Publication of an updated Technical Report Summary ("TRS") by Intrepid Potash, Inc. (NYSE:IPI) has confirmed the long-term viability of the White Silver Lithium Project, which will recover 5,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate from an industrial brine by-product stream at Intrepid's Potash facility in Wendover, Utah.
On completion, this will be the first project in the USA to deliver high-purity lithium at scale using by-product brine from an existing industrial process (potash).
While much of lithium used for battery production in the USA is extracted in Latin America and refined in East Asia, this project will pioneer a new, fully domestic source of battery raw materials for a new generation of electrification. This project is notable in combining the extraction of lithium chloride with on-site conversion (or refining) to battery-grade (>99.5%) lithium carbonate. Design, engineering and execution of the White Silver Lithium Project is taking place under a joint development agreement comprising Intrepid Potash, Aquatech and Adionics.
The project is being developed by White Silver LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aquatech. Aquatech combines bespoke process development, modular system delivery, and lifecycle performance considerations to ensure project bankability and speed of execution. The modular and scalable nature of Aquatech's PEARL™ process technology platform underpins this effort by supporting capital efficiency and a long-term performance guarantee.
"This milestone reflects the strength of a developer-led approach that integrates resource understanding, process technology, and execution discipline," said Devesh Sharma, CEO at Aquatech. "By applying our PEARL™ technology platform and decades of experience delivering complex water and process projects, we are helping to shape a bankable pathway for domestic lithium production from industrial brine."
White Silver LLC is a project company established by Aquatech to develop a five thousand metric ton per year lithium carbonate processing facility in Wendover, Utah, in collaboration with Intrepid Potash and Adionics via a Joint Development Agreement. This project will strengthen domestic critical mineral supply chains while setting new benchmarks for cost, sustainability, and reliability in U.S. lithium production.
Aquatech will design, build and operate the facility, leveraging its PEARL™ full–flow–sheet process technology platform along with Adionics' direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology.
The estimated measured and indicated lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) mineral resources total approximately 119,000 tons. However, given the recharging nature of the shallow aquifer and quasi-infinite deep brine aquifer, the brine mineral resources can theoretically be produced in perpetuity.
Aquatech empowers the world’s leading companies to reach their sustainability and performance goals with advanced water and process technology solutions. By combining innovation with deep industry expertise, we deliver integrated, end?to?end approaches that drive measurable environmental and economic results.
Intrepid is a diversified mineral company that delivers potassium, magnesium, sulfur, salt, and water products essential for customer success in agriculture, animal feed and the oil and gas industry. Intrepid is the only U.S. producer of muriate of potash, which is applied as an essential nutrient for healthy crop development, utilized in several industrial applications and used as an ingredient in animal feed.
Adionics is at the forefront of lithium extraction advancements, offering a revolutionary approach that meets the needs of today’s mining professionals. Adionics specializes in a closed-loop, liquid-liquid extraction process that efficiently and sustainably recovers lithium salts from various brines, including continental, geothermal or produced water.
Intrepid (NYSE:IPI), Aquatech and Adionics today announce progress on their lithium development project in Wendover, Utah, with the successful completion of test work to produce a battery-grade lithium carbonate from byprodut brine at Intrepid's Wendover, Utah potash facility.