Lithium (drug). Lithium preparations: list, indications, instructions for use, side effects

Included in medications

N.05.A.N.01 Lithium

XXI.Z70-Z76.Z72.1 Alcohol consumption

V.F30-F39.F30 manic episode

V.F30-F39.F31 bipolar affective disorder

VI.G40-G47.G43 Migraine

VIII.H80-H83.H81.0 Meniere's disease

Substances that prevent the recurrence of future phases of the disease or reduce the severity and/or duration of these phases.

Classification of mood stabilizers:
Lithium salts
Carbamazepine
Lamotrigine
Valproates

In 1941, data appeared on the antimanic effect of lithium, and in the 1970s, information on its preventive effect appeared.

Pharmacology and biochemistry of lithium. Variety of biochemical effects: serotonin-antagonistic effect, affects the cellular signaling system (including through inositol), has a neurotropic effect (increased volume of gray matter/hippocampus, increased BDNF).
Important: Lithium has a small therapeutic spectrum (danger of cumulation, therefore regular monitoring of blood levels is required), excretion from the body is carried out through the kidneys.

Practical applications of lithium:
Assessment of individual risk of relapse: lithium prophylaxis is indicated if 2 phases occur within 4 years or the total number of phases present is three.
Successful outcome: 65-80% of cases either completely avoid recurrence or achieve a significant reduction in the frequency, severity and duration of relapse
The effect of suicide prevention (the number of suicides in Germany decreases by 250 every year)!
Serum lithium control under standard conditions (12 hours after the last dose)
The prophylactic level of lithium in serum is 0.5-0.8 mmol / l
Regular determination of lithium levels has proven to be a good auxiliary method
Additional monitoring of serum lithium levels is recommended in the presence of somatic diseases, loss of salts and fluids, while following a diet for weight loss and when prescribing diuretics

Investigations before and during lithium therapy:
1. Questions about possible side effects:
Increasing thirst, sweating, tremors, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, weight gain

2. Clinical researches:
Neck coverage: goiter in 50% of patients, neurotoxic side effects: ECG changes are possible, acne, psoriasis can be considered more rare side effects

3. Laboratory research:
- serum lithium concentration: at the initial stage - weekly, later with an interval of 1-3 months; control 12 + 0.5 hours after the last dose
- Serum creatinine: interval from 6 to 12 months.
- T3, T4, TSH- or TRH-test: annually (hypothyroidism in 5% of patients taking lithium)
- blood picture: annually (leukocytosis is typical with normal ESR)
- electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium): annually
- special attention is required for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, hyperparathyroidism

4. ECG: annually (repolarization?)

5. EEG: if there are indications of convulsive readiness
Should be considered:
- in case of intercurrent diseases or severe side effects, more frequent monitoring of serum lithium levels is necessary, as well as appropriate additional studies
- interactions with concomitant drug treatment

Side effects of lithium:
The most common side effects of lithium treatment are tremor, thirst, polyuria, goiter, weight gain, nausea, diarrhea.
Reasons for discontinuing lithium prophylaxis, as reported by patients:
- resistance to long-term therapy (constant reminder of illness, feeling "at the mercy of drugs", no need to continue taking pills due to well-being)
- somatic side effects (primarily weight gain)
- mental side effects ("hypomania deficit", creativity deficit)

Treatment of lithium side effects:
- treatment : beta-blockers
- prevention of goiter: L-thyroxine (suppressive therapy)

Intoxication with lithium salts- starting from 2.0 mmol/l:
- severe tremor, increased reflexes, drowsiness, dysarthria, ataxia, dyskinesias
- EEG: distinct general changes (slowing of the rhythm) and a decrease in the seizure threshold
- the most important causes of intoxication are dehydration and salt deficiency caused by:
diseases accompanied by high body temperature
weight loss/diet
kidney disease
taking diuretics

Contraindications for lithium salts:
Absolute contraindications for taking lithium are acute renal failure, myocardial infarction, psoriasis and the first trimester of pregnancy.
Due to the increased risk of intoxication, lithium should be discontinued 48 hours before anesthesia and surgery.

