2024-08-16 09:00:00
Chemical engineer Sergio Pablo Gabriel has been working on the direct lithium extraction pilot that Geolith has installed at the University of Antofagasta for more than two years.
«Their ionic sieve is similar to a filterexplains the scientist, pointing to the six hydraulic columns that were used to carry out the tests. This is made up of fibers mixed with a mineral powder which retains the lithium when the brine passes through.» Its process only takes a few hours, compared to around fifteen months for traditional evaporation basins. Based in Orsay (Essonne), the start-up aims to open its first factory in 2027 to manufacture 36,000 filters per year. Enough to produce 100,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate.
Founded twelve years ago in Les Ulis (Essonne), the company Adionics has, for its part, developed a liquid capable of capturing the lithium present in brine via a chemical reaction.We recover 98% of the lithium, while evaporation generates losses of 40 to 60%, and we use ten to fifteen times less water than other direct extraction methods.“, says its CEO, Gabriel Toffani.
An efficiency that prompted SQM to increase its capital in the company during its 25 million euro fundraising, announced in November 2023. One of Adionics’ three pilots, located in the heart of the Atacama salt flats, is also operating on behalf of the Chilean giant. It can produce up to 15 tonnes of lithium per year. The start-up also wants to move to the industrial stage as quickly as possible. It is already thinking about applying its technology to battery recycling.
You are reading an article from L’Usine Nouvelle 3730 – May 2024
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