Slashing CO2Hard rock, easy lithium.
Big Picture
Lithium deposits come in two flavors: mineral-rich waters called “brines” and solid ore deposits called “hard rock.” The latter accounts for about 40% of global reserves. But tapping hard rock for battery-grade lithium requires massive infrastructure projects that are slow and costly to build and operate. The strong acids used for leaching wreak lasting damage on ecosystems and are a killer to new site permitting.
How it Works
Novalith’s patented process selectively extracts lithium from hard and soft rock using CO2 instead of strong acids. The process avoids the environmental toll of leaching while sequestering two tons of CO2 per ton of lithium extracted. The chemistry is highly selective, yielding 99.8% pure lithium carbonate, enabling cost-effective recovery of lithium from mine tailings and battery waste.
Unfair Advantage
Novalith’s process cuts process costs, plant costs, and plant footprints by 65%, 50%, and 25%, respectively. The carbon-negative process eliminates waste, harmful tailings, and 90% of water use, making tricky site permitting a breeze. On top of that, cost-effective hard rock extraction unlocks huge yet untapped lithium resources in a wide range of geographies as mineral supply chains grow more geopolitically strategic.
65
Percent cheaper
lithium processing
STEVEN VASSILOUDIS CEO & CO-FOUNDER
Steven was formerly a Director at Kemplant, a chemical engineering design and project management company.
ANDREW HARRIS CTO & CO-FOUNDER
Andrew is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Sydney. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University.
CHRISTIAAN JORDAAN CBDO & CO-FOUNDER
Christiaan was co-founder and CEO of Sicona Battery Technologies, developing next-generation battery materials technologies.
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