Lake produces battery grade Li carbonate in Argentina

Sydney-based lithium developer Lake Resources has produced battery grade lithium carbonate at its Kachi lithium brine project in Argentina.

Utilising direct extraction technology developed by California-based Lilac Solutions, the company said that 99.9pc purity samples are now being produced from pilot plant modules ahead of larger samples for potential downstream offtake partners. Around 20,000 litres of samples have been shipped from Argentina.

Lake has held discussions with potential offtake and development partners that are interested in the low impurities of battery grade lithium produced at Kachi through the faster and more environmentally friendly direct extraction technology.

The Kachi pre-feasibility study was expected to be completed in late 2019 but it is now scheduled to be completed in February.

Kachi is situated in the so-called lithium triangle which straddles Argentina, Chile and Bolivia and is home to the world's largest lithium brine projects and reserves.

By Angus Macmillan