Directory profiles · Battery Business Directory
Organizations mentioned or cited on this 2023 report page. A historical mention does not establish current products, availability or endorsement.
Sources and links on page 170 (1)
Links embedded in the original report PDF, including citations and other references. These destinations have not been independently reviewed. Links open in a new tab.
Text on page 170
Raw Materials
Lithium | Innovations In Extraction
Lithium | Innovations In Extraction
Direct Lithium Extraction Characteristics
Various processes for lithium extraction (DLE) encompass: 1. Adsorption (Sorption): Employing sorbents to selectively cling to lithium, this technique eliminates unwanted ions through a washing procedure. Companies: SunResin, IBM, Summit Nanotech, Vulcan Energy, Koch Technical 2. Ion Exchange: Through a physicochemical process, ionic contaminants are separated as undesired ions are substituted with ions of similar electrical charge. The ion-exchange material acts as a selective sieve, permitting only lithium (and hydrogen) ions to traverse. Companies: Lilac Solutions 3. Solvent Extraction: Using organic solutions containing solvent and extractant, lithium is extracted from brines, undergoing a transformation into LiCl (or ions) through chemical or physical means. Companies: Solvay, Adionics 4. Membrane Separation: Employing membrane technologies like nanofiltration and reverse osmosis, this approach selectively removes hardness (Mg, Ca) and recovers lithium. Companies: EnergyX 5. Electrochemical Separation: Utilizing electrochemical cells, this method directly converts LiCl to LiOH or Li2CO3, bypassing intermediates such as calcium hydroxide. Presently in its early stages, it has not yet reached commercialization.
Source: Goldman Sachs report
Hard rock
Brine
Mining
Evaporation
DLE
Production times (extraction to production)
Weeks to months
Months to years
Hours to days
Lithium recovery rates
~60-80% (processing)
~US$23-34,000/tpa LCE
~US$26-34,000/tpa LCE
Capex cost Vary with grade Opex cost
~US$3,300-4,900/tpa LCE
~US$3,300-4,900/tpa LCE
Lithium product
Spodumene (~5-6% Li2O)
Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), Lithium Chloride (LiCl) Lithium hydroxide (LiOH)
Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), Lithium Chloride (LiCl) Lithium hydroxide (LiOH)
Process
Heating, cooling, crushing & roasting
Atmospheric evaporation, plant processing
Different process like adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membrane separation, electrochemical separation
Water consumption
High
High
Low-Medium
Energy consumption
High
Low (solar evaporation)
Medium
Emissions
High
Low
Low
Extracted from the PDF; charts and images may read imperfectly.
Page 170 · 7/18