Gross formula

Pharmacological group of the substance Lithium carbonate

Nosological classification (ICD-10)

CAS code

Characteristics of the substance Lithium carbonate

White granular powder, odorless. Slightly soluble in water, practically insoluble in alcohol.

Pharmacology

It blocks sodium channels in neurons and muscle cells, causes a shift in the intraneuronal metabolism of catecholamines.

Sufficiently completely absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, Tmax is 6-12 hours. T 1/2 increases from 1.3 days after the first dose to 2.4 days after 1 year of regular intake. Passes through the BBB, the placental barrier, penetrates into breast milk.

Application of the substance Lithium carbonate

Manic phase and prevention of exacerbations of bipolar affective disorder, schizoaffective disorders, manic and hypomanic states of various origins, affective disorders in chronic alcoholism, drug dependence (some forms), sexual deviations, Meniere's syndrome, migraine.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity, major surgery, severe cardiovascular disease (may worsen, lithium excretion may be impaired), epilepsy and parkinsonism (may worsen, neurotoxic effect of lithium may be masked), history of leukemia (lithium may exacerbate leukemia), renal failure, severe dehydration (increased risk of lithium toxicity), pregnancy, breast-feeding.

Use during pregnancy and lactation

Contraindicated in pregnancy.

At the time of treatment should stop breastfeeding.

Side effects of the substance Lithium carbonate

From the nervous system and sensory organs: hand tremor, drowsiness, weakness.

From the side of the cardiovascular system and blood (hematopoiesis, hemostasis): cardiac arrhythmia, leukocytosis, inhibition of hematopoiesis.

From the digestive tract: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth.

From the genitourinary system: polyuria, kidney dysfunction.

Others: myasthenia gravis, increased thirst, weight gain, hypothyroidism, allergic reactions, alopecia, acne.

Interaction

The combination of carbamazepine with lithium increases the risk of neurotoxic effects. Metronidazole, fluoxetine, diuretics, NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors slow down the excretion of Li + by the kidneys and increase its toxic effects (careful monitoring of the concentration of lithium in the blood serum is recommended). The combined use of lithium with ampicillin and tetracycline can lead to an increase in the concentration of lithium in plasma. CCBs increase the incidence of neurotoxic complications (caution should be exercised). With simultaneous use with methyldopa, the risk of lithium toxicity may increase, even when its serum concentrations remain within the recommended therapeutic limits. Urea, aminophylline, caffeine, theophylline increase the excretion of Li + by the kidneys and reduce its pharmacological action.

Lithium preparations reduce the pressor effect of norepinephrine (an increase in the dose of norepinephrine may be required), increase or prolong the blockade of neuromuscular transmission when used together with atracurium besylate, pancuronium bromide, suxamethonium; enhance the neurotoxic effects of haloperidol, reduce the absorption of chlorpromazine (and possibly other phenothiazines) from the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to a decrease in its concentration in blood serum by 40%. Sodium-containing drugs or foods reduce the effectiveness of lithium preparations (high sodium intake increases the excretion of lithium).

With simultaneous appointment with neuroleptics and antidepressants, an increase in body weight is possible. Incompatible with ethanol-containing drinks.

Overdose

Symptoms: speech disorder, hyperreflexia, tonic and epileptic convulsions, oliguria, loss of consciousness, collapse, coma.

Treatment: symptomatic.

Routes of administration

inside.

Substance Precautions Lithium carbonate

Do not use in case of violations of the water-salt balance (salt-free diet, sodium deficiency, diarrhea, vomiting). Use with caution in diabetes mellitus (the concentration of insulin in the blood serum may increase), hypothyroidism.

Today, lithium is found in pharmaceuticals quite often. What is it connected with? Studies have shown that drugs based on lithium salts help to effectively cope with mental disorders. There is a huge variety of such medicines at the moment. This allows you to make an informed choice and, with the help of competent specialists, to choose the appropriate drug that will have a positive effect on the patient's condition. How do lithium preparations work? How safe are they? To whom would it be appropriate to appoint them? What kind of medicines belong to the considered group of medicines? We will consider this information in more detail in this article.

