Development of efficient methods to extract lithium from Alberta oilfield brines

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Lithium is an increasingly valuable resource, having uses in lubricants, the manufacture of glass and ceramics, and in producing lithium ion batteries (LIB) found in products such as cellular telephones and electric cars. Due to continued growth in the LIB market, the demand for lithium in the foreseeable future is projected to continue to rise. A potentially untapped reservoir of lithium lies in existing oilfield brines found in the Leduc Formation of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, which underlies a great portion of Alberta. While the Leduc brines contain considerable concentrations of lithium, efficient and low-cost extraction methods are needed to extract the resource and bring the final product, lithium carbonate, to market. In this research project we will continue to collaborate with E3 Metals Corporation (E3), a minerals exploration company located in Calgary, Alberta, with whom we have an NSERC Engage project that began in July 2017. E3 has the rights to over 500,000 hectares of metallic and industrial permits overlying the Leduc Reservoir. Our aim is to evaluate and develop lithium extraction technologies targeted to the Leduc brines, including the evaluation of combined technologies that may result in more efficient lithium extraction. After evaluating the results of these benchtop experiments, we will work with E3 to scale up the technology to a lithium recovery pilot plant in the second half of the granting period. If successful, this project could lead to the first lithium extraction plant in western Canada, and potentially a new industry for the region.**