In this paper, the kinetics chlorination of beta-spodumene for the extraction of lithium has been studied using gaseous chlorine as chlorinating agent. The effect of chlorine flow rate, temperature, mass of the sample, and partial pressure of Cl-2 was investigated. The study of the effect of chlorine flow rate indicated that the chlorination of beta-spodumene may be carried out in the presence of active chlorinating species The chlorine partial pressure was found to have an appreciable effect on the system reactivity. The temperature was found to be the most important variable affecting the reaction rate. The beta-spodumene chlorination process by Cl-2 was characterized by an apparent activation energy of about 359 kJ/mol in the range from 1000 to 1100 degrees C. Reaction was of non-catalytic gas solid nature and experimental data fitted the sequential nucleation and growth model. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.