Direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology company Adionics has opened a new demonstration plant in Güemes, Argentina to test different brines from Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.

The company says its proprietary DLE technology minimizes water usage and environmental impact, and in February, it announced the successful completion of 1,500 hours of lithium extraction tests from brine using their pilot plant in Chile installed on the premises of SQM, the world’s No. 2 lithium producer. 

At the new plant, selected brines will be analyzed and tested to get the required information to maximize industrialization efficiency. This marks the third demo plant built by the French firm worldwide. 

In September, Adionics announced a breakthrough in lithium recycling from battery black mass. Their new technology can extract high-purity lithium from recycled batteries, achieving up to 98% recovery rates, the company said.  

As lithium prices have seen significant volatility, Adionics says its efficient extraction and recycling methods could help stabilize supply and potentially impact the entire EV supply chain. 

“We will now be able to accelerate our development and gather information to launch basic engineering work for our plants,” Adionics CEO Gabriel Toffani said in a news release. “This project allows us to contribute to local employment and to the local economy.” 

Source: MINING.COM – Read More