A spinel-type Li4Mn5O12 precursor was synthesized by solid-phase reaction using inexpensive manganese and lithium salts as raw materials, where the two-step calcination procedure (at 543 K for 2 h and 673 K for 24 h) was adopted. The synthesized Li4Mn5O12 precursor was characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, and micromeritics ASAP-2010C adsorption apparatus. Spherical MnO2 center dot 0.4H(2)O ion sieve was used to adsorb Li+ from Qarhan brine with a Mg2+/Li+ ratio of 746, after desorption the ratio was reduced to less than 1. Li+ adsorption capacity of the spherical ion sieve was studied by 55 cycle's adsorption-desorption experiment, the adsorption capacity was similar to 0.4 mmol g (1) and kept constant. Furthermore, a pH-dependent ion-exchange equilibrium model for Li+ adsorption was built for further optimization of the cyclic adsorption-desorption process to recover the Li+ from Qarhan brine. (C) 2015 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.