Lithium salts

Drugs containing this kind of substance are currently considered the best way to stop a variety of manic and hypomanic phenomena in the patient's mental state. Equally effective as a preventative

Lithium preparations act somewhat longer than many effective antipsychotics. Especially those that are prescribed for injection. But it is precisely such salts (lithium preparations) that experts consider the most preferable for correcting the condition with the so-called pure mania.

This kind of medicines have only one significant drawback. Some of them (in particular, lithium carbonate - the most common agent in this group) are not available as a solution for injection.

The use of lithium in psychiatry

For the first time, such funds in this field of medicine were used about forty years ago. Lithium preparations in psychiatry are used to significantly alleviate the symptoms of manic-depressive state (is a mental disorder characterized by abrupt transitions from absolute despair to uncontrollable elation; in medicine it is also known as bipolar disorder). Although, of course, the substance in question will not be able to cure the disease to the fullest, it will help smooth out its extreme manifestations.

It is also important to note that each lithium-containing drug effectively normalizes mood, corrects emotional condition with depression.

Side effects

Provided that lithium preparations are taken for a long time and with an increased content of the substance in question in the blood, unpleasant side effects may occur. Among them, a feeling of constant fatigue, weakness, temporary tremor of the hands, dizziness, dysuric phenomena, a decrease in the volume of accommodation, dyspeptic phenomena. These side effects do not require additional treatment and disappear on their own within a certain time.

More complex conditions require immediate medical intervention and conservative treatment. When they appear, you should immediately seek advice from your doctor.

Overdose

The main manifestation when the permissible dose of drugs of the group under consideration is exceeded is lithium poisoning. How to recognize it? In acute poisoning, at the first stage, a variety of symptoms of disorders of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract appear, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and, as a result, dehydration. Later, various neurological disorders and malfunctions of the cardiovascular system develop. At the first suspicion of poisoning with lithium preparations, you should immediately contact a specialist who will help to correctly diagnose the situation and prescribe effective treatment.

Application during pregnancy

Is it possible for a pregnant woman to use products containing lithium? A drug based on the substance in question can become dangerous for a developing fetus. For example, such medications provoke the development of heart defects in a child. If, nevertheless, preparations containing lithium are indicated for use by a pregnant woman, then it is important to constantly be under the supervision of the attending physician, who will be able to monitor the concentration of this substance in plasma. If this is not done, then the infant may be diagnosed with hypotension or goiter.

"Quilonum"

The main component of the drug is This drug is available in the form of capsules or tablets, which are coated with a specialized shell.

Quilonum tablets are lithium preparations, the action of which is aimed at stopping manic states of various origins, schizoaffective psychoses, migraines, sexual disorders, alcoholism, manic-depressive psychosis, as well as a variety of drug addictions.

There are some conditions that prevent patients from taking the medication in question. Among them: infections, renal failure, hypersensitivity to any components of the drug, leukemia, psoriasis, breastfeeding period, urinary retention, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, intraventricular blockade, parkinsonism, childbearing period, rehabilitation after surgery.

With prolonged use of the drug, certain adverse reactions e.g. hand tremors, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, diarrhea, dizziness, seizures, hypothyroidism, weakness, myasthenia gravis, incoordination, drowsiness, increased thirst.

"Contemnol"

Prolonged action drug. Produced in glass bottles.

The drug is well absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and its maximum concentration in the blood is reached after nine hours.

The drug must be taken for at least six months as prescribed by a doctor. It is recommended to take in the following cases: sexual deviations, Meniere's syndrome, migraine, quarterly binges, drug addiction, seasonal aggressiveness of psychopaths.

Do not use the remedy if you suffer from water and electrolyte imbalance or diseases of the kidneys and the cardiovascular system.

It is forbidden to take the medication in question during pregnancy.

"Lithium carbonate"

The drug can be purchased in the form of tablets in a specialized shell.

