LithiumBank Resources has officially opened its pilot plant in Calgary, a key step in unlocking Alberta’s significant lithium resources. This milestone is expected to contribute to the feasibility phase of LithiumBank’s development plans as the Company progresses toward commercial development.
Paul Matysek, Executive Chairman of LithiumBank, emphasized the importance of this development, stating, “Licensing of our pilot plant is a significant milestone for our company. We believe the successful application of our DLE technology could potentially jump-start a new resource industry in the province. We look forward to testing brines from the large, inferred lithium resources found at our Boardwalk and Park Place properties.”
Lithium, essential for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and other products like greases and medication, is in high demand as EV production increases. Canada has classified lithium as a critical mineral, highlighting its importance.
Alberta possesses substantial lithium resources dissolved in formation waters found in oil and gas reservoirs. LithiumBank employs Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology to extract lithium from these brines, which would otherwise be discarded. The brines to be tested will be collected from western Canadian oil wells at LithiumBank’s Boardwalk, Park Place, and Saskatchewan projects and transported to the new Calgary pilot plant for processing. The plant is expected to process 10,000 liters per day of lithium-containing brines, making it one of the largest DLE pilot plants in North America.
Alberta’s provincial government supports the project, viewing it as a crucial step in advancing lithium production in the province. Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean participated in the pilot plant opening, stating, “LithiumBank’s pilot plant is an important advancement for Alberta’s diverse energy and mineral landscape. We are a global leader in ethically produced energy and are working to be at the forefront of the development of energy transition minerals. Projects like this can help Alberta meet the growing demand for lithium as a tool to decarbonize. This is another example of Alberta innovation and helping produce global solutions to reduce emissions.”
LithiumBank utilizes exclusive licensed DLE technology from G2L Greenview Resources This technology offers environmental and economic advantages over traditional lithium extraction methods, producing a clean, lithium-rich concentrate suitable for further refining.
The pilot project aims to achieve key performance indicators focused on lithium recovery, selectivity, flow rate, and concentrate quality. The testing is expected to further demonstrate the commercial viability and scalability of LithiumBank’s unique combination of resource, process, and design. 
