A competitive technology developed in-house
Once the brine enters the processing plant, it undergoes preparation to optimize the extraction process. We remove suspended material and adjust pH with hydrochloric acid. The brine passes through columns where lithium is captured by an aluminum-based lithium sorbent acting like a "sponge” developed by Eramet and IFPEN (a process covered by 12 patents). When the sorbent is full of lithium, water is used to recover the lithium. The depleted brine without lithium is then returned to the surface of the salar. Reinjecting it underground is an option also being studied by Eramet.
Let’s talk efficient extraction
Direct Lithium Extraction achieves a 90% lithium recovery yield. It far surpasses the recovery rates typically achieved through traditional evaporation processes, which usually range from 40% to 50%.