Startup to Capture Lithium from Geothermal Plants
The approach will enhance U.S. lithium production as demand is set to soar with increased electric car use.
As portable electronics become increasingly popular, and the electric vehicle market is declining, the demand for lithium-a critical component of rechargeable lithium-ion battery can rise. But only two countries, Chile and Australia dominates world production of lithium.
California startup Simbol Materials think it could increase the domestic production of lithium by extracting the element, together with manganese and zinc from the brine used by geothermal power plants.
In the late 1990s, is produced in the U.S. 75 percent of lithium carbonate in the world, but it represents only 5 percent. This is partly because American manufacturers could not use a low-cost competitive lithium chemicals from Chile. The U.S. produces no manganese at all. "But we have this resource currently allocated to the production of geothermal energy," says Luka ERCEG, Simbol CEO. "This is a fantastic opportunity to produce clean, renewable energy harvesting and critical materials in a sustainable manner."
The global demand for lithium chemicals was around 102,000 tonnes in 2010. This is expected to be as high as 320,000 in 2020, primarily due to increased electric vehicle use. The world's largest lithium resources are estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to be in Bolivia. Most manufacturers, including the world's largest, in Chile, typically make the material by pumping salt water into swimming pools to evaporate in the sun for 18 to 24 months. This process provides a concentrated lithium chloride, which is converted to lithium carbonate. The only American producer, Chemetall Foote, drills brine at Silver Peak, Nevada.
Simbol plans to fall back on a 50-MW geothermal plant near the Salton Sea in Imperial Valley, California, which pumps hot brine from deep underground to generate steam for a turbine. The plant currently spraying brine, which is 30 percent dissolved solids, including lithium, manganese and zinc, has returned to earth after the steam. Simbol will detract from the brine of the power plant for reinjection into its process equipment. There will still warm brine flowing through its own medium that filters out salts within a few hours. Simbol has also acquired assets and intellectual property of a now defunct Canadian company for a purification process that the world's highest purity lithium carbonate. ERCEG expected to compete with the lowest cost Chilean farmers who produce lithium at $ 1,500 per ton.
Simbol is currently a pilot plant that filters 20 liters per minute. The commercial plant near Salton Sea, will begin construction in 2012 and the capacity to annually produce 16,000 tons of lithium carbonate. The world's third largest producer, by comparison, is 22,000 tons. In 2020, tripling production Simbol expand to more geothermal power plans ERCEG says. But for now, is to buy low-grade lithium carbonate for the treatment of other producers and expects high purity product overseas sales by the end of this year.
Other lithium mining projects planned or underway in the world, including two more in Nevada. Keith Evans, a geologist and industrial minerals expert, says that if they all come online, the global production in 2020 at more than 426,000 tons, far exceeding demand. Yet more U.S. production makes the country self-sufficient. Moreover, he says, Simbol may have an advantage over other companies in the U.S.. "If their process is as good as they say it is, it can be a very low-cost producer," says Evans. "It's potentially a very exciting project if it works."
As portable electronics become increasingly popular, and the electric vehicle market is declining, the demand for lithium-a critical component of rechargeable lithium-ion battery can rise. But only two countries, Chile and Australia dominates world production of lithium.
California startup Simbol Materials think it could increase the domestic production of lithium by extracting the element, together with manganese and zinc from the brine used by geothermal power plants.
In the late 1990s, is produced in the U.S. 75 percent of lithium carbonate in the world, but it represents only 5 percent. This is partly because American manufacturers could not use a low-cost competitive lithium chemicals from Chile. The U.S. produces no manganese at all. "But we have this resource currently allocated to the production of geothermal energy," says Luka ERCEG, Simbol CEO. "This is a fantastic opportunity to produce clean, renewable energy harvesting and critical materials in a sustainable manner."
The global demand for lithium chemicals was around 102,000 tonnes in 2010. This is expected to be as high as 320,000 in 2020, primarily due to increased electric vehicle use. The world's largest lithium resources are estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey to be in Bolivia. Most manufacturers, including the world's largest, in Chile, typically make the material by pumping salt water into swimming pools to evaporate in the sun for 18 to 24 months. This process provides a concentrated lithium chloride, which is converted to lithium carbonate. The only American producer, Chemetall Foote, drills brine at Silver Peak, Nevada.
Simbol plans to fall back on a 50-MW geothermal plant near the Salton Sea in Imperial Valley, California, which pumps hot brine from deep underground to generate steam for a turbine. The plant currently spraying brine, which is 30 percent dissolved solids, including lithium, manganese and zinc, has returned to earth after the steam. Simbol will detract from the brine of the power plant for reinjection into its process equipment. There will still warm brine flowing through its own medium that filters out salts within a few hours. Simbol has also acquired assets and intellectual property of a now defunct Canadian company for a purification process that the world's highest purity lithium carbonate. ERCEG expected to compete with the lowest cost Chilean farmers who produce lithium at $ 1,500 per ton.
Other lithium mining projects planned or underway in the world, including two more in Nevada. Keith Evans, a geologist and industrial minerals expert, says that if they all come online, the global production in 2020 at more than 426,000 tons, far exceeding demand. Yet more U.S. production makes the country self-sufficient. Moreover, he says, Simbol may have an advantage over other companies in the U.S.. "If their process is as good as they say it is, it can be a very low-cost producer," says Evans. "It's potentially a very exciting project if it works."
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