Atucha II returns to service after completing repairs

30 August 2023

Argentina's Atucha II nuclear unit is delivering power again after the successful completion of repairs prompted by the October 2022 inspection discovery that one of the four internal supports of the reactor had detached and moved from its design location.

The Atucha site (Image: Nucleoeléctrica Argentina)

After the discovery, the unit was shut down and an interdisciplinary team worked to diagnose the situation and decided to extract the separator and carry out the repair remotely without needing to dismantle the reactor, shortening the expected repair time from four years to 10 months, Nucleoeléctrica Argentina said.

The company said that "after evaluating the situation, it was decided that the best option to extract the separator through the channel was to cut it into four parts ... it was also resolved to preventively reinforce the welding of the three separators that were still mounted to avoid future damage".

The detached separator was 14 metres inside the reactor, so new tools needed to be designed to adapt to those conditions, including a cutting tool, holding tool, gripper, a basket within which to extract the piece as well as lighting and vision tools to monitor the manoeuvre.

To test the tools and train and prepare for the cutting and extraction manoeuvres a full-scale model of the sector of the reactor in which the intervention was carried out was designed, manufactured and installed - the tank used to represent the moderator tank was the same one used as a mock-up to test the tools and rehearse the manoeuvres that allowed the historic repair of the Atucha I reactor in 1988.

The cutting of the separator took two weeks in total, and once it was completed the extraction tool was introduced "which allowed each of the cut separator pieces to be held and placed in the basket tool for removal from the reactor". The welding of the remaining supports took six days.

Nucleoeléctrica Argentina said that it worked with other suppliers in the country to create the necessary tools, and said: "The completion of this challenge not only marks a new milestone for the Argentine nuclear industry, but also confirms the country's scientific-technological capabilities to carry out complex engineering projects. In this way, the experience acquired by Nucleoeléctrica in this repair will allow the country to export knowledge and tools for use in other nuclear power plants in the world."

Argentina's nuclear sector has three pressurised heavy water reactors with a total generating capacity of 1641 MWe across the Atucha I, Atucha II and Embalse power plants. Atucha II's first grid connection was in 2014 - construction began in 1981 as a joint venture of Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission and Germany's Siemens-Kraftwerk Union but work was suspended in 1994 with the plant 81% complete. It was restarted in 2006, entering commercial operation in May 2016.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Westinghouse expands fuel offerings of Columbia plant

29 August 2023

Westinghouse has announced the creation of a centre of excellence for Low Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+) fuel manufacturing at its Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (CFFF) in Hopkins, South Carolina.

The Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (Image: Westinghouse)

"The demand for LEU+ fuel in the range of 5–10% enrichment is expected to grow significantly in the coming years due to increased power generation which reduces the number of outages needed in nuclear plants," the company said. "Westinghouse has initiated the work to expand its operations at CFFF with advanced processes, upgraded equipment, and engineered safeguards for sustainable, efficient, and reliable fabrication of LEU+ nuclear fuel."

"Westinghouse is committed to providing fuel products and engineering services required by our customers to achieve 24-month cycles through our High Energy Fuel Program," said Westinghouse's president of nuclear fuel, Tarik Choho. "The programme is aligned with our customers' needs for LEU+ fuel. Further, this vision will provide high-tech job opportunities and increase collaboration with our local technical colleges and universities in South Carolina."

Westinghouse said its High Energy Fuel Program paves the way for utilities to leverage high burnup, higher enrichment (LEU+) and accident tolerant technologies for 24-month cycle operation and improved safety, economics, and reliability. The programme includes innovations such as EnCore Fuel, AXIOM fuel rod cladding, PRIME fuel advanced features and ADOPT fuel.

The company's EnCore Fuel programme is centred on the use of high-performance features that are "being developed and deployed on a strategic timeline" so utilities can gain safety and cost benefits quickly. It has begun with an improved chromium-coated cladding that inhibits the zirconium-steam reaction and increases maximum temperature by an additional 300°C. Westinghouse is also developing advanced fuel rod materials such as silicon-carbide cladding, which has an extremely high melting point and minimal reaction with water and steam.

