U.S. companies use tank leaching process to produce lithium, want to reduce production costs

　　The main reason for cost saving is the ability to use the steam generated in the production process to generate electricity, and the installed capacity can even reach 20,000 to 30,000 kilowatts. In this way, the production cost of sulfuric acid used for tank leaching can be reduced to 20-30 US dollars/ton. Another advantage of this process is that it consumes less water and occupies a small area.

　　Compared with solar evaporator, the advantage of mechanical evaporator is that it can better control the downstream process, occupy a smaller area, use less water, and therefore has a lower cost.

　　Drying and recycling the tank leaching waste liquid can also reduce investment costs and the demand for tailings dams.

　　Company manager Bernard Rowe said that after weighing the pros and cons recently, a clear development path has been found for the project. The Riolit Ridge project can be built into a low-cost large-scale lithium battery without affecting the environment. Boron mines.

　　Sulfuric acid is an important factor in reducing the cost of this project. The combination of tank leaching and in-situ sulfuric acid plant can greatly reduce the cost of sulfuric acid, thus reducing the total production cost.

　　Sulfuric acid plant can produce a large amount of steam. On the one hand, it can provide heat energy for tank leaching. On the other hand, the excess steam can also be used for thermal power generation. The steam produced by the sulfuric acid plant reduces the costs associated with mechanical evaporation. Tank leaching, coupled with mechanical evaporation, reduces the cost of maintaining stable composition of most concentrated heap leaching mother liquor and simplifies the downstream process.

　　All pre-feasibility studies will be completed in the middle of the year, and the company will consider ways to further reduce costs and accelerate the payback cycle.