In　this　study,　the　structure　and　phase　transition　of　kaolin　lithium　clay　at　different　calcination　temperatures　were　studied　and　discussed;　subsequently,　the　effects　of　Li　leaching　with　sulfuric　acid　under　various　factors　were　investigated　in　detail.　The　experimental　results　indicated　that　an　optimal　Li　leaching　rate　of　81.1%　could　be　achieved　when　kaolin　lithium　clay　was　calcined　at　600　°C　for　1　h,　followed　by　leaching　with　15.0%　sulfuric　acid　at　80　°C　for　2　h.　The　TG-DSC,　XRD,　and　SEM　analyses　showed　that　the　layered　structure　of　the　clay　was　not　destroyed　during　the　leaching　and　calcination　processes.　During　the　process　of　calcination,　kaolinite　was　converted　to　metakaolinite　via　dehydroxylation.　During　the　process　of　leaching,　the　Al　on　the　surface　of　the　metakaolinite　was　dissolved　by　sulfuric　acid,　resulting　in　the　destruction　of　the　Al-O　structure;　then,　Li+　was　exchanged　for　H+　to　the　surface　of　the　mineral　and　entered　the　solution　under　the　action　of　diffusion.　The　leaching　kinetics　showed　that　the　leaching　process　was　controlled　by　a　diffusion　model,　and　the　activation　energy　(Ea)　was　41.3　kJ/mol.　The　rapid　extraction　of　Li　from　calcined　kaolin　lithium　clay　with　sulfuric　acid　leaching　offers　a　high-efficiency,　low-energy-consumption　strategy　for　the　utilization　of　new　lithium　resources.　©　2024　by　the　authors.