Slashing CO2Hard rock, easy lithium.
Big Picture
Lithium deposits come in two flavors: mineral-rich waters called “brines” and solid ore deposits called “hard rock.” The latter accounts for about 40% of global reserves. But tapping hard rock for battery-grade lithium requires massive infrastructure projects that are slow and costly to build and operate. The strong acids used for leaching wreak lasting damage on ecosystems and are a killer to new site permitting.
How it Works
Novalith’s patented process selectively extracts lithium from hard and soft rock using CO₂ instead of strong acids. The process avoids the environmental toll of leaching while sequestering two tons of CO₂ per ton of lithium extracted. The chemistry is highly selective, yielding 99.8% pure lithium carbonate, enabling cost-effective recovery of lithium from mine tailings and battery waste.
Unfair Advantage
Novalith’s process cuts process costs, plant costs, and plant footprints by 65%, 50%, and 25%, respectively. The carbon-negative process eliminates waste, harmful tailings, and 90% of water use, making tricky site permitting a breeze. On top of that, cost-effective hard rock extraction unlocks huge yet untapped lithium resources in a wide range of geographies as mineral supply chains grow more geopolitically strategic.
65
Percent cheaper
lithium processing
STEVEN VASSILOUDIS CEO & CO-FOUNDER
Steven was formerly a Director at Kemplant, a chemical engineering design and project management company.
ANDREW HARRIS CTO & CO-FOUNDER
Andrew is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Sydney. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge.
CHRISTIAAN JORDAAN CBDO & CO-FOUNDER
Christiaan was co-founder and CEO of Sicona Battery Technologies, developing next-generation battery materials technologies.
Novalith Technologies raises AU$23 million in Series A funding to revolutionise lithium production
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