TECHNOLOGY

Hard Rock Lithium Technology (HLT)

A Potentially Game-Changing Extraction Process

Medaro /GLET has developed a new and radically different solvent extraction technology to rapidly manufacture high-purity lithium carbonate, Li2CO3, and/or high-purity lithium hydroxide monohydrate, LiOH+H2O, from a variety of spodumene (LiAlSi2O6)-rich concentrates. Commercial grade aluminum hydroxide/oxide, Al(OH)3/Al2O3, and silica, SiO2, are saleable by-products that enhance profitability.
  • With successful proof-of-concept, bench-scale laboratory testing completed, the results show that a plant built to implement the technology will be compact, modular, highly scalable, and amenable to deployment in remote geographic locations.
  • Only three feedstock materials are required:
    1. Spodumene concentrate
    2. High-purity Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is  consumed in forming Lithium Carbonate
    3. High-purity water (H2O), which is consumed in forming Lithium Hydroxide.
  • The technology includes steps to lower the costs of forming and purifying spodumene concentrate.

The company’s JV partner, GLET, has filed a FLASH provisional patent application as a placeholder to protect its IP while it continues pursuing a full patent on the technology.

The company announced that based on the successful bench-scale testing resulting in >99% Li, Al and Si extraction rates from spodumene concentrate, Medaro has completed an additional earn-in of the HLT via its now 60% ownership of GLET.

Lower Costs By
30% TO 50%

Low Cost, Carbon-Free, Cost Effective

Successful bench-scale testing and economic analyses by Medaro’s joint venture partner GLET indicate that the HLT is capable of lowering overall spodumene processing costs by 30 to 50%.

  • All of the unit operations in the HLT can be powered entirely by green electricity!

  • The chemical steps in the HLT are sulfur – chlorine – fluorine – sodium – potassium – calcium and hydrocarbon-free – and use only Earth-abundant materials.

  • The process uses <8 primary proven chemical reactions to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and/or battery-grade lithium hydroxide.

  • With the exception of spodumene concentrate calcination at 1075-1100 °C to convert І-spodumene to ß-spodumene, all of the reactions in the Medaro SPT occur at temperatures <250 °C.

  • Internal recycling of the spodumene “solvent” and aluminum hydroxide precipitant dramatically reduces chemical processing costs.

  • The SPT creates only a trivial amount of environmentally benign solid waste material.

  • Sales of byproduct aluminum oxide, in particular, and to a lesser extent, silica, enhance profitability.

  • Closed-loop chemical recycling of the solvent, along with another key reagent, greatly lowers the overall cost of processing a І-spodumene concentrate.

  • Results of preliminary bench-scale laboratory tests of the process indicate that Li, Al and Si extraction and recovery levels close to 100% are both technically and economically feasible.

  • The HLT avoids the use of sulfuric acid in the leaching of І-spodumene.

  • Another major advantage of the GLET/Medaro process is that it intrinsically rejects iron from the processing circuit. This is advantageous in processing spodumene concentrates that contain high concentrations of iron.

TECHNOLOGICALLY DISTINCT

HLT targets every Environmental, Social & Corporate Governance Metric (ESG)

Development of the method has already gone beyond the Process Flow Diagram (PFD) mark, and work has commenced to Piping and Instrumentation Design (P&ID).

With a finalized P&ID, and an accompanying equipment layout drawing, all of the necessary “blueprints” will be in place to build and operate a pilot plant.

Benefits

  • Virtually zero waste equals huge savings compared to other methods.
  • Dual closed loop ensures solvents, leachates and precipitants are continually recycled.
  • Lower reagent cost, lower resupply cost, no cleanup cost.
  • The entire process can be operated electrically. Hydroelectric, solar or wind generation makes HLT clean & green.
  • The HLT process produces commercial grades and quantities of Alumina & Silica for added value sales – which can help offset operating costs.
  • The goal is for the entire operation to be assembled in remote areas close to productive mines, thereby reducing shipping costs.
  • Medaro intends to license the patented technology to derive multiple, long term revenue generation.
  • Potential overall savings target between 30 to 50% compared to traditional lithium processing operations.

THE GOAL

Deliver a Game Changing Technology to Compete with Lithium Production from Brines

THE RESULT

Drive Profitable Hard Rock Lithium Extraction and Global Sector Growth

THE TRADITIONAL PROCESS

From Pegmatite to Spodumene Concentrate

Typical process is located as near to mine as possible. Concentrate is shipped onwards (sometimes huge distances) for advanced processing into commercial products

Est. value
USD $2700/tonne*
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* Based on market price as of H2 2022

The Medaro HLT Lithium Recovery Process

A Dual Closed Loop Thermochemical Technology

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* Based on market price as of H2 2022

ECONOMIC POTENTIAL

Subject to pilot tests, initial studies predict every tonne of concentrated spodumene could potentially deliver almost 1/5 of a tonne of Lithium Carbonate and approximately 1/4 tonne of Lithium Hydroxide ready for market at battery grades.

Customers will be able to situate Medaro-licensed processing facilities adjacent to their mines and ship battery grade lithium and valuable by-products directly to end-use markets. 

The proposed process is designed for scalability with 50 to 100 tonnes per day (or more) readily envisioned for processing in remote locations across the pegmatite-rich regions of the world.

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* Based on market price as of H2 2022

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF LITHIUM PRODUCTION

LITHIUM SOURCES: HARD ROCK vs. BRINE

Lithium products are used in a wide variety of industries. Its obtained mainly from two sources: subsurface brines, and spodumene-bearing pegmatite deposits.

  • Lithium-bearing brines are pumped out of the ground and subsequently treated, first, to increase lithium concentration, and thereafter to form either lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide.

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  • Spodumene pegmatite deposits are mined using conventional mining techniques, the spodumene in the rock subsequently being separated out by crushing, grinding and beneficiation to produce a concentrate which, today, is most often sold and shipped to a processing plant where lithium is extracted and converted to lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide.
  • A metric commonly used to compare lithium production levels is Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE).
  • Medaro Mining believes its revolutionary spodumene processing technology will increase quality and permit even greater production cost savings through rapid extraction and reduced transport of concentrates. By narrowing distances from mine to processing Medaro aims to reduce product margin disparity, boost production and achieve parity with global brine production.
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