NeoLithica Announces Testing Results from DLE Pilot
NeoLithica is pleased to share the results of its testing of brine sourced from its Peace River Project in northwestern Alberta, Canada. NeoLithica entered into a Pilot Test Agreement with Geo40, LLC (Geo40) in January 2025 to demonstrate their Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology.
NeoLithica transported 6,000 litres of lithium-bearing oilfield brine collected from a third-party well at its 10 million tonne lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Peace River Project to Geo40’s pilot site in Estevan, Saskatchewan. Upon completion, Geo40 delivered a Pilot Report on the pilot test, which included preliminary operating expense (OPEX) estimates based on the test campaign results.
Geo40’s technology demonstrated its ability to effectively extract lithium from NeoLithica’s Peace River brine, showcasing the effectiveness of its brine pre-treatment regime, DLE technology, and the interface between the two. The brine samples were treated using Geo40’s proprietary brine pre-treatment process before being processed through the pilot plant for lithium extraction.
When testing new brine chemistries, Geo40 typically conducts significant optimization to achieve pilot results that align with its expected piloting program outcomes. As anticipated, this was the case with the Peace River brine. A key efficiency and cost driver was achieved by optimizing Geo40’s brine pre-treatment process and determining the optimal interface with the DLE pilot unit to maximize Geosieve’s effectiveness. This resulted in a lithium chloride eluate averaging 749 mg/L lithium, a 13-fold increase from the initial brine concentration of 57 mg/L, and consistently high lithium recoveries averaging 97%. Geo40 anticipates that further process optimizations could ultimately lead to an eluate with a lithium concentration of up to 3,000 mg/L.
At the end of the trial, a small volume of lithium-rich liquor or eluate, in the form of lithium chloride (LiCl), was shipped to Geo40’s lab for further evaluations. A small sample of battery-grade lithium carbonate was then produced from the eluate. The purity of the sample was measured internally by ICP-OES to compare it to typical industry specifications for battery-grade product. The NeoLithica sample exhibited >99% purity. A sample of the eluate and lithium carbonate was then shipped to NeoLithica in Calgary.
The lithium chloride and lithium carbonate chemistry will be made available to potential customers for qualification test work for battery applications. This step is crucial in attracting industry participation and securing potential off-take agreements with global companies seeking sustainable supplies of lithium compounds to meet their demand.