AXIOM is Westinghouse's next generation of fuel rod cladding targeting high fuel duties, improved corrosion resistance, lower hydrogen pick-up and lower creep and growth when compared with current Westinghouse products. In December 2022, Westinghouse received approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to use its AXIOM Fuel Rod Cladding in US pressurised water reactors (PWRs).

Westinghouse said its PRIME advanced fuel features help to improve fuel performance, enhance fuel reliability, enable enhanced fuel cycle economics and provide additional margin at uprated conditions and higher burnup.

The company has also developed Advanced Doped Pellet Technology (ADOPT) Fuel to improve fuel cycle economics and enhance the accident tolerance of conventional uranium dioxide fuel pellets. In November of last year, Westinghouse received approval from the NRC to use its ADOPT Fuel in US PWRs.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Saskatchewan seeks to develop SMR supply chain

25 August 2023

Saskatchewan's Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) is providing CAD479,000 (USD352,296) to the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association (SIMSA) and its partners to prepare local companies for their future participation in provincial, national and global small modular reactor development.

SaskPower has selected GEH's BWRX-300 for potential deployment in Saskatchewan (Image: GEH)

The two-year funding agreement between CIC and SIMSA - a non-profit organisation representing more than 300 Saskatchewan-based suppliers to the industrial, mining and energy sectors - will support a small modular reactor (SMR) supply chain specialist position with SIMSA.

The funding will also help engage First Nations Power Authority (FNPA) for its assistance to explore Indigenous economic opportunities and enable the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) to deliver its Ready4SMR programme to develop local suppliers, including Indigenous-owned companies.

"Programming and resources made available through this funding are crucial to moving toward building a nuclear industry in Saskatchewan," said Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Don Morgan. "Our province has a long successful history of nuclear research and development, and we are a world-class supplier of high-quality uranium ore. Advancing Saskatchewan's SMR supply chains will unlock economic and job potential for communities near and far, including our rural, northern and remote regions, and Indigenous communities."

"SIMSA is excited to work with CIC to build additional resources to enhance the development of qualified nuclear manufacturing and construction companies in our province," said SIMSA Executive Director Eric Anderson. "One crucial component of this work is the recruitment of an SMR supply chain specialist. The specialist has outstanding nuclear and supply chain experience and knows the current market elements. This position will be an invaluable asset to advance SMR development in Saskatchewan."

"The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries is proud to be working in Saskatchewan with SIMSA and FNPA to implement our Ready4SMR programme," added OCNI President and CEO Bill Walker. "We'd also like to acknowledge and thank the Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan for their contribution in making this project possible.

"Canada is leading the world in the deployment of small modular reactors and we're excited to see Saskatchewan planning for SMRs as part of their clean energy mix. Our role is to build a pan-Canadian supply chain that gives provinces like Saskatchewan an opportunity for economic development as your already thriving supplier base considers joining the Canadian nuclear industry."

Last week, the Canadian government approved CAD74 million of federal funding for SMR development in Saskatchewan. The funding - including more than CAD24 million from the proceeds of Canada's pollution pricing system - will support work to advance the project led by utility SaskPower.

In 2022, SaskPower selected GE-Hitachi's BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in Saskatchewan in the mid-2030s, subject to a decision to build that is expected in 2029. SaskPower has identified the regions of Elbow, in south-central Saskatchewan, and Estevan, in the far south of the province, as potential areas to host an SMR. It has begun an engagement exercise to share information and gather input as it works to narrow down a site. According to its project timeline, it expects to finalise its site selection in 2025.

Although all of Canada's uranium production comes from Saskatchewan, the province does not currently use nuclear power. However, Saskatchewan's government identified development of SMR technology as a goal for growth in its 2019 development roadmap, and in March 2022, alongside the governments of Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alberta, it released a joint strategic plan setting out a path for developing and deploying SMRs.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Tractebel, Hatch team up for nuclear new build

31 August 2023

Belgian engineering firm Tractebel and Canadian engineering, project management, and professional services firm Hatch have agreed to cooperate on supporting the deployment of small and large nuclear technologies in North America and Europe.

