PURPOSE: To separate and recover high purity Li in a high yield by separating Li in bittern with an H-type cation exchange resin and adding a soln. contg. OH or CO3 to a soln. used to elute the Li to precipitate the Li.

CONSTITUTION: Bittern is fed to an H-type cation exchange resin column, and after washing with distilled water Li and Na are eluted with 1N HCl. An ammonia soln., alkali hydroxide, ammonium carbonate or alkali carbonate is added to the eluate to precipitate the Li as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate. This precipitate is then dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and the soln. is evaporated to dryness to recover the Li as lithium chloride.