LithiumBank Reports Promising Results from Calgary Lithium Extraction Pilot
LithiumBank has announced positive results from its direct lithium extraction (DLE) pilot plant tests conducted in Calgary, Canada. The company produced a 3,100-mg/L lithium eluate after rejecting over 99% of impurities, demonstrating strong potential for efficient lithium recovery.
The tests involved the creation of multiple lithium-rich eluates, with concentrations ranging from 2,600 mg/L to 4,000 mg/L. These were subsequently blended to form a composite eluate, which served as feedstock for downstream laboratory processes. This feedstock was successfully refined to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate with a purity of more than 99.95%.
LithiumBank's portfolio includes significant brine lithium projects such as Boardwalk and Park Place in west-central Alberta. Earlier, brine from the Boardwalk project had been processed through the adsorption circuit at the Calgary pilot plant, achieving over 98% lithium recovery. The desorption of lithium from the sorbent was carried out using a dilute sulfuric acid solution, producing the high-grade eluate seen in these recent tests.
The company highlighted that the desorption tests aligned well with their objectives of minimizing flow volume and reducing reagent costs. The lithium content was upgraded by an impressive factor of 44 times, with the sulfuric acid effectively eliminating key impurities such as calcium, strontium, and barium.
Following the desorption phase, preliminary purification was undertaken using low-cost, industrial-grade reagents, further reducing impurity levels before refining. A 5-litre sample of this composite eluate was then refined by Telescope Innovations using their proprietary ReCRFT recrystallization process, producing high-purity, battery-grade lithium carbonate.