From left to right: Anicet Touré, Head of Strategy, Nuclear (Tractebel), Dan Kell, Senior Director - Power Transmission & Integration (Hatch), Philippe Van Troeye, CEO (Tractebel), Jim Sarvinis, Managing Director - Power (Hatch), Denis Dumont, Chief Global Nuclear Officer (Tractebel), Adel Muna, Director of Power - Europe (Hatch), Arnaud Rahier, Chief Operating Officer, Canada (Tractebel), Alain Masuy, Advisory Lead, Europe (Hatch) (Image: Tractebel)

By collaborating, the two companies aim to provide "invaluable expertise" in the field of nuclear engineering and consultancy for nuclear projects. "This will ensure continuity in the expert teams that will work on nuclear new build projects in North America and Europe, which was identified as a key success factor by nuclear technology developers," the partners said.

Tractebel has over 60 years of nuclear engineering experience in Europe and now globally throughout the entire life cycle of nuclear installations, from design to decommissioning, as well as in industrial applications. Tractebel - a subsidiary of France's Engie - has been collaborating with EDF on the Nuward small modular reactor (SMR) project since 2021.

Hatch offers engineering, consulting, and technology and equipment design, including first-of-a-kind development in the nuclear sector and covers the entire life cycle of nuclear installations from mining, fuel development, new build, operation, decommissioning and waste management. The company has been involved in supporting the development and evaluation of SMRs for on-grid or off-grid power since 2012. It is working with SMR vendors, utilities, heavy industry, industry regulators, and governments to support their development, licensing and implementation.

"Hatch and Tractebel's cooperation will be crucial to the construction of new nuclear assets," said Denis Dumont, Tractebel's chief global nuclear officer. "We are honoured to cooperate with Hatch, a company that has strong roots in the North American industrial market and experience in the nuclear sector. Tractebel will bring its international nuclear new build and design authority experience to the alliance. We believe that by summoning up our strengths, we can build bridges between the North American and European energy ecosystems."

"We are proud to collaborate with Tractebel, which has cutting-edge expertise in nuclear engineering and a thorough knowledge of the European nuclear and industrial market," added Amar Jolly, Global Director Nuclear, Hatch. "We will bring our strong nuclear systems, equipment design and waste management experience as well as our deep knowledge of the industries that are likely to implement SMRs to the collaboration. We believe that nuclear will be instrumental in the energy transformation and in achieving our global net-zero goals, including the decarbonisation of heavy industries."

In June 2022, ARC Clean Energy Canada announced it was teaming up with Hatch for the deployment of ARC Canada's advanced SMR technology, which is planned for deployment in New Brunswick before the end of the decade. Hatch will use its engineering technology and capabilities to design ARC Canada's power plants in a fully digital format, with a focus on modular design to maximise factory production and scalability, minimising on-site construction time. Hatch is also playing a key role in the integration of ARC Canada's advanced technology for heavy industry using high-quality process heat which includes the optimisation of the technology for clean hydrogen and ammonia production.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

Court annuls licence for Texas used fuel store

30 August 2023

The licence issued for the construction and operation of a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for used nuclear fuel in Texas has been cancelled by a US appeals court. The court ruled that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not have the authority to license a private storage facility away from nuclear reactors.

ISP's vision for the CISF (Image: ISP)

Interim Storage Partners (ISP) was established in 2018 as a joint venture of Waste Control Specialists and Orano CIS, a subsidiary of Orano USA, to license a CISF to be built at WCS's existing waste disposal site in Andrews County, Texas. The proposed licence would authorise a CISF to store up to 5000 tonnes of used commercial nuclear fuel as well as so-called Greater-Than-Class C waste for a period of 40 years. ISP plans a phased expansion of the facility over 20 years to eventually store up to 40,000 tonnes of used fuel, subject to future approvals.

In July 2021, the NRC issued its final environmental impact statement (FEIS) on ISP's application, recommending a licence be granted for the facility. The licence was issued in September 2021.

Fasken Land and Minerals, a for-profit group working in oil and gas extraction, and Permian Basin Land and Royalty Owners, an association focused on protecting the interests of the Permian Basin, along with the State of Texas and others, petitioned for review of the licence. Texas lawmakers passed a law in 2022 prohibiting the storage of high-level radioactive waste in the state, except at currently or formerly operating nuclear power reactors.

