Abstract
Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) is a new innovative efficient and cost effective method in the lithium brine industry. DLE is a process that selectively extracts lithium from brines bypassing the need for solar evaporation ponds. This method uses solvent extraction or ion exchange offering lower CAPEX and faster production cycles and reduced water consumption. The environmental footprint is significantly smaller and the removal of impurities is enhanced over conventional solar evaporation methods. Going forward it is expected to be a major part of the lithium brine industry over the next twenty years.
DLE technologies use advanced adsorbents, membranes, or solvent-based systems to isolate lithium ions with high precision. By targeting lithium specifically, these methods reduce impurities and enable the production of high-purity lithium compounds suitable for direct use in battery manufacturing. The result is lower production costs and a greener, more efficient process. Adsorption based DLE captures lithium ions by adsorbing them onto the surface of a selective sorbent material. The loaded organic is then washed before being stripped from the material using chemicals or water. Adsorption-based DLE has shown strong promise in efficiently recovering lithium from brines. This process requires an acid solution to strip and recover the lithium. By exchanging lithium ions with other ions present in the solution, ion exchange-based DLE technologies demonstrate the potential to extract lithium effectively from low grade complex brines containing concentrations of various ions. One case study is discussed including bench scale testwork piloting and engineering development.