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Lithium Ark Green+ Lithium Refinery

Our Green+ lithium refining process opens the door to lithium refining that requires zero reagents, has the lowest carbon emission and offers superior financial performance.

Lithium Ark is the developer and patent-holder of Green+ Lithium Refining, a process that combines the best practices of the lithium and chlor-alkali sectors.

 

A simplified Flow Diagram for Green+ Lithium is represented by:

The Green Lithium process directly converts Lithium Chloride (LiCl) feedstock into battery-grade Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH-BG). Through the company's trademarked process called Lithium Flex, the Green Refinery retains the optionality to easily convert LiOH-BG into Lithium Carbonate-BG by simply adding CO2. Lithium Flex enables Green Refineries the flexibility to produce either Lithium Hydroxide or Lithium Carbonate on-the-fly to respond to ever changing battery chemistries, architectures and markets.

 

How Green Lithium Works:

Green Lithium Refining is a novel process that borrows several key building blocks found outside the lithium sector, namely the chlor-alkali sector, and applies these proven methodologies to address short-comings in traditional Grey Refining. The first building block is a reciprocal salt system that performs the heavy lifting of important chemical reactions – and does so in a very predictable, repeatable and dependable way.

The reciprocal salt system for Green Lithium is provided by:

Lithium Chloride is mixed with Potassium Hydroxide (KOH), creating two new salts Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) and Potassium Chloride (KCl). KCl is a valuable by-product purchased in large quantities by the food industry.

 

Favourable Solubility Curves Enable Low-Cost Crystallization:

A Green Refinery is able to easily separate LiOH and KCl from solution because the solubility curves for these salts are sloped in inverse directions.

Specifically, a Green Refinery is able to selectively crystallize KCl from solution by cooling (~20 °C) without co-crystallizing the LiOH. Similarly, the Green Refinery can then selectively crystallize LiOH from solution via evaporative heating (~90 °C) ) without co-crystallizing KCl. Once crystalized, Lithium Hydroxide-BG and Potassium Chloride are washed and dried.

 

GREEN+ Lithium

At its core, a Green Lithium Refinery is primarily a crystallization module that exploits a reciprocal salt system and advantageous solubility curves to produce LiOH-BG and KCl-Food Grade. Better yet, a Green Refinery can upgrade its capabilities to a Green+ Refinery by adding an electrolysis module to further increase ESG and financial performance. 

A Green+ Refinery exploits electrolysis to recycle its Potassium Chloride (KCl) back into Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) to start the process anew, making the entire process circular. The Green+ Refinery's electrolysis of Potassium Chloride also generates beneficial by-products such as Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), Chlorine Gas (Cl2), and Hydrogen Gas (H2).

 

The Green+ Refining process eliminates the need for externally-sourced reagents, such as Lime and Soda Ash, as well as carbon-based feedstocks, such as Lithium Carbonate. As a consequence, a Green+ Refinery using Lithium Chloride feedstock generates virtually zero waste or carbon emission.   


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

1.1

Tons of CO2 for a plant in the Benelux region.

0

Tons of CO2 when using 100% renewable energy.

54% Less

CAPEX than Conventional Liming Refinery (Grey) for 25kton/year LiOH.H2O in euros.

0

Tons of Reagents

55% Less

Electricity compared to LiCl-Electrolysis.

87% Less

OPEX than Conventional Liming Refinery (Grey) for Euro/ton LiOH.H2O battery-grade.

<1%

Lithium losses

98%

Current Efficiency

Yes

Flexible Process to produce Lithium Carbonate or Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate.

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