Rain City Resources Acquires Avonlea Lithium to Revolutionize Lithium Extraction
Rain City Resources has entered into a binding agreement to acquire up to a 100% interest in Avonlea Lithium Corp. Avonlea, based in Calgary, Alberta, has developed an innovative approach to Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) called the “Advanced Chemical & Cavitation Extraction of Lithium” (ACCELi) process. This new method has the potential to significantly improve both the economics and environmental impact of lithium extraction from desert salars and deep brines.
Avonlea’s ACCELi process, currently patent-pending, offers several advantages over traditional DLE methods, including substantially lower capital costs and comparable operating costs. Notably, the ACCELi process requires minimal to no outside fresh water. Avonlea has four years of commercial experience with this technology, having processed over 20 million barrels of water from oil field formations.
Brine-Hosted Lithium Extraction: Challenges and Innovations
The demand for lithium, driven by the electric revolution, has highlighted the need for sustainable extraction methods. Traditional brine-sourced lithium production relies on evaporation ponds, a method that consumes vast amounts of water and negatively impacts local ecosystems, especially in the arid “Lithium Triangle” of South America.
DLE technologies, including Avonlea’s ACCELi process, aim to address these environmental concerns by offering a closed-loop solution. This method involves collecting brine, extracting the lithium, and returning the brine to its source. DLE can significantly reduce land use, increase lithium recovery rates to 95%, and minimize water use, often completely eliminating it. It also reduces production times from months or years to just hours or days.
DLE technology not only mitigates the environmental impact in Latin America but also opens up new sources of lithium, such as deep brines found in North American oil fields. Major companies like ExxonMobil, Albemarle, and LANXESS are exploring or developing DLE processes to extract lithium.
While these technologies are still in pre-commercial or limited commercial stages, they have attracted substantial investment. Since 2020, DLE developers have secured over $900 million in funding, with the leading proprietary DLE-focused companies boasting market capitalizations between $150 million and over $500 million. 
