From Pilot Lithium Extraction to Permanent Demo Plant The lithium sector is poised for significant growth, as rising demand for electric vehicles, renewable energy storage solutions, and other clean technologies is expected to drive lithium prices higher. Volt Lithium Corp. (Ticker VLT or VLTLF for US investors) is making significant strides in addressing this future demand outlook by advancing its techniques for lithium extraction from oilfield brines.
The company's approach is distinguished by a two-stage extraction process comprising brine purification and the innovative IES-300 Direct Lithium Extraction Technology. This method stands out for its efficiency, removing up to 99% of impurities from lithium-enriched oilfield brines and reclaiming as much as 93% of the lithium content.
Operational Update: Expansion Across North America
Volt Lithium recently provided an operational update highlighting their continued acceleration towards commercial lithium extraction from oilfield brines across North America. The key developments include:
Successful Pilot Plant Operations: In the spring of 2023, Volt successfully conducted pilot plant operations at their flagship Rainbow Lake Lithium Project in Northwest Alberta.
Permanent Demonstration Plant: Building on the pilot's success, the company has commissioned a permanent Demonstration Plant with the capability to test oilfield brines from various basins across North America in real-time. This plant features technology improvements, offering new market opportunities to process oilfield brines from diverse sources, regardless of their original lithium concentrations.
Collaborations for Advancements: Collaborations with the Zeng Lab and the Advanced Water Treatment Lab, both based at the University of Alberta, have played a pivotal role in enhancing Volt's extraction technology. These collaborations have enabled the extraction of lithium from oilfield brines produced throughout North America rather than only Volt's Rainbow Lake Project.
Finalizing Capital and Operating Costs: With a reservoir analysis completed for the Rainbow Lake Project, the company is now in the process of finalizing the capital and operating costs required for establishing a 20,000-tons-per-year lithium plant at Rainbow Lake.
Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) Update: Volt is committed to incorporating their knowledge, experience, and realistic cost representations to publish their PEA for Rainbow Lake before the end of November 2023. This significant milestone will enable them to accelerate their commercial operations, integrating real-time results and technological advances from their permanent Demonstration Plant.
Overall, these developments highlight how Volt Lithium is positioning itself as a key player in the growing lithium extraction industry, driven by the increasing demand for lithium in clean energy technologies.
More here: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/26102023/volt-lithium-expands-oilfield-brine-processing-to-across-north-america/
Posted on behalf of Volt Lithium Corp.