Arcadium Lithium Acquires Li-Metal’s Lithium Business for $11 Million
Arcadium Lithium has announced the acquisition of Li-Metal’s lithium metal business for $11 million in an all-cash deal. The acquisition includes the intellectual property and physical assets associated with lithium metal production, including a pilot production facility located in Ontario, Canada.
Key personnel from Li-Metal’s lithium metal operations will transition to Arcadium Lithium as part of the acquisition. Maciej Jastrzebski, Li-Metal’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, will join Arcadium Lithium under a consulting agreement to aid in technology transfer and team integration.
This acquisition is set to enhance Arcadium Lithium's position as a global leader in lithium metal production by introducing safer, cost-effective, and more sustainable processes. The company plans to utilize various grades of lithium carbonate feedstock, which it produces in Argentina. This complements Arcadium's existing lithium metal production processes at its Bessemer City facility in North Carolina, USA, which use concentrated lithium chloride from its Güemes facility in Salta, Argentina.
Paul Graves, President and CEO of Arcadium Lithium, expressed enthusiasm for the acquisition, stating, “We are excited to welcome the team to Arcadium Lithium as we look to lead the way in developing cutting-edge lithium carbonate to lithium metal production technology. This small but important acquisition gives us a platform to advance new and better process pathways for manufacturing lithium metal.”
By producing lithium metal from lithium carbonate, Arcadium will gain flexibility in its vertically integrated operations, reducing reliance on third-party lithium metal sources. This acquisition will enhance the competitiveness of Arcadium’s butyllithium and lithium specialty chemicals business, helping the company meet the increasing demand for next-generation battery materials derived from lithium metal.
Arcadium Lithium uses lithium metal to create specialty products such as high-purity lithium metal (HPM) and LIOVIX®—a proprietary printable lithium metal formulation for primary battery applications and next-generation batteries. The company also processes lithium metal into butyllithium, utilized in the production of lightweight "green" tires and various lithium specialty chemicals used in medicine, agriculture, electronics, and other industries.
