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Lithium Australia to pilot test LieNA spodumene conversion process

Last updated: 10:35 05 Mar 2021 AEDT, First published: 10:30 05 Mar 2021 AEDT

Lithium Australia NL - Lithium Australia set to pilot test its LieNA spodumene conversion process
R&D testing of the first concentrates is scheduled to commence in September 2021.

Lithium Australia NL’s (ASX:LIT) (FRA:3MW) (OTCMKTS:LMMFF) LieNA® pilot plant has been given the green light, with the company preparing to test its unique LieNA® spodumene conversion process.

Pilot concentrate is being prepared from spodumene-bearing drill chips and the construction of critical pilot-plant components has begun, with the order for the autoclave placed.

The LieNA test program is designed to:

  • Assess the veracity of the LieNA process on a semi-continuous basis;
  • Evaluate the quality of the lithium chemicals produced;
  • Produce LFP battery cells, which can then be tested to assess the electrochemical properties of the lithium chemicals produced;
  • Characterise the nature of the waste materials produced and their further application;
  • Establish performance criteria for further design studies, and
  • Provide the required inputs for a pre-feasibility study.

The initial pilot-plant test run is scheduled for September 2021 and the program will be completed with a pre-feasibility study of the LieNA process.

“Designed to improve recovery”

Currently, when spodumene ore is converted to commercial concentrates, somewhere between 25 and 50% of the lithium within the ore fed to the concentrator is lost.

The LieNA process is designed to remedy this loss and can reduce the mining costs associated with lithium chemical production.

Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin said: “Lithium Australia’s LieNA technology is the pinnacle for hydrometallurgical processing of spodumene, the principal hard-rock source of lithium.

“LieNA is capable of recovering lithium from fine and/or contaminated spodumene that fails to meet the feed specifications of current converters.

“It also provides the highest levels of impurity rejection.

“It is these characteristics that set it apart.

“LieNA, then, is designed to improve overall recovery and achieve better utilisation of existing resources: it's about cost reduction, sustainability and maximising the benefit of our critical (and finite) resources.”

LieNA process benefits

The LieNA process can produce a range of lithium chemicals, including hydroxide, carbonate and phosphate.

Lithium phosphate is the preferred product, as it is easy to refine, commands a price premium over hydroxide or carbonate and is the ideal precursor to the production of lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) batteries – a safe, low-cost type of lithium-ion battery (LIB).

The aim of running a semi-continuous LieNA processing circuit and taking the product right through to the production of LFP coin cells for electrochemical testing is to demonstrate the ability to reduce the number of steps involved in the supply chain.

This would be a significant achievement, with success paving the way for better resource utilisation and a more direct route to the production of LFP LIBs, which would benefit consumers and the environment alike.

Pilot plant operations

A bulk sample of spodumene-bearing pegmatite was provided by Essential Metals Ltd (ASX:ESS) (OTCMKTS:PIONF) (FRA:PNL).

That sample will be processed by ALS Metallurgy Pty Ltd, to provide concentrate feed for at least one pilot-plant run of approximately seven days' duration.

Meanwhile, alternative sources of samples are being evaluated, in order to secure a broader range of feed materials.

ANSTO will construct and operate the LieNA pilot plant, with Murdoch University, Curtin University and Carnac Project Delivery Services offering specialised input into the project.

The lithium chemicals produced at the pilot plant will be sent to the company's wholly-owned subsidiary VSPC Ltd, where they will be used to generate cathode powders and LFP coin-cell LIBs.

These will be tested and their performance compared in relation to VSPC benchmarks, as well as that of other commercially available materials.

Government support

As announced on February 13, 2020, the company was awarded a grant under the Australian Federal Government’s CRC-P (Co-operative Research Centre Projects) initiative, to support the next stage of its $3.6 million research and development (R&D) program for the recovery of lithium from spodumene using LieNA.

Much of the preparatory work has now been completed, including collection of an initial test sample recovered from drill chips and bench-scale test work to characterise the flotation conditions required for pilot-plant production of concentrates from the drill chip sample, optimise caustic conversion conditions and confirm the final autoclave design specification.

The advent of COVID-19 in 2020 made operation of the pilot plant impractical but with Australia's internal travel restrictions now lifted, the program has been reinvigorated.

R&D testing of the first concentrates is scheduled to commence in September 2021.

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