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Conventional Liming Refinary (Grey)

Conventional Grey Lithium Refining, which represents the legacy or traditional pathway of lithium refining, first converts Lithium Chloride feedstock into technical grade (TG) Lithium Carbonate, which is then converted into battery-grade (BG) Lithium Hydroxide

The conversion of each ton of Lithium Chloride to Lithium Carbonate-TG requires nearly two tons of Soda Ash as reagent. Then, the subsequent conversion of Lithium Carbonate-TG into Lithium Hydroxide-BG requires Lime and Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) for reagents. In some cases, a Grey Lithium Refinery can consume 5 tons of reagent and generate up to 14 tons of waste & carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce a single ton of Lithium Hydroxide-BG.

 

Grey Lithium Refining is a chemically-intensive pathway resulting in:

  • Mountains of Reagent (Lime, Soda Ash)

  • Costly Reagent Transport to/from Remote Sites

  • High Waste Generated that is Difficult/Costly to Dispose

  • High CO2 Emissions

  • Low Lithium Recovery (8-12% Lithium Losses)

  • High Energy Intensity

  • High Fresh Water Use

  • Leading to High OPEX/ton

  • Requiring High CAPEX in Equipment & Fixed Assets

 

Each year, million of tons of Soda Ash, Lime and/or Hydrochloric Acid are transported 1000’s of kilometres to/from remote sites to support the Grey Lithium Refining sector.

 

All these factors make Grey Lithium Refining unnecessarily complex, financially wasteful, and environmentally unsustainable. Grey Lithium processing faces an uphill battle to scale up 10x over the coming decade without incurring significant costs, both financially and ecologically.

For 1 ton Lithium Hydroxide battery-grade (LiOH.H2O)

7 (Brines) 15 (Hard Rock)

Tons of CO2 for a plant in the Benelux region.

5.5 (Brines)

Tons of CO2 when using 100% renewable energy.

Highest

CAPEX for 25kton/year LiOH.H2O in euros.

5

Tons of Reagents

Not

100% Electrified

Highest

OPEX of all lithium refineries types (Euro/ton LiOH.H2O battery grade).

10%

Lithium losses

Can

Handle low purities.

No

Flexible Process to produce Lithium Carbonate or Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate.

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