In a 25 August decision, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled the NRC does not have authority from Congress to license such a facility under either the Atomic Energy Act or the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.

"The Nuclear Waste Policy Act creates a comprehensive statutory scheme for addressing spent nuclear fuel accumulation," the court said. "The scheme prioritises construction of the permanent repository and limits temporary storage to private at-the-reactor storage or at federal sites. It plainly contemplates that, until there's a permanent repository, spent nuclear fuel is to be stored onsite at-the-reactor or in a federal facility.

"In sum, the Atomic Energy Act doesn't authorise the Commission to license a private, away-from-reactor storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. And the Nuclear Waste Policy Act doesn't permit it. Accordingly, we hold that the Commission doesn't have authority to issue the licence challenged here. When read alongside each other, we find these statutes unambiguous. And even if the statutes were ambiguous, the Commission's interpretation wouldn't be entitled to deference.

"Accordingly, we grant the petition for review and vacate the licence," the court said.

The management of civilian used nuclear fuel in the USA is a federal responsibility, but the planned permanent repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, which in 1987 was designated as the sole initial repository for 70,000 tonnes of high-level wastes, has not been built. This means used fuel from over 70 shutdown, decommissioned and operating nuclear energy facilities is currently in storage at sites across the nation.

CISFs such as the one proposed by ISP would offer dry-cask storage at an away-from-reactor site pending disposal at a permanent disposal facility. ISP's facility would use proven above-ground dry fuel storage systems developed by Orano TN and NAC International, which are already in place at numerous operating and decommissioned commercial nuclear energy facilities in the USA. The storage system has a design life in excess of 100 years.

The NRC has also issued a licence to Holtec International to build and operate a CISF for used nuclear fuel in New Mexico. That licence, issued in May this year, is being challenged in the US Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.

In partnership with the Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance (ELEA), Holtec launched the initiative to set up the Hi-STORE CISF in 2015 at a site between Carlsbad and Hobbs in Lea County, New Mexico, on land owned by ELEA.

Holtec submitted its application with the NRC for a 40-year licence for the initial phase of the project, for up to 500 canisters holding some 8680 tonnes of used fuel, in 2017. The company said it expected this to increase to a total of 10,000 canisters in an additional 19 phases over the course of 20 years. Each expansion would require a licence amendment from the NRC.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

 

US projects to look at nuclear role in carbon capture

31 August 2023

Two projects to explore the feasibility of using nuclear energy in systems to remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere - one led by GE Vernova and one led by Northwestern University - are included in a list of 19 projects selected to receive US Department of Energy (DOE) support.

Scientists and engineers from GE's Carbon Capture Breakout Team will work on the pre-feasibility studies (Image: GE)

GE announced on 29 August that a pre-feasibility assessment to establish a direct air capture (DAC) regional hub near Houston, Texas, to remove up to one million tonnes of CO2 per year, led by Niskayuna, New York-based GE Vernova, has been selected as one of the awardees. Part of the proposed study will look at the feasibility of a novel DAC system design that integrates GE Hitachi's BWRX-300 small modular reactor and renewable electricity to enable the gas to be captured from ambient air and stored underground or used as a value-added product such as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuels. The DOE has allocated USD2.554 million to the project, alongside non-DOE funding of USD762,827, giving a total value of just over USD3.3 million.

A separate project, the Midwest Nuclear DAC Hub, will see Northwestern University of Evanston, Illinois testing the feasibility of deploying at-scale novel DAC solutions by developing a DAC hub powered by nuclear energy. The Midwest is the second largest regional emitter of carbon dioxide in the USA, and is home to both heavy-emitting industries and a rich ecosystem of innovation and research, DOE notes. Centring the study around nuclear power "ensures that a reliable low-carbon energy source (and the opportunity for heat integration) will be used for technology development", DOE said in its announcement of the award, for which it has allocated USD3 million, with non-DOE funding of USD927,910 for a total value of some USD3.9 million.

GE Vernova is aiming to deploy a commercially scalable DAC solution by the end of the decade. In March, GE announced the successful demonstration of a scalable prototype DAC system at its Niskayuna research facility. The company is also a DAC technology provider for two other projects included in the DOE announcement, which will be led by the University of Illinois, and executed in Colorado and Florida.

