Page 166 - CW E-Magazine (3-9-2024)

News from Abroad

BRINE TO BATTERY
E3 Lithium and Pure Lithium ink lithium metal batteries

production deal

Canadian lithium firm, E3 Lithium has been using E3’s lithium concentrate to the plans will advance towards the world’s
Ltd., has signed a joint development produce lithium metal cells that have higher first vertically integrated lithium metal bat-
agreement with Pure Lithium), a US- energy density than today’s lithium-ion tery technology. “Integrating the E3 DLE
based vertically integrated lithium metal batteries, and do not contain nickel, cobalt flow sheet with Pure Lithium’s electro-
battery technology company. or graphite. deposition technology shows significant
promise to deliver low cost, sustainable
Under the agreement, the two com- The development agreement outlines batteries that would be industry leading,”
panies will advance the design of a lithium over the next 12 months, E3 and Pure said Mr. Chris Doornbos, President and
metal anode and battery pilot plant in Lithium will work together to complete CEO of E3 Lithium.
Alberta and complete a preliminary econo- a rigorous techno-economic model, to
mic assessment of a commercial lithium continue the joint scale-up efforts and to “Securing a supply of lithium is
metal battery facility combining Pure design a lithium metal anode and battery something all battery and battery material
Lithium’s patented ‘Brine to Battery’ tech- pilot facility to be built near Calgary, companies have historically struggled to
nology with E3’s vast lithium brines and Alberta, using lithium from concentrate do. We are doing things differently and
concentrate production. The combined generated by E3. solving this problem with trusted partners
process eliminates the need to produce a prior to the commencement of battery
lithium salt as an intermediary step and Through this work, E3 and PL will production,” said Ms. Emilie Bodoin,
could provide a much more simplified assess the technical and economic criteria Founder and CEO of Pure Lithium. “Af-
process flow sheet. of a commercial lithium metal battery ter two years of diligent work, E3 has
facility that would be located adjacent to continuously provided Pure Lithium with
E3 had announced in June 2022 that the lithium production in Alberta. Upon lithium concentrate and we are excited to
a lithium metal battery had been made by successful completion, the two companies use this concentrate as we scale. Produc-
Pure Lithium from E3 lithium concentrate. will evaluate the next steps, which could ing our lithium metal anodes from con-
At that time, the two companies signed a include the operation of the pilot, designed centrate dramatically reduces the cost of
Memorandum of Understanding to com- to produce 200-kgs of lithium metal battery production and removing the need
plete further testing and validation work. anodes that will be used in lithium metal to prepare anodes for shipping will lead
Over the past two years, the companies vanadium rechargeable batteries. Further, to increased performance in the battery,”
have been collaborating and Pure Lithium upon successful completion of the pilot, she added.

INVESTMENT
Green Technology Metals funding from South Korea’s

EcoPro for Canadian lithium facility

Australian lithium specialist Green and a proposed lithium conversion faci- to secure business case approval and
Technology Metals (GTM) has signed lity in Canada. financial support to advance the project.
an $8-mn investment and framework
agreement with South Korean EV battery Green Technology and EcoPro have The proposed lithium conversion
metals producer EcoPro Innovation. also collaboratively submitted a joint facility will produce lithium hydroxide –
application to Invest Ontario seeking a critical component for EV batteries.
The agreements cover proposals for funding for the potential lithium conver-
mining, raw material extraction and pro- sion facility to be located in Canada. The “EcoPro stands out as a top-tier stra-
cessing and conversion activities, includ- application follows the Ontario govern- tegic partner, bringing invaluable expe-
ing the development of potential mines ment’s request earlier this year and aims rience in owning and operating success-

166 Chemical Weekly September 3, 2024

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