It is rational to use it in functional mental disorders, epilepsy, emotional disorders, chronic alcoholism, depressive states. Sometimes experts prescribe this medication for preventive purposes. It is also appropriate to take with psychoses, which are accompanied by fear, anxiety, anger, with chronic alcoholism in individuals who are characterized by a hysterical personality, excessive sensitivity and sharp mood swings. Effectively helps to avoid relapse in psychotraumatic conditions.

Take from nine tenths of a gram to two grams, depending on the doctor's recommendations. If the condition is not very serious, the dose is usually reduced to six tenths of a gram.

Do not take the drug if you suffer from thyroid disorders, cardiovascular diseases, impaired kidney function.

The medication in question can be combined with any other antidepressants and antipsychotics.

"Litosan-SR"

The main active ingredient is lithium carbonate.

The drug should not be taken in case of diseases of the cardiovascular system, infections, diseases of the central nervous system, pregnancy, individual intolerance to certain components of the drug, urinary retention, water and electrolyte imbalance, psoriasis, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, during breastfeeding.

It is important to monitor the concentration of lithium in the blood weekly at the beginning of therapy. Later, this can be done once a month, and then once every two to three months. Blood for analysis must be taken early in the morning twelve hours after the last evening dose of the drug.

The drug affects the ability to think adequately and respond quickly, so it is not recommended to drive a car, engage in activities that may pose a threat to health and life, requiring a high reaction rate.

"Sedalite"

The drug is an anti-manic drug with an antidepressant effect. Available in the form of capsules or coated tablets.

The main indications for the use of this drug are psychosis, as well as manic states. It is also appropriate to take it for Meniere's syndrome, migraine, sexual disorders, drug addictions.

Possible side effects: weakness, thirst, acne, nausea, diarrhea, myasthenia gravis, vomiting, leukocytosis, hand tremor, heart rhythm disturbances, arrhythmia, weight gain, alopecia, drowsiness, pyoderma, dysarthria, loss of appetite, polyuria, convulsions, confusion .

Outcome

To alleviate the condition of patients who suffer from a variety of mental illnesses, accompanied by serious emotional disorders, is possible thanks to a number of medicines made using lithium salts. Such medicines, judging by the reviews of experts and real buyers, are incredibly effective and help to stop conditions of varying severity. Treatment with drugs of the group under consideration should be prescribed by a competent attending physician who will be able to correctly form a therapy regimen and later, if necessary, adjust it. You should not make a decision on the use of lithium preparations on your own. In this case, mistakes can be made that will negatively affect the patient's condition or provoke lithium poisoning, which sometimes leads to death. It is important to pay sufficient attention to the study of contraindications, possible side effects. This will help to avoid unpleasant surprises or be prepared for any negative reactions from the patient's body. Constant monitoring of the attending physician will guarantee the successful course of the prescribed therapy.

Never forget to take care of yourself. Make an effort to choose the highest quality drug. Pay sufficient attention to the physical and mental well-being of your loved ones. Be always healthy!

lithium carbonate(lithium carbonate) - alkali metal salt of lithium.

Physicochemical characteristics.

Formula - Li 2 CO 3. Appearance - colorless monoclinic crystals. Melting point 732 °C. Density 2.11 g/cm 3 . Let's not dissolve in acetone, liquid ammonia, ethanol. The content of elementary substances: Li 18.79%, C 16.25%, O 64.96%.

Application.

Lithium carbonate is used in medicine, metallurgy, construction, ceramics production, agriculture.

The first clinical use of lithium carbonate occurred in 1940. Then lithium carbonate was used for the synthesis of lithium chloride. Lithium chloride has been used in patients with hypertension and cardiovascular disease instead of sodium chloride to reduce sodium ion intake.

Lithium chloride (LiCl) is prepared by dissolving lithium carbonate in hydrochloric acid. The reaction equation for the dissociation of lithium carbonate with hydrochloric acid is:

Li 2 CO 3 + 2HCl \u003d 2LiCl + H 2 O + CO 2

To obtain anhydrous crystalline lithium chloride, it is evaporated in a ceramic dish.

The use of lithium chloride in medicine continued until 1949, when, due to toxic side effects, its use for these purposes was abandoned.

