Direct Lithium Extraction: A Promising Technology for Lithium ProductionDirect Lithium Extraction: A Promising Technology for Lithium Production Two companies, a joint venture between Eramet and Tsingshan Holding Group and US Magnesium, are pioneering the use of direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to extract lithium from brine sources in Argentina and Utah, respectively. Eramet and Tsingshan’s Plant At high altitude in Argentina’s Salta province, Eramet and Tsingshan have commissioned a DLE plant that aims to produce 24,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually. With an estimated cost of $870 million, the project is expected to start production by year-end. US Magnesium’s Operation In Utah, US Magnesium employs DLE technology to extract lithium from wastewater generated by its magnesium production. This innovative approach utilizes an otherwise hazardous waste stream, offering both environmental and economic benefits. Advantages and Challenges of DLE DLE offers several advantages over traditional lithium extraction methods. It requires fewer preprocessing steps, reducing operating costs and time to market. Additionally, it significantly lowers freshwater consumption compared to evaporation pond techniques. However, scaling up DLE technology to commercial capacity remains a challenge. Companies like Eramet and US Magnesium are working to optimize processes and eliminate impurities to meet industry standards. Industry Outlook While DLE has been used in China for some time, Eramet, International Battery Metals, and other start-ups are developing next-generation DLE processes that aim to further reduce costs and water usage. Despite potential teething problems, experts believe that DLE technology has the potential to revolutionize lithium extraction and contribute significantly to the growing demand for this vital resource in the electric vehicle industry.
Two companies are commissioning some of the first commercial plants in the Western Hemisphere to chemically extract lithium from brine, a process called direct lithium extraction (DLE). If they can ramp up production in the coming months, they will help validate a technology that other companies have struggled with.
A joint venture between Eramet and Tsingshan Holding Group has begun commissioning a DLE plant at 4,000 m above sea level in Argentina’s Salta province. The partners aim to begin lithium carbonate production by the end of this year and hope to scale up to 24,000 metric tons per year by mid-2025. They expect the first phase of the project to cost around $870 million.
In Utah, US Magnesium, using DLE technology developed by International Battery Metals, has begun producing lithium carbonate using briny wastewater generated by the company’s magnesium production. US Magnesium began producing magnesium in the 1970s but failed to properly dispose of its wastewater. In 2009, the project was added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of hazardous waste sites.
Magnesium production waste is a unique source of lithium, but John Burba, founder of International Battery Metals, says his company’s technology should work on other brines, too. And he hopes to expand beyond Utah. “In most typical brines … it always picks up lithium,” he says of the technology.
DLE has been used before, but usually with preprocessing steps to increase lithium concentration and remove impurities. Cameron Perks, a lithium analyst with research firm Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, says several companies in China are using DLE after steps that remove sodium and potassium. The only company using a DLE process on a commercial scale outside China is Arcadium Lithium, which has used an evaporation pond to concentrate brine prior to DLE at its Argentina site for decades.
Eramet, International Battery Metals and a number of start-ups are hoping to improve the process. Perks says companies developing next-generation DLE are looking to make the process cheaper and reduce freshwater consumption. But Perks is reserving judgment on these projects until they reach full capacity, because problems often arise during the commissioning process. “There are going to be some kinks that need to be worked out,” he says.
