Neometals (ASX:NMT) has begun the final electrolysis stage of its ELi process pilot trials at NESi, the testing facility of electrolyser vendor NORAM, in Canada.
The proprietary ELi process testing is being undertaken by Reed Advanced Materials (RAM), a joint venture project between Neometals and Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN).
ELi uses electricity to convert lithium chloride solutions into lithium hydroxide monohydrate in a conventional chlor-alkali cell, replacing large volumes of reagents required in the industry-standard flowsheet.
Neometals, which has a market capitalisation of $74.73 million, says the testwork will electrolyse a purified lithium chloride solution from an operating South American brine source and produce lithium hydroxide as the primary product.
The 1,000-hour duration of the trial will provide data that confirms expected power consumption, membrane life, and product quality to support ongoing technology licencing activities.
RAM currently holds 19 granted patents in key lithium producing jurisdictions and has a further 15 pending national phase patents at various stages globally.
Neometals facilitates sustainable critical materials supply chains, aiming to reduce the environmental burden of traditional mining in the global transition to a circular economy.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Neometals