In 1949, lithium carbonate again attracted the attention of doctors. This happened when the Australian doctor John Cade was studying the effect of uric acid on the state of the body in bipolar disorder. His animal studies were hampered by the low solubility of uric acid, and in his studies he used the lithium salt of uric acid, which he obtained by synthesizing uric acid and lithium carbonate. John Cade found that animals become unusually quiet and calm. Since then, an in-depth research study of the effect of lithium carbonate and various lithium compounds on the body of animals and humans has been initiated.

Lithium carbonate lowers the excitability of the central nervous system, has a sedative and antimanic effect. Instructions for use of the drug establishes indications for the prevention of phase-producing psychoses and a manic state of various origins. Doses of lithium carbonate are determined individually and controlled by the content of lithium in the blood serum by flame photometry. The concentration of lithium in the blood plasma should be in the range of 0.6-1.6 meq / l. At lower concentrations, the effect does not occur, and at higher concentrations, toxic poisoning is possible. The picture of acute toxic poisoning is manifested by general lethargy, inhibition of the reaction to external stimuli, convulsions in the first hours after poisoning, and paralysis in the subsequent period. Death occurs within a day. The lethal dose for mice is (mg/kg): intraperitoneally - 360; under the skin - 413; in the stomach - 531.

Currently, lithium carbonate can be bought in a pharmacy under the trade name "LITHIUM CARBONATE" in the form of coated tablets of 0.3 g No. 50 (manufacturer JSC "ICN Oktyabr", Russia) and in the form of tablets of 250 mg No. 60 in a polyethylene bottle (manufacturer "GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals S.A.", Poland). In addition, in the pharmacy you can buy analogues of "LITHIUM CARBONATE" under various trade names, in which the main active ingredient is lithium carbonate. For example, tablets under the trade name "LITOSAN SR" (producer "Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd", India) and a number of others.

In the production of ceramic products, there is a technological necessity for the presence of mineralizers in the form of alkali metal salts in the charge. Depending on the composition of the feedstock and the requirements for the finished product, various mineralizers are used.

Lithium carbonate can be used in the production of decorative bleached ceramic bricks. The approximate composition of the charge: red-burning clay 80-85%, calcium carbonate 15-20%, lithium carbonate 0.7-1.5%. Firing temperature 900-1050°C. The color of the shard is from light beige to beige.

Lithium carbonate is used in the production of dental porcelain with special properties for metal-ceramic prosthetics. In such compositions, the main component of the charge is potassium feldspar. The addition of lithium carbonate is about 15% by weight. The cooking temperature of leucite porcelain frit based on potassium spar is 1150-1250 °C. The main feature of the finished frit with the addition of lithium carbonate is the high mobility of the melt (low viscosity) and crystallization with the formation of leucite. Ceramic is colorless (transparent) and is successfully used as the final layer of a denture.

Lithium carbonate is used as a concrete hardening accelerator. Compared with other types of hardening accelerators, it has the following advantages: high strength and low dosage.

When choosing a hardening accelerator according to the criterion of strength at the age of 6 and 24 hours, preference should be given to calcium formate and lithium carbonate. Due to the fact that the rational addition of lithium carbonate (0.2-0.4%) is an order of magnitude lower than that of calcium formate (2-4%), lithium carbonate is recommended for the production of especially fast-hardening high-strength concretes. In support of the latter, the fact that over the past year the price of lithium carbonate in the domestic market of chemical products has decreased by 15%, and the price of calcium formate has increased by 400%.

The use of lithium carbonate in the production of foam concrete.

The addition of lithium carbonate to cement in the production of foam concrete reduces the setting time of foam concrete and reduces the cost of foam concrete.

Comparative table of samples of materials for foam concrete

Strength of concrete

Pore ​​size distribution in foam concrete

The most cost-effective is foam concrete with the addition of lithium carbonate in the amount of 2% (sample No. 10).

The physiological role of lithium in the life of plants and animals remained poorly studied for a long time. The first studies on this issue at the beginning of the 20th century led to the conclusion that it was not advisable to use it in agriculture due to its toxicity.

