Abstract: A new vacuum aluminothermy reduction of lithium process was developed， in which lithium hydroxide， alumina and calcium oxide mixture were used as raw materials. Lithium-rich clinker was prepared by calcining the mixture of raw materials. Metal lithium and reduction slag contained the 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ which was used to form aluminum hydroxide were produced by the vacuum aluminothermy reduction process. Effects of briquette pressure， calcination temperature and time on the burning loss rate and lithium reduction rate were investigated. The result showed that the burning loss rate remained about 34% under the conditions of briquette pressure 30MPa， calcination temperature 750~800℃ and calcination time 60~90min. The lithium reduction rate was relatively high when the lithium-rich clinker obtained under the above conditions were used to vacuum aluminothermy reduction under the conditions of reduction temperature 1100℃， reduction time 90min and theoretical aluminum addition mass. This kind of calcination process was suitable to the preparation of lithium-rich clinker for the new vacuum aluminothermy reduction of lithium.

Key words: lithium hydroxide, vacuum, aluminothermic reduction, burning loss rate, lithium reduction rate