Of the Houston Area DAC Hub project, Matt Guyette, director, Advanced Research at GE Vernova, said: "Our pre-feasibility study proposes to draw upon our full suite of energy generation assets and capabilities in ways only GE Vernova can, including carbon-free nuclear and renewable electricity, to create what we believe will be a cost-effective solution for removing millions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere."

All awardees will now enter negotiations with the DOE to finalise the terms and scope of their respective studies.

The award negotiations are part of the first round of funding under the Regional DAC Hubs programme under the US Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which DOE says aims to kickstart a nationwide network of large-scale carbon removal sites to address legacy carbon dioxide pollution and complement rapid emissions reductions. The DOE on 11 August announced up to USD1.2 billion of funding to advance the development of two commercial-scale DAC facilities in Texas and Louisiana, in what it says will be the world's largest investment in engineered carbon removal to date.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Saudis Pour Money Into American Lithium

By Alex Kimani - Aug 30, 2023

Saudi Arabia-based investment company Energy Capital Group (ECG) has invested in U.S.-based Pure Lithium, a company that specializes in lithium metal batteries, for an undisclosed sum. Pure Lithium is looking to establish a fully integrated supply chain in Saudi Arabia, using its proprietary technology that extracts lithium from oil field brines. 

“We are thrilled with Energy Capital Group’s investment in Pure Lithium. They recognise the value and impact we can have in the kingdom by unlocking oilfield brines to create a battery-ready electrode, eliminating 90 per cent of the current associated costs,” Emilie Bodoin, founder and chief executive of Pure Lithium, has said.

Famous as one of the leading oil and gas producers, Saudi Arabia is increasingly investing in clean energy. Recently, Saudi Aramco launched a $1.5 billion Sustainability Fund that will invest in technology supporting a “stable and inclusive” energy transition, making this among the largest-ever sustainability-focused venture capital funds in the world. The fund’s initial focus areas include carbon capture and storage(CCS), greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, nature-based climate solutions, hydrogen, ammonia, digital sustainability and synthetic fuels. The fund will target investments globally.

Direct Lithium Extraction

A fleet of direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies are being developed to tap salty brine deposits across North America, Europe, Asia and elsewhere, with the U.S. Geological Survey estimating the technology could unlock 70% of global reserves of the metal. Whereas DLE technologies vary, they are generally comparable to common household water softeners, and aim to extract ~90% of lithium in brine water vs. 50% using conventional ponds. 

Their biggest draw:  they can supply lithium for EV batteries literally in a matter of hours or days, way faster than 12-18 months needed to be filtered through in order to be able to extract lithium carbonate from water-intensive evaporation ponds and open-pit mines.

DLE also comes with the added bonus of offering ESG/sustainability benefits: DLE technologies are portable, able to recycle much of their fresh water and limit hydrochloric acid use.

"The world needs abundant, low-cost lithium to have an energy transition, and DLE has the potential to meet that goal," Ken Hoffman, co-head of the EV Battery Materials Research group at McKinsey & Co., has told Reuters.

"The industry is so close to a major leap forward," John Burba, who helped invent a prominent DLE technology and is IBAT's executive chairman, has told Reuters.

The DLE industry is expected to grow to more than $10 billion in annual revenue within the next decade. Commercial scale DLE projects are expected to start coming online in 2025, and could supply 13% of global lithium supply by 2030, as per projections by Fastmarkets.

Lithium players race for breakthrough to meet electric car demand

Bloomberg News | August 30, 2023 | 

Credit: Standard Lithium Ltd.

On the outskirts of El Dorado — heart of Arkansas’ 1920s oil boom — a company backed by Koch Industries Inc. is looking to dramatically speed up extraction of a battery metal essential to weaning the world off fossil fuels, while proving naysayers wrong in the process.


Standard Lithium Ltd. is working on the breakthrough inside a white warehouse near a massive chemical factory run by Germany’s Lanxess AG that feeds brackish wastewater into the facility. A cluster of pipes and tanks in the demonstration plant turn brine into a lithium compound within days instead of the year or more that traditional recovery methods take.


