POSCO Holdings to demonstrate DLE tech in the US
Published by Will Owen,
Editor
Global Mining Review,
POSCO Holdings has become the first Korean company to launch a demonstration project for direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology in North America, as part of efforts to establish a localised lithium supply chain.
POSCO Holdings signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 30 June with Australian resource development company Anson Resources to establish and operate a demo plant to demonstrate its DLE technology.
The plant will be built on a site in Green River City, Utah, where Anson holds lithium brine rights. POSCO aims to evaluate the commercial viability of its DLE technology through this initiative.
This demo plant investment is part of POSCO Group’s secondary battery materials strategy, which centres on securing additional lithium resources and advancing future technological competitiveness. POSCO Holdings is currently reshaping its business portfolio under the ‘2 Core + New Engine’ strategy, with a strong focus on expanding the lithium supply chain within its secondary battery materials segment.
Based on the successful operation of the US demo plant, POSCO Holdings plans to bring its independently developed DLE technology to market and accelerate investment and commercialisation efforts for untapped lithium brine resources across North America.
Set to break ground next year, the DLE demo plant represents a major strategic investment by POSCO Group as it works to lead in securing future-critical technologies essential to the growth of its lithium business in North America.
The conventional method of extracting lithium from brine involves solar evaporation ponds, which are only commercially viable in regions with strong and consistent sunlight. In contrast, DLE is an innovative process that enables the efficient extraction of lithium from low-concentration brine without the need for large-scale evaporation ponds. This makes DLE a critical technology for developing lithium resources in North America. As a result, global lithium producers are increasingly turning to DLE to unlock low-grade brine resources that were previously considered uneconomical.
Under the MOU, Anson Resources will provide the lithium feedstock and the project site, while POSCO Holdings will conduct a full-scale evaluation of the business potential of its DLE technology. Depending on the results of the demonstration, the two companies will consider forming a strategic partnership and exploring further collaboration.
Meanwhile, POSCO Holdings has already launched two major lithium production facilities: a 25 000 tpy brine-based plant in Argentina, and a 43 000 tpy hard rock lithium plant in the Yulchon Industrial Complex in South Korea. Combined, these plants provide an annual lithium hydroxide production capacity of 68 000 t, enough to power approximately 1.6 million EVs.
Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/18072025/posco-holdings-to-demonstrate-dle-tech-in-the-us/
