Sumitomo Metal Mining announced it will target first production of lithium compounds using its in-house direct lithium extraction technology from 2028 at lithium brine operations in South America

Sumitomo Metal Mining (Sumitomo) is developing a direct lithium extraction (DLE) process which targets the extraction of lithium compounds from continental lithium brines. The process requires a week for lithium products to be recovered from brines, a significant reduction compared to South American lithium brine operations currently in operation, with initial capacity in the region of 20ktpy to 30ktpy LCE. Removing the requirement for solar evaporation would also reduce reagent costs during processing and allows for lithium depleted brines to be reinjected back into salars. Sumitomo will look to implement its DLE process via joint ventures for the development of lithium brine assets in South America, most likely at projects in Argentina and Chile.

There are several operators and projects in Chile and Argentina which are looking to incorporate a DLE process into their flowsheet. Lithium majors SQM and Albemarle have both committed to investigating DLE as a way to improve recoveries and reduce brine extraction while increasing overall output. Brine operations with more challenging chemistries which have struggled to economically justify the traditional solar evaporation process could also benefit if Sumitomo’s DLE process is able to cope with high impurity contents or low lithium grades.

If successful, the implementation of DLE at brine assets in South America could significantly increase the potential lithium reserve base by enabling lithium production from low-concentration continental, oilfield and geothermal brines. Sumitomo is not alone in its endeavours, however, with several other companies including Lake Resources, Lilac Solutions, E3 Metals and Standard Lithium all developing DLE processes. Despite the strong interest in developing DLE technologies, there has been no commercial-scale production of DLE extraction as of 2023. The 2028 timeline set by Sumitomo seems a ‘best-case’ scenario to undertake the necessary negotiations with a potential joint venture/developer, undertake metallurgical test work, and construct the required infrastructure for production to begin.