According to modern concepts, the use of lithium in some cases justifies itself. However, there are many factors that limit its widespread use. Like other trace elements, it enters plants, accumulates in them in the form of plant food, and enters animal feed. Lithium is a specific trace element. Some plant species can significantly accumulate lithium without compromising their physiology (nightshade: tobacco, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, dereza; ranunculaceae). A number of other plants, under similar conditions for lithium, are inhibited by an excess of lithium. In addition, there is an uneven local presence of lithium in the ground. The distribution is not very typical of the distribution of other trace elements (boron, cobalt, molybdenum, selenium, etc.). The use of lithium fertilizers is effective in dry years and may be ineffective or less effective in other years.

Table of Practical Successful Use of Lithium Compounds as a Fertilizer

Lithium compounds are classified as ergotropics - pharmacological agents that direct the energy of nutrients to increase animal productivity.

Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology. K.I. Scriabina in 2010 reported the successful use of lithium carbonate as a feed additive to stimulate growth and productivity of poultry in Russian broiler farms. The use of lithium carbonate at a dose of 15 mg/kg of broiler body weight increases the safety of birds up to 4.2% and increases the average daily livestock gain up to 4.7%. Such an additive increases the biological value of meat and the slaughter quality indicators of the carcass. Economic efficiency when using lithium carbonate is 21 rubles. for 1 rub. costs.

In 1996, the Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine reported the successful use of lithium carbonate as a feed additive for the prevention of urolithic diathesis (gout) in young laying hens in the conditions of the Vitebsk poultry farm. The use of lithium carbonate in the form of a 0.0025% solution in drinking water prevented losses due to mortality and loss of weight gain.

The use of lithium carbonate in the production of electric batteries.

Production of lithium batteries in last years worldwide is rapidly increasing. The electron carrier in such batteries is lithium ions. In its pure form, lithium carbon dioxide is not used in lithium batteries. However, none of the cast materials for batteries is found in nature in its pure form. They are synthesized by various chemical reactions. These reactions can be single-stage or multi-stage. And without lithium carbonate, as a rule, they can not do. With rare exceptions, lithium hydroxide is used in the reactions. But the raw material for producing lithium hydroxide is lithium carbonate. For this reason, lithium hydroxide is always more expensive than lithium carbonate.

Lithium batteries come in a variety of designs. Lithium carbonate is used in the production of cathode materials, electrolyte, and in some cases in the production of anode materials.

lithium cathodes.

Lithium battery cathode materials

Lithium battery anodes.

Lithium battery anode materials

Lithium titanate (Li 4 Ti 5 O 12) is obtained from lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2). Dry powders of lithium carbonate and titanium dioxide are mixed in the ratio Li/Ti = 4/3. After mixing, the powders are calcined in air at a temperature not lower than 800 °C to obtain lithium titanate powder.

lithium electrolyte.

The electrolyte plays a key role in the operation of lithium batteries. During the process of discharging and charging, lithium ions are in motion between the electrodes of a lithium battery.

The electrolyte for lithium batteries consists of three components: a solvent, a solute and an additive.

As solvents for the production of electrolytes in lithium batteries, the following are used: propylene carbonate PC; ethylene carbonate EC; diethyl carbonate DEC; methyl ether; 1,4-isopropyl GBL.

As a soluble substance for lithium battery electrolytes, LiPF 6 is used; LiBF 4 ; LiClO 4 ; LiAsF 6 ; LiCF 3 SO 3 .

All these substances are obtained from lithium carbonate. For example, lithium perchlorate (LiClO 4) is obtained by reacting lithium carbonate with perchloric acid. The resulting hydrated lithium perchlorate (LiClO 4 ×3H 2 O) loses two water molecules by heating at a temperature of 100°C, and at a temperature of 130°C it turns into an anhydrous salt.

Additives for electrolytes are various chemical additives: flame-retardant, conductive, film-forming, heat-resistant. As well as additives that increase resistance to overcharging and deep discharge.

All aluminum currently produced is obtained by the electrochemical decomposition of alumina dissolved in molten cryolite at temperatures up to 960 °C.

The addition of lithium carbonate to the anode mass, from which the carbon anode is made, increases the resistance of the anode to destruction in air and reduces its polarization by 40-50 mV (0.5-1.0% Li 2 CO 3 addition).

