SLB says it has proven its solution for sustainable lithium production at scale at its demonstration plant in Clayton Valley, Nevada, to accelerate responsibly-sourced lithium products to market.
The proprietary integrated solution combines SLB’s subsurface expertise with surface engineering of advanced technologies that include direct lithium extraction (DLE). It produces lithium 500 times faster than conventional methods while using only 10% of the land, according to the company. Operating at approximately one tenth the size of a commercial-scale facility, the plant reached a verified recovery rate1 of 96% lithium from brine.
SLB’s integrated solution is a complete, end-to-end process that includes advanced impurity treatment and concentration technologies to produce high-purity lithium carbonate or hydroxide. The solution also uses significantly less water, energy and fewer chemical reagents in comparison to other DLE-based offerings.
“Lithium is a key enabler of electrification, so we must find ways to accelerate its production without adversely affecting the environment,” Gavin Rennick, president of SLB’s New Energy business, said. “SLB’s demonstration plant in Clayton Valley proves our unique integrated approach to produce scalable quantities of lithium in the fastest, most economical and sustainable way for today’s market. This accelerates deployment of viable commercial-scale facilities for high-quality lithium products that are the backbone of our electrification economy.”
The conventional alternative for producing lithium from brine at scale is evaporation. This process not only requires a significant amount of land but also results in massive water loss. Salt, underground minerals and used chemicals are then left at the surface, creating impact on biodiversity and the environment. SLB’s sustainable lithium production solution enhances sustainability by reducing water use. The proprietary process also returns the spent brine, or the brine with a reduced lithium concentration, back to its source after the lithium is processed and separated.
The entire SLB solution, from extracting lithium from brine to converting it to technical-grade lithium carbonate, takes just hours. By comparison, evaporation methods can take up to 18 months and have a much lower recovery rate of 50% or less, SLB says.
In proving this solution at its pilot plant, SLB completed specific technical milestones allowing it to fully qualify under the earn-in agreement with Pure Energy Minerals Ltd. and, at its option, may acquire 100% ownership interest in the Clayton Valley Project.