Searles

Lithium is presently being recovered from brines of Searles Lake, in California, and from those in Nevada. Large deposits of quadramene are found in North Carolina. The metal is produced electrolytically from the fused chloride. Lithium is silvery in appearance, much like Na and K, other members of the alkali metal series. It reacts with water, but not as vigorously as sodium. Lithium imparts a beautiful crimson color to a flame, but when the metal burns strongly, the flame is a dazzling white. 

The element is much more abundant than was thought several years ago. It is now considered to be the 16th most abundant element in the earth s crust. Rubidium occurs in pollucite, leucite, and zinnwaldite, which contains traces up to 1%, in the form of the oxide. It is found in lepidolite to the extent of about 1.5%, and is recovered commercially from this source. Potassium minerals, such as those found at Searles Lake, California, and potassium chloride recovered from the brines in Michigan also contain the element and are commercial sources. It is also found along with cesium in the extensive deposits of pollucite at Bernic Lake, Manitoba. 

Table 11. Brine Analyses from Searles Lake...

L. E. Rykken, Eithium Production from Searles Valley, U.S. Geological Survey Proceedings Paper, Kerr-McGee, Trona, Calif., 1976. 

The Batch Reaction Subcommittee was chaired by Walter L. Lrank of EQE International. Current members of the subcommittee, listed alphabetically are David J. Christensen, Union Carbide Corporation Warren Greenfield, International Specialty Products Philip P. Malkewicz, Nalco Chemical Company Peter L. McGrath, Olin Corporation Louisa A. Nara, Bayer Corporation Leslie A. Seller, CCPS Staff Consultant Robert Schisla, Eastman Chemical Company Anthony Torres, Eastman Kodak Company Dr. Jan C. Windhorst, Nova Chemicals and Paul Wood, Eli Lilly Company. Eormer subcommittee members who contributed much in getting this project started were Eelix Ereiheiter, CCPS Staff Consultant (deceased) A1 Noren, Monsanto Company-Searle (deceased) John Noronha, Eastman Kodak Company (retired) and Robert Stankovich, Eli Lilly Company. 

A similar procedure may be used for the preparation of /)-cyanobenzaldiacetate from -tolunitrile. Information submitted by Rorig and Nicholson, of G. D. Searle and Company, indicates that the critical step in this preparation is to maintain the reaction temperature below 10° throughout the process. Exposure of -cyanobenzaldiacetate to excess chromic, acetic, and sulfuric acids causes a reduction in yield. During the oxidation care should be taken to prevent chromium trioxide from adhering to the walls of the flask above the reaction mixture and then dropping in large amounts into the solution. 

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