Lepidico (ASX:LPD) develops new lithium carbonate process

• Lepidico (LPD) has lodged a patent application for a new process of producing high-purity, battery-grade lithium carbonate
• The unique process involves LOH-Max intermediate crude lithium hydroxide via the sequestration of carