Pure Lithium invented the first battery-ready lithium metal electrode made from a variety of inexpensive, available lithium salts. Credit: Pure Lithium.

US-based Pure Lithium has signed a joint development agreement with Canadian company E3 Lithium to advance the design of a vertically integrated lithium metal anode and battery pilot.

The two companies have agreed to develop the pilot plant in Alberta. They will also conduct a preliminary economic assessment of a commercial lithium metal battery facility integrating Pure Lithium’s “Brine to Battery” technology with E3’s lithium brines and concentrate production, aiming to simplify the process flow sheet.

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E3 Lithium president and CEO Chris Doornbos said: “Integrating the E3 DLE [direct lithium extraction] flow sheet with Pure Lithium’s electrodeposition technology shows significant promise to deliver low-cost, sustainable batteries that would be industry-leading.”

The announcement also represents a significant advancement in bringing Pure Lithium’s lithium metal battery technology from the lab to the manufacturing stage.

E3’s direct lithium extraction technology will provide Pure Lithium brine to convert into electrodes.

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“By building a pilot plant so close to the source of lithium brine, we eliminate the need to transport the material across long distances,” Emilie Bodoin, founder and CEO of Pure Lithium, told Mining Technology via email.

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It also commercially showcases the world’s first vertically integrated lithium metal battery production.

“We eliminate 90% of the costs of producing lithium metal foil,” added Bodoin.

She added that the company’s “process is completely different [from] anything that exists in the market today.” 

Bodoin says: “As the term implies, we take widely available lithium brine and turn it directly into lithium metal, which we electrodeposit onto a copper plate to create the anode in-house. We also build a vanadium cathode and construct the entire battery at the same facility, eliminating the need for world-spanning supply chains.”  

When asked about the advantages of developing and producing lithium metal batteries in Alberta, Pure Lithium’s CEO said: “The province is a leading lithium developer and extraction technology innovator.

“We already have a reliable lithium concentrate supplier that we have used for several years. The location is also important because of the friendly and stable trade relationship between the US and Canada.”

After completing the assessment, the two companies will evaluate potential next steps, including operating a pilot to produce 200kg of lithium metal anodes for use in lithium metal vanadium rechargeable batteries.

In June 2022, E3 and Pure Lithium successfully developed a lithium metal battery using E3’s lithium concentrate.