Volt Lithium highlights 2023 operational milestones

Since inception, Volt has focused on becoming a leader in direct lithium extraction (DLE) from oilfield brines by leveraging its proprietary DLE technology, strategic relationships, and significant experience efficiently handling the large volumes of water produced through oil and gas operations. Over the past 12 months, Volt successfully executed on numerous strategic milestones, all of which help set the stage to achieve commercial operations, which are initially targeted at the company’s Rainbow Lake property in Alberta. In conjunction, the Volt team is rapidly pursuing opportunities to apply the company’s DLE technology to extract lithium from brines that have been produced from other basins across North America.

Major 2023 Milestones:

• Demonstrated high lithium extraction from low concentration brines.
  • Between 90% and 99% lithium extraction was consistently achieved by Volt through the various tests, from brines having concentrations of lithium ranging from 34 mg/L up to 119 mg/L during Pilot operations in the first half of 2023 and its permanent Demonstration Plant commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2023. This positions Volt to cost-effectively process oilfield brines from multiple oil and gas reservoirs across North America and economically extract lithium, including from brines with low lithium concentrations under 50 mg/L.
• Constructed and commissioned a permanent demonstration plant.
  • Volt’s permanent Demonstration Plant simulates various field conditions for extracting lithium from oilfield brines. With the ongoing testing and processing of oilfield brines from basins across North America in real-time, Volt has continued to expand its potential commercial market. Deploying the company’s proprietary and low-cost DLE process at the Demonstration Plant supports attractive economics, while also providing an environmentally friendly solution for oil and gas producers to address produced water complications.
• Published Initial Independent Resource Estimate
  • Volt’s independent resource report for the Rainbow Lake asset indicated an inferred mineral resource of 4.3 million t of lithium carbonate equivalent in the stacked reservoir.
• Delivered Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”).
  • Volt’s PEA for the Rainbow Lake project demonstrated a pre-tax IRR of 45% and NPV8 of US$1.5 billion.
• Executed on collaborations, bringing industry expertise.
  • To further refine and enhance its technology and process, Volt secured unique collaborations with the Zeng Lab and the Advanced Water Treatment Lab, both based out of the University of Alberta. The Collaborations provide Volt access to nanotechnology and water processing expertise which are critical for effective removal of contaminants from oilfield brine. Leveraging the Collaborations has proven successful in reducing operating costs due to lower reagent use along with streamlining of the extraction process.

“I am very proud of our team’s dedication and success that was achieved in 2023 as we leveraged our technology and operational expertise to establish Volt’s presence,” commented Volt’s President and CEO, Alex Wylie. “The delivery of industry-leading innovation and results, on-time and on-budget, has positioned Volt as a natural solution to economically and environmentally address complexities associated with oilfield brines, for both governments and the North American oil and gas sector.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/26012024/volt-lithium-highlights-2023-operational-milestones/