The firm is among dozens of companies racing to commercialize technology to extract lithium directly from brine, ushering in a new source to supplement the hard rock mines and huge evaporation ponds that currently supply the battery metal to the world. The outcome of such efforts is set to shape the industry’s future, bringing either the promise of abundant supply or setbacks that sour investors for years.

The advances are collectively known as direct lithium extraction, or DLE. They promise to be cheaper, faster and greener than traditional lithium production in South America, which holds about half of the world’s reserves of the silvery white metal. DLE would also unlock new supplies in North America, including recovering the metal out of the salty water produced by oil drilling.

“It’s an evolutionary step in the lithium industry,” Standard Lithium chief executive officer Robert Mintak said in an interview. “If we’re going to have a supply chain that can meet the demands of the lithium industry, DLE will be one of the tools.”

All along the world’s EV supply chain, this new way of mining lithium is being touted as the solution for boosting output while protecting the environment. Billions of dollars are pouring in to what Goldman Sachs Group calls “potential game-changing technology,” much like shale’s disruptive impact on the oil industry.

Still, some producers and industry experts are sounding caution. Despite a boom in testing and development, these techniques are relatively unproven at scale and perfecting them may take years. After all, Texan entrepreneur George Mitchell experimented with hydraulic fracturing for decades before finding the right method to economically extract shale gas.

Lithium prices surged to record highs last year as growth in demand from the EV boom saw markets tighten. Prices have since fallen amid a steady stream of new output from Australia, though remain elevated thanks to an upbeat outlook for EV growth. An expected shortfall from 2025 is driving startups, miners and even Big Oil to chase new ways to expand supply.

After years of intense testing and development work, the world is about to find out whether DLE works on a commercial scale.

Oil-and-gas heavyweights like Exxon Mobil Corp. are creating businesses to extract lithium from oil field brine. Rio Tinto Group, the world’s second-biggest miner, is testing extraction methods in Argentina, where it’s developing a lithium project. Meanwhile, Koch and Chinese EV giant BYD Co. are already marketing DLE technologies.

A handful of commercial projects are being built including Eramet SA’s Centenario plant in Argentina, which aims to be fully operational by mid-2025. In China, Sunresin New Materials Co. already operates such plants.

Much of the buzz can be attributed to growing scrutiny of mining’s environmental and social issues.

For years, mines in Chile’s northern desert operated by SQM and Albemarle Corp. were seen as the cleanest and easiest way to produce the metal. They pump up vast amounts of brine from beneath a salt flat, which is then stored in giant ponds for more than a year. As the water evaporates, the resulting concentrate gets processed at nearby plants and sent to Chinese and Korean battery makers.

As simple as it is profitable, that process uses far less fresh water, chemicals and energy than hard-rock mining as practiced in top producer Australia. But the evaporation method means billions of liters of brine are vaporized in one of Earth’s most arid places, which some say is a threat to wildlife such as pink flamingos that inhabit its Mars-like landscape.

DLE aims to solve such problems by using equipment like filters and membranes to strip out lithium directly and allow what’s left over to be returned to underground brine lakes. The process is much faster and uses less space than evaporation ponds. All that would reduce the impact on fragile desert ecosystems — a palatable solution for automakers and their investors as well as local communities and governments.

Bolivia and Chile are making DLE a requirement to tap their lithium riches, a significant move given that the former has the world’s largest potential deposits and the latter has the most economically mineable reserves.

Goldman Sachs estimates that if 20% to 40% of Latin America’s brine projects use DLE, it could boost the region’s lithium output by about 35% from 2028 — or an 8% boost to global supply.

Still, the effects of reinjecting brine haven’t been properly studied, and DLE plant efficiencies need to be weighed alongside the need for more freshwater and energy than evaporation. The Salar Blanco project in Chile, for example, estimates it will use three to eight times more freshwater.

“The future of DLE technologies is still uncertain, and the long-term feasibility must be evaluated,” SQM said in a written response to Bloomberg questions. The world No. 2 producer is negotiating a new contract under Chile’s recently announced public-private model that includes a requirement for more sustainable practices.

