Infinity Lithium Corporation Ltd (ASX:INF) has set up an incorporated subsidiary Infinity GreenTech Pty Ltd to commercialise a new low-carbon lithium hard rock processing technique.
The company says the process is a radical departure from traditional hydrometallurgical conversion methods.
Commercialising green concept
The bid to commercialise is the result of a comprehensive review of potential alternative extractive technologies for the San Jose Lithium Project in Spain, during which the company identified candidate alternative technologies with significant technical, financial and environmental benefits.
Phase 1 of the test-work has been completed and early bench-scale test results confirmed the recoverability of lithium in solution from run-of-mine (ROM) feedstock between 60% to 70% lithium from open-circuit direct processing of ROM without optimisation.
INF expects higher rates of lithium recovery once process conditions are optimised.
“The results of the progression of these technical validations could provide an alternative and major opportunity for Infinity to provide an option to significantly improve the economic and environmental profile of San Jose,” Infinity CEO and managing director Ryan Parkin said.
“It will also enable Infinity to apply its new generation GreenTech technology for the conversion of multiple sources of lithium-bearing materials to produce a sustainable and cost-effective battery-grade end product.”
Environmental and cost benefits
Infinity GreenTech says the readily available reagents used in the process are low cost, non-toxic and recyclable, while the overall environmental impact of the process is minimised through the use of renewable energy and recirculation of key inputs.
The processing route has significant environmental benefits including less waste, significantly reduced emissions and a minimised CO2 footprint.
It is also cheaper – the simple and rapid production of both battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide results in reduced complexity and overheads.
Patent applications lodged
The company has lodged provisional patent applications for what it hopes is a sustainable and novel lithium hydrometallurgical conversion process and is progressing its pilot plant design, layout engineering and sourcing long-lead items.
Infinity GreenTech is also assessing opportunities to recover potentially valuable potassium and sodium-containing by-products in the next stages of test-work. Locked-cycle test-work (LCT) is expected to commence in late November.
INF shares have up been as much as 14.7% to an intraday high of A$0.235.
