Albemarle wraps up validation of lithium pilot plant in Chile
SANTIAGO, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Albemarle said on Wednesday it completed the validation of its direct lithium extraction (DLE) pilot plant in Chile, allowing the company to finalize its design of a future commercial facility and proceed to environmental review.
The U.S. company is one of two lithium miners in Chile, which is the world's second-largest producer of the metal that is key for electric vehicle batteries.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Lithium recovery exceeded 94% during stable operation.
• The pilot plant ran for over 3,000 hours, equivalent to more than 90 consecutive days.
• Water reuse reached up to 85% during the validation phase.
• Albemarle allocated $30 million to the pilot plant and another $216 million to a salt recovery plant in the Atacama salt flat.
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