and selective fractionation followed by product-oriented valorization. Bulk utilization mainly includes direct incorporation into construction materials, activated cementitious materials, and sintered products, offering high residue-consumption capacity but generally limited added value. Selective fractionation employs leaching, flotation, magnetic separation, and gravity separation to separate Si-Al, Ca-S, and Fe-bearing fractions and to recover residual valuable elements, including Li, Ta, Nb, Rb, and Cs. The removal or stabilization of hazardous constituents, particularly F, Be, and Tl, is also evaluated as a prerequisite for safe valorization. The recovered fractions can subsequently be converted into products such as aluminosilicate powders, porous ceramics, zeolites, glass-fiber feedstocks, high-strength α-hemihydrate gypsum, and anhydrite II. Finally, the reviewed pathways are critically compared in terms of technical feasibility, resource efficiency, environmental risks, economic potential, technological maturity, and scale-up constraints. Priority is given to integrated processing strategies that combine hazardous-element control, selective recovery of valuable components, and large-volume utilization of bulk fractions to improve the overall sustainability and industrial viability of LRR valorization.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China",
    "Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Coal Resources Clean-Utilization and Mine Environment Protection, Xiangtan 411201, China",
    "School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China",
    "Faculty of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Panzhihua University, Panzhihua 617000, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "review article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhizhao Song"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Wenting Xu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Qingjun Guan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5719-5748"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Juan Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Honghu Tang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Fenghui Wu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9fyyaq71tqxbr.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/molecules31193539",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666521/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "9fyyaq71tqxbr",
  "issns": [
    "1420-3049"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666521",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2210|Extraction and Separation Processes"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220387299",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666521/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13666521",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9fyyaq71tqxbr.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:35Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13666521",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666521"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/molecules31193539",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/19/3539"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "issn:1420-3049",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Selective Fractionation and Valorization of Lithium Refinery Residues: A Critical Review",
  "title_text": "Selective Fractionation and Valorization of Lithium Refinery Residues: A Critical Review",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9fyyaq71tqxbr",
  "venue": "Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)",
  "versions": []
}