CTR signs partnership with Aquatech for geothermal lithium extraction technology

The optimization plant of Controlled Thermal Resources, taken April 2023 (source: Controlled Thermal Resources)

Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) has announced that it has engaged Aquatech as its technology partner to deliver the engineering and process plants for the conversion of lithium chloride intermediate product to battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate at the company’s Stage 1 Lithium Hydroxide Facility in Hell’s Kitchen, California.

Aquatech is a recognized global leader in end-to-end process solutions to produce technical and battery-grade lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, and lithium salts.

Aquatech will utilize a high-purity lithium chloride ‘eluate’ recovered via Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) from CTR’s geothermal lithium brine resource. The production plant will include multiple process plants that integrate advanced membrane, evaporation, and crystallization technology for the production of refined crystalline lithium hydroxide monohydrate product.

CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen project, located in Imperial County, California, has a projected resource capacity to produce 1,100MW of baseload renewable power and an estimated 300,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) products each year – enough to support the production of over 5 million standard-sized electric vehicles annually.

CTR and its technology partners recently completed a US$ 60 million brine optimization program that operated for six months from November 2022 until April 2023. The company’s engineering team improved several process stages, including optimization of the brine preparation unit to efficiently recover a high-purity lithium chloride ‘eluate’.

The optimization plant, which operated at a steady state for approximately 3,000 hours, was constructed at a 1/10^th commercial scale. The Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) unit achieved a 95-97% lithium recovery rate. CTR will utilize Aquatech’s innovative process technology for the final lithium conversion and purification process stage.

CTR had also recently signed a a Memorandum of Understanding with Fuji Electric Corp. of America (FEA) to complete multiple Equipment, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts for the Hell’s Kitchen project.

“We are very pleased to engage Aquatech for this exciting new project phase,” CTR’s Chief Executive Officer, Rod Colwell, said. “Aquatech is a global leader in their field with well-established process systems and technologies to produce lithium products that will meet our client’s rigorous specifications for high energy density battery cathode manufacturing. These efforts will support our client’s transition to electric mobility and greatly accelerate a secure and genuinely sustainable supply of lithium hydroxide in North America.”

“Aquatech is excited to have commenced work on this landmark project fully supporting CTR’s vision of establishing the largest and most sustainable integrated lithium and renewable power facility,” said Venkee Sharma, Executive Chairman at Aquatech. “By joining forces, we are not only advancing the goals of U.S. energy security and the clean energy transition but also revolutionizing the industry through CTR’s groundbreaking geothermal energy utilization at the Salton Sea. This collaboration will pave the way for sustainable critical mineral recovery, battery manufacturing, and recycling.” 

Source: Email correspondence