Lithium Energy Ltd (ASX:LEL) has achieved resin recovery of 92% lithium in brine from the Solaroz Project in Argentina during large-scale laboratory test-work conducted by partner Xi’an Lanshen New Material Technology Co. Ltd (Lanshan).
This test-work is an important step in the development process for Lanshen to finalise the design of a demonstration direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant, capable of producing up to 3,000 tonnes per annum of battery-grade lithium carbonate at Lithium Energy’s Solaroz Lithium Brine Project.
The 10,000-litre large-scale laboratory test-work is being undertaken by Lanshen at its Santiago facility, Chile, using its proprietary adsorbent and DLE ‘carousel’.
"Exceeded expectations"
Lithium Energy chairman William Johnson said: “These results from the Lanshen test-work have exceeded our expectations and prove that the high quality of the Solaroz brine performs well both with traditional pond evaporation and with Lanshen proprietary DLE adsorbent resin technology.
“These results have given the company the confidence to continue with further test-work and plan for the commencement of a Lanshen Pilot Plant test-work program, which will be the final step required by Lanshen to finalise the design, capex and performance parameters for the proposed Lanshen funded 3,000 tonnes per annum demonstration plant at Solaroz.”
The laboratory test program is currently focusing on final impurity removal and production of concentrated high-purity lithium chloride and lithium carbonate samples.
DLE development path
Lithium Energy’s scoping study confirmed that conventional pond evaporation remains the go-forward base development case for Solaroz, with pond evaporation laboratory test-work recently undertaken by Norlab in Argentina producing 99.5% battery-grade lithium carbonate from Solaroz brine.
However, the potential to achieve significantly higher recoveries of lithium using Lanshen’s proprietary DLE process (a lithium recovery of 56% from conventional pond evaporation was calculated in the scoping study) highlights the potential attractiveness of the Lanshen-funded DLE plant project as an alternative potential production pathway.
Pilot plant tests
Following the completion of the laboratory test-work, Lanshen pilot plant testing will commence in Jujuy, Argentina.
The pilot plant test-work will provide the detailed engineering design criteria for Lanshen to finalise the design, cost and performance parameters for the proposed lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) demonstration plant to process the Solaroz lithium brines.
Shares are 7.69% higher in ASX trading intra-day to $0.42.