Pilbara Minerals has signed a memorandum of understanding with Calix to jointly undertake a scoping study to evaluate a new refining process for lithium.
Under a new memorandum of understanding, Calix and Pilbara Minerals will undertake a scoping study to assess a new refining process using Calix Technology, which will be used to create a concentrated lithium salt midstream product for lithium batteries.
Pilbara Minerals owns the Pilgangoora deposit, one of the world’s largest lithium resources. Currently, the ore is processed to produce a spodumene concentrate which is then shipped to customers overseas for use in lithium battery material production.
The scoping study will investigate taking fine, lower grade spodumene concentrate and further processing it on site using renewable energy to create a low carbon, concentrated lithium salt.
The Calix Technology solution involves heating fine spodumene concentrate in an externally heated kiln for a very short time. This facilitates the phase change in the spodumene mineral from Alpha to Beta without the associated melting observed in traditional rotary kilns when treating fine concentrates.
The study is expected to run until late 2021 and, if successful, Pilbara and Calix will form a joint venture to build a demonstration facility at the Pilgangoora spodumene mine in Western Australia, with the vision to produce a higher value lithium salt, while reducing carbon emissions.
Pilbara is expecting the facility to be capable of up to approximately 2400 tpa of lithium salt production capacity.