Joe Lowry, the veteran industry consultant dubbed Mr. Lithium, sees DLE as a technique to unlock new sources in North America. But in South America, it should be seen as a way to enhance rather than replace the evaporation method, he said, estimating that less than 15% of global output will be through DLE in the next decade.

Meanwhile, several oil companies are putting their weight behind efforts to retrieve lithium from oil brine. Occidental Petroleum Corp. has said it’s exploring brine-based lithium extraction, while Imperial Oil Ltd. has a 5% stake in Canadian miner E3 Lithium Ltd., which is testing DLE technology in Canada’s oil patch.

Koch, the fuels-to-fertilizer powerhouse, sees direct extraction as a way to help feed a market that’s set to grow fivefold by 2030 as EV adoption accelerates. DLE is an “easy button, if you will, for the lithium industry to bring on a tremendous amount of supply in regions where you otherwise probably couldn’t,” said Garrett Krall, director of strategic initiatives at Koch Engineered Solutions.

Koch’s technology is on full display at Standard Lithium’s demonstration plant in El Dorado. Koch even invested $100 million in the Canadian company, which plans to start building a commercial DLE facility by the Arkansas site in early 2025. CEO Mintak says he anticipates full production by 2026.

For DLE skeptics, some smaller companies have become lightning rods for questions about the technology. Short-seller Blue Orca Capital voiced doubts on the viability of Standard Lithium’s technology in November 2021. About two months later, Hindenburg Research disclosed a short position on the stock in a report critical of the Vancouver-based firm. Standard Lithium called the reports false and misleading.

At an industrial park in Santiago’s outskirts, Summit Nanotech Corp. is readying a facility to test brine from northern Chile. The Calgary-based firm uses a patented material to absorb the metal and is looking into reinjection methods, applying knowledge gleaned from Alberta’s oil fields. Direct extraction seems inevitable given the large footprint of evaporation ponds and the community opposition they attract, geoscience director Stefan Walter said.

“It’s going to take time,” he said. “It’s going to be difficult, It’s going to be capital intensive. But all new innovative technologies are kind of like that.”

(By James Attwood and Yvonne Yue Li)

E3 Lithium starts operations at lithium extraction plant in Canada

Results obtained from this pilot plant will be used in the design of a commercial-scale production plant in the future.

E3 Lithium’s DLE pilot plant in Olds, Alberta. 

Credit: E3 Lithium.

News
August 30, 2023

Canada-based lithium producer E3 Lithium has started operations at its direct lithium extraction (DLE) field pilot plant in Olds, Alberta.

As part of the pilot plant’s commissioning process, all the major pieces of equipment were connected on-site. E3’s team also conducted a series of inspections and system tests for a safe and successful start of operations.

According to the company, each DLE system is operating as expected based on performance metrics established during pre-pilot testing.

The team began operations by running the DLE processes at different system configuration settings to determine the best and the most efficient process for lithium extraction using the standards set by key performance indicators in June this year.

After a specific set of operating parameters is set, each system will run to complete two tests to confirm consistent results over longer periods and to produce large volumes of lithium concentrate. This lithium concentrate will then be processed further to obtain products such as lithium hydroxide.

The data from the pilot plant will be used in the design of a commercial processing facility as part of its pre-feasibility study and feasibility study phases.

E3 Lithium president and CEO Chris Doornbos said: “The start of full operations is a testament to the hard work the team has been putting in to get this equipment running.

“This is a foundational moment for E3 Lithium, as demonstrating DLE at pilot scale will enable us to move forward in developing this lithium asset in Alberta towards commercialisation.”


Construction on the project began in May this year, after a facility licence was secured the prior month.

E3 Lithium claims that its DLE technology can achieve more than 90% recovery while increasing lithium concentration and reducing impurities by 98%.

By scaling up its DLE technology, the company aims to produce highly pure, battery-grade lithium products.

Midland starts lithium exploration at its Quebec projects

As per Midland, the Mythril area and Galinée projects are highly anomalous for lithium-beryllium-tantalum.

Rio Tinto signed an option agreement to acquire stake in the properties, this June. 

Credit: Juan Enrique del Barrio/Shutterstock.com

Canadian mining company Midland Exploration has begun its first exploration for lithium at its Mythril area and Galinée projects, located in the Canadian province of Quebec.

