Lilac Solutions has developed a patented ion exchange technology that extracts lithium from brines with ultra-low freshwater usage and high tolerance for impurities, eliminating the need for evaporation ponds. This technology enables lithium producers to efficiently access and process lithium from diverse brine sources, addressing the industry's demand for sustainable and cost-effective extraction methods.
Funding
$318.3M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
+1Founders
Product
Problem
Conventional lithium extraction from brine resources relies heavily on evaporation ponds, which have significant environmental impact due to high freshwater consumption and large land disturbance. Alternative aluminum absorbent technologies have struggled to achieve widespread adoption due to limitations such as low lithium concentrations, weak recoveries, and sensitivity to common impurities.
Solution
Lilac Solutions offers a direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology based on a patented ion exchange (IX) process that eliminates the need for evaporation ponds. The core innovation lies in the design of durable ceramic IX beads that selectively absorb lithium from brine, even at low concentrations and in the presence of impurities. Brine is flowed through vessels containing the IX beads, which are then flushed with dilute acid to yield a lithium chloride or lithium sulfate intermediate. This process significantly reduces freshwater consumption, minimizes land disturbance, and enables access to a wider range of brine resources, including salar, geothermal, and oilfield brines. The resulting lithium intermediate can then be processed using conventional equipment to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes lithium producers, battery manufacturers, and automotive companies seeking a sustainable and cost-effective method for lithium extraction from diverse brine resources.
Features
- High-performance ceramic ion exchange beads with high durability for lithium extraction
- Ultra-low freshwater usage (2-20 m3/tonne LCE) compared to conventional methods
- High tolerance for impurities such as calcium and boron
- Ability to process brines with low lithium concentrations (50 mg/L minimum)
- Modular IX systems for flexible deployment and scalability
- Closed-loop process minimizing environmental impact
- Compatibility with various brine types, including salar, geothermal, and oilfield brines
- Generation 4 IX technology with improved performance and reduced costs