SaltMaker MVR & MSF Evaporative Crystallizers
Achieve true ZLD with two forced circulation evaporative crystallizer options: SaltMaker MVR and SaltMaker MSF.
Lithium Extraction and Refining
Battery-grade lithium with low energy processing
Saltworks brings water mining expertise and advanced technologies to our lithium clients, offering solutions for concentrating, refining, and converting low-grade lithium sources to battery-grade products. We offer processing technologies for higher purity, lower energy, boosting yield, reducing unit operations, and lowering costs.
Battery-Grade Lithium Extraction
Most of the world’s battery-grade lithium is produced by:
- Mining & acid leaching from spodumene ores, i.e. LiAl(SiO3)2, producing lithium sulfate solution, then converted to battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide via electrochemical processes. Processing spodumene dominates Australian production.
- Concentration & precipitation as lithium carbonate from brines via evaporation ponds. These resources tend to have lower hardness (e.g., calcium, magnesium) and are located in areas with high evaporation rates such as elevated deserts in South America.
A third method is gaining popularity, particularly in North America and China:
- Direct lithium extraction (DLE) by lithium absorption from saline water sources to an ion exchange type material or bead, followed by washing with hydrochloric acid, producing dilute lithium chloride with impurities. DLE tends to fit lithium resources with higher hardness, in areas not suitable for evaporation ponds.
Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE)
DLE operators generally extract lithium using methods unique to each site, but most produce a lithium chloride solution of 1,000 to 2,000 mg/L containing impurities. We add value for clients downstream of customer-selected DLE processes where we help by concentrating lithium chloride solutions and converting them to battery-grade lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide solids.
We offer comprehensive modelling, piloting, and full-scale solutions that convert DLE outputs into battery-grade inputs.
Water Refining Technology Applied
Lithium processing plants are water plants. They refine a high-grade lithium output using water that can be returned and re-used. The steps generally include concentrating a brine, chemical conversion steps to change the lithium form, washing, and final crystallization.
Saltworks offers solutions for every step, including comprehensive “concentrate, refine, and convert” packages. Our solutions can remove troublesome ions such as silica, thereby enabling higher recovery processing in membrane systems.
Then, our next-generation reverse osmosis (RO) system, XtremeRO, concentrates lithium chloride (LiCl) up to 50% higher than conventional RO. These ultra-high pressure (1,800 psi) reverse osmosis (UHP-RO) systems reduce downstream evaporator size and cost and in some cases remove the need for them entirely.
Highest Quality & Yield
To ensure the highest lithium quality and yield, we precisely target impurities and selectively precipitate the lithium forms most valuable to a project. We pair smart, precise chemical conversion (BrineRefine) with robust ceramic ultrafiltration (XtremeUF) to complete conversion steps with less chemical waste and greater precision, all delivered in an automated, compact package with integrated controls.
Our SaltMaker evaporator crystallizers concentrate lithium brines and crystallize solid, battery-grade lithium hydroxide. Built-in self-cleaning ensures reliability at optimal capacity, while producing high-purity solid product. Learn more in our SaltMaker MVR lithium hydroxide crystallizer spec sheet.
ScaleSense offers real-time measurement of ions such as calcium, enabling better process control, boosting yield and purity.
We also reduce the need for—and size of—evaporation steps, saving valuable energy and capital costs. To learn more about efficient refining of high-quality lithium, download our lithium brochure, check out our article, or contact our expert lithium team.
Learn more about the Lithium Test Centre: in-house mini-refineries staffed by experts.
Related Products
BrineRefine Chemical Reactor
BrineRefine is a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) that executes diverse chemical reactions efficiently and with precision.
XtremeRO Reverse Osmosis & Nanofiltration
Our UHP RO minimizes brine from tough industrial wastewaters and delivers the highest freshwater recovery in the industry.
Related Resources
Infographic
Lithium Process Flow Brochure
This lithium process flow brochure shows how membrane, thermal, and chemical water technologies fit into various stages of lithium production. Learn how to process lithium to battery-grade, downstream of direct lithium extraction.
News
99.9% Purity Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide
Saltworks is pleased to announce the production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from an industrial wastewater. Saltworks’ process harvests lithium hydroxide solids that reach or exceed battery-grade specifications.
News
Lithium & Nickel Crystallizers for the EV Battery Industry
Saltworks has shipped two SaltMaker MVR crystallizers and a SaltMaker ChilledCrys to the electric vehicle (EV) battery industry. These full-scale systems will play an essential role in the production of lithium and nickel—two critical elements in EV batteries.
News
Saltworks’ Lithium Refining Test Centre Opens
Saltworks is delighted to formally announce its Lithium Test Centre, dedicated to accelerating and de-risking lithium processing projects. The new centre incorporates end-to-end lithium processing pilot plants and technical expertise in the production of battery-grade lithium chemicals.