In some cases of obtaining industrial aluminum alloys, to lower the melting point, lithium fluoride Li F and lithium carbonate Li 2 CO 3 are added to cryolite. This leads to a decrease in specific power consumption by 2%. The specific consumption of lithium carbonate is about 2.8 kg/t Al (for an electrolyte containing 2% Li F).

Obtaining lithium carbonate in Chile.

The richest lithium deposit of brines was discovered in 1969 in northern Chile within the Salar (dry lake - saline) Atacama, located on the same parallel with the port of Antofagasta. Lacustrine deposits impregnated with brine have been explored to a depth of 30 m on half of the salar area. The deposit refers to brines of the sodium chloride type. The content of potassium chloride in the brine is 2% wt., and lithium chloride is 0.2% wt. The reserves of potassium salts are 12 million tons, and lithium chloride is 2.6 million tons (about 0.85 million tons in terms of Li 2 O). Work on detailed exploration of this deposit began in 1974. The development of the project of the production complex was started in 1976, and the production of lithium carbonate was carried out in 1984. The production capacity is 11.8 thousand tons per year. Lithium is extracted from the brines of the Salar de Atacama by stepwise solar evaporation, as a result of which its concentration increases from 1.7 g/l to 43 g/l. Lithium is extracted from concentrated brine in the form of carbonate by the action of soda. From seven wells 30 m deep, brines are pumped into the evaporation pools. By 1984, 12 evaporation basins with a total area of ​​1 km 2 were built at the Salar de Atacama field. To prevent brine filtration, the bottom of the pools was covered with a layer of common salt 0.3 m thick. When evaporating brines up to 43 g/l (for lithium), it may be lost due to the precipitation of a double salt of the composition KLiSO 4 . For this reason, the brines entering the evaporation are partially desulfated by mixing with brines having an increased concentration of potassium chloride. In the first pool, mainly CaSO 4 is precipitated, and at the next stages of concentration, halite, sylvinite, carnalite, and potassium bisulfate are sequentially isolated from brines. Cleaning of pools from bottom sediments is not provided. The one stripped off solution is pumped into tanks and transported along a railway line to a chemical plant in Antofagasta (170 km), where it is purified from magnesium and calcium under the action of milk of lime and soda. Purified and heated to 80 ° C, the brine is treated with soda to isolate lithium carbonate. The technology adopted at this deposit does not ensure the separation of other valuable components from brines (for example, potassium sulfate, boric acid), although their cost can be comparable to the cost of lithium carbonate. In this regard, in 1988, a study was completed on the possibility of building a second lithium plant at the Salar de Atacama deposit. As a result of the research, an original technology for the integrated use of raw materials was developed, also based on a step-by-step solar evaporation of brines, in which Li is released from solution in the form of crystals of the mixed salt KLiSO 4 . Extraction of lithium into crystals during their salting out is 67% of the mass. The salt obtained in this way is essentially a chemical concentrate of lithium and potassium (lithium content 4.9 wt. %), which can be transported over any distance. It is easy to obtain commercial compounds of lithium and potassium from such a concentrate: if the crystals are dissolved in water, then potassium sulfate can be isolated under the action of potassium chloride, and then Li 2 CO 3 can be precipitated under the action of soda. The project provided for by 1992 to organize the production and release per year of 0.5 million tons of potassium chloride, 0.2 million tons of potassium sulfate and 30 thousand tons of boric acid. The amount of lithium produced will be determined by market considerations, however, the actual productivity can reach from 2 to 13 thousand tons of lithium carbonate per year. Attention is drawn to the economic indicators of this production and, in particular, the low cost of the resulting lithium carbonate. The share of lithium mined in Chile in the world production of lithium raw materials at the end of 1992 was estimated at 16% of the mass. It should be noted that the lithium carbonate produced in Chile is of insufficiently high quality, which forced Japan in 1995 to refuse to import Chilean lithium carbonate. The insufficiently high quality of the Chilean lithium carbonate can be explained by the lack of development of the applied technological schemes.