Calix Technology can help improve the sustainability of exisiting industrial processes through a more optimised use of mineral and chemical resources, and the use of renewable sources of energy.
The potential benefits of the Pilbara project:
* A higher value product is produced on site.
* More waste/tails are kept on site by shipping a higher lithium concentrate intermediate to refiners.
* A higher recovery is obtained from the ore body.
* By using an electric calciner, Pilbara can reduce its CO2 footprint and deliver Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) advantages.
* The higher value intermediate will be suitable to ship directly to Europe.
Find out more: www.calix.global/sustainable-processing
Pilbara Minerals’ wholly owned Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project, located in Western Australia, is recognised as a globally important source of spodumene.
Spodumene is a lithium mineral derived from pegmatite rock. Known for its high lithium content, spodumene is the most widely exploited mineral source of lithium.
In addition to its high concentration of lithium, lithium extraction from spodumene also typically offers lower capital costs and a shorter time from discovery to production in comparison to brine operations.
Ken Brinsden
Pilbara Minerals’ Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said
“Calix and Pilbara Minerals have conducted calcination trials of Pilgangoora spodumene in its electrically fired BATMn reactor, at Calix’s Bacchus Marsh facility, and it successfully demonstrated high conversion rates, zero dust emissions and avoided any partial melting concerns.
With these promising results, we will now move to a scoping study phase to investigate installing a calciner and downstream demonstration processing plant at Pilgangoora to allow the processing of fine, low grade ore to produce lithium salt material for export overseas.”
Phil Hodgson
Calix CEO and Managing Director, said
“This proof-of-concept work demonstrated that Calix Technology was able to achieve over 95% conversion of the spodumene ore to an extractable lithium, which is comparable to the conventional rotary kiln process, with fine, and lower grade material. Additionally, we carried out these runs on our BATMn* Technology, providing additional proof-of-concept for the technology to be run off renewable electricity, such as a solar and/or wind farm.
We look forward to working with Pilbara Minerals on this exciting project for the hard-rock lithium industry, and also other mining and processing companies in other minerals to improve their industrial processes, reduce costs and increase their sustainability.”
* BATMn is Calix’s first all-electric reactor, built at our Bacchus Marsh facility in Victoria Australia, for the development of our advanced battery materials.
July 19, 2023