Insights & News
Sustainable process technology developer, Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT & AIM: NMT) (“Neometals” or “the Company”), is pleased to announce the results of the final electrolysis and crystallisation stages of the ELi™ Process (“ELi™”) Pilot trial (“Trial”). ELi™ is owned by Reed Advanced Materials Pty Ltd (“RAM”), a 70:30 incorporated joint venture between Neometals Ltd and Mineral Resources Ltd.
The technology uses electricity to convert lithium chloride solutions into lithium hydroxide in a conventional chlor-alkali cell, replacing the need for large volumes of bulk chemical reagents required in the industrystandard, chemical precipitation process. ELi™ has the potential to deliver users a step-change in operating costs1 versus industry standard chemical precipitation.
RAM completed a long-duration 1,000-hour electrolysis membrane durability test utilising a lithium chloride solution produced in the successful 2023 ‘purification’ trial on brine sourced from South America2. The Trial tested the performance of the electrolysis cell membrane over a duration five times longer than historic tests and the results support current estimates of two major variable operating costs (power consumption and membrane life) and successfully produced lithium hydroxide monohydrate (“LHM”) of very high purity.
Additionally, further samples are being produced for qualitative evaluation. 8.6 1.5
These results are significant as they confirm or exceed historic results achieved from processing synthetic brine solutions (from commercial lithium chloride crystals) at continuous laboratory scale on less-pure eluate from natural brine, at a pilot scale and over a longer duration. The increased confidence in major operating cost inputs supports the potential operating cost advantage of the ELi™ process in the conversion of lithium chloride brines and is a major milestone in the commercialisation of the technology under a low-capex, lowrisk technology licensing business model to generate future royalty income. RAM holds 19 granted patents in the principal lithium producing jurisdictions and has a further 14 pending national phase patents at various stages of prosecution globally.
The current efficiency for the Trial averaged approximately 74% and trended upwards during the course of testing, consistent with historical electrolysis results on synthetic brine solutions. The current efficiency measures the actual catholyte produced as a percentage of the maximum possible production and, pleasingly, the results support the electricity consumption assumption in the 2023 Engineering Cost Study4.
The Trial membrane was physically inspected and chemically analysed following completion of testing, to determine the extent of any deterioration which may have arisen during the tests. The membrane was observed to be in excellent condition and no significant build-up of elements was identified in the membrane destructive digestion test. A shorter 40-hour duration test examined the hydrodynamic performance and polarisation characteristics of a full-height commercial electrolysis cell. This test successfully confirmed the flowsheet can be applied to commercial-scale electrolysis cells. This outcome gives confidence this is an effective means of producing a suitable solution for production of battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (“LHM”).
The lithium hydroxide catholyte from electrolysis was processed in the crystallisation trial to produce LHM final product. Sample splits of the product were sent for analysis in separate laboratories, in South Africa and Australia. The Australian analytical laboratory is considered to have greater reliability in determinations of very low concentration impurities (in low ppm and in ppb-level concentration of impurity elements), so the Australian laboratory results for impurities are reported. Some carbonation of the sample sent to the Australian laboratory was observed in the analysis, but this has been traced to the sample not having been packed in an inert atmosphere and aging in transit to Australia. Lithium hydroxide readily carbonates by absorbing the carbon dioxide in air but contact with air does not change the content of other impurities. The sample sent to the South African laboratory was not exposed to ambient carbon dioxide and analysis did not detect any carbonation in the sample. The South African laboratory lithium hydroxide and carbonate results are considered reliable and are reported.
The combined analysis results meet the target specifications listed in Table 1. Sample product is being produced for further evaluation by both RAM and the owner of the South American brine source.
Forward Plan
ELiTM has satisfied the objectives of the pilot stage of its electrolysis technology readiness. RAM has prepared an information memorandum and data room to commence a formal industrial partner selection process, with the aim of advancing the technology through industrial validation, in demonstration plant trials.
RAM continues to evaluate third-party brine samples and to advance discussions with chlor-alkali plant manufacturers in relation to preferred vendor relationships.