Mythril Regional, including Chisaayuu, Corvette and Mythril East, along with the Galinée projects, are located in Baie-James and in Eeyou Istchee municipalities in Quebec, respectively.

The Eeyou Istchee region in the province is presently seeing exploration rush for lithium pegmatites.

The Mythril regional projects feature 730 claims, spread across 370.1km², while the Galinée project has 54 claims across 27.7km².

In June, Rio Tinto signed an option deal with Midland to acquire up to 50% interest across Mythril-Corvette, Mythril-East, Mythril-Chisaayuu, Galinee, Moria, Shire, Komo, Warp, Sulu, and Picard properties.

These properties contain a total of 2009 claims. which are spread across on more than 1,000km².

The exploration programme being conducted by Midland includes high resolution light detection and ranging (LiDAR) survey. At Chisaayuu and Corvette projects, lithium lake bottom anomalies were found following statistical treatment.

The Mythril Regional projects are claimed to contain amphibolite rock formations which are known to host rocks bearing lithium pegmatites. A historical work by the company shows evidence of lithium-beryllium-tantalum (Li-Be-Ta) pegmatite potential.


An exploration for copper, at Chisaayuu last year, returned strong anomalous lithium values with 0.12% and 0.04% of lithium oxide (Li2O).

A grab sample of pegmatitic boulder at Corvette project returned highly anomalous Li-Ta values 0.02% Li2O and 72ppm of Ta. Lake bottom lithium anomalies have also been found at the Chisaayuu and Corvette projects.

Midland further stated that none of these anomalies followed up yet and will be targeted during this exploration programme.

Solstice purchases two lithium projects in Ontario, Canada

The two projects are located near Nipigon, Ontario, and host lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites.

The two new lithium projects cover a total of 96km² with 275 claims. 

Credit: A R Turner/Shutterstock.com.

Canadian gold exploration company Solstice Gold has acquired the Church Lake project and has the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Purdom project, located near the Frazer Lake area in Nipigon, Ontario.

Solstice reached an agreement with 1544230 Ontario and Gravel Ridge Resources (“optioners”) to buy the option to acquire the optioners’ stake in the Purdom project.

It has agreed to pay C$21,000 ($15,488) in cash within ten days and issue 300,000 shares to the optioners.

To exercise the option, the company must conduct exploration expenditure on the claims and make payments, including C$25,000 by the first anniversary of the option agreement followed by a payment of C$30,000 by the second anniversary and a payment of C$34,000 by the third anniversary.

It must also pay at least C$30,000 for exploration work within the first anniversary.

The optioners will retain a 1.5% net smelter royalty (NSR) on the project, including a 0.75% buyback for C$900,000.

With these acquisitions, Solstice added 96km² of strategic land for lithium pegmatite exploration. The Church Lake project covers 55km² of area with 261 claims and the Purdom project spans 41km²with 14 claims.

The Church Lake project is 5km south of Pegmatite One Lithium’s (PGA) claims, which host a new lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite discovery.


It is within the halo of two-mica granite mapped by the Ontario Geological Survey (OGS), which is expected to be the source of the LCT pegmatites in the region. OGS’s survey also suggests that the pegmatites are closer to the intrusive.

The project is within the southern end of a fault with several lithium lake sediment anomalies. There are prominent east-west structures across the area’s length.

The Purdom project is located east of PGA’s claims and 3.5km to OGS-mapped two-mica granite. It is claimed to host lithium lake sediment anomalies.

Lake sediment anomalies at the two projects are newly documented and provide positive indications of potential for pegmatite discoveries, Solstice added.

Solstice CEO Pablo McDonald said: “A possible western extension of the Georgia Lake Deposit in this area was identified as part of Solstice’s 2023 Province-wide review of potential lithium areas. We had been tracking progress in the area and decided to seize the opportunity to stake once we saw positive results to confirm its potential.

“We are very happy with the preliminary results we’ve seen from our reconnaissance field trip, and we have already mobilised field teams to the area. We will be making use of structural and geochemical data to vector into the areas of the highest potential in this area while doing systematic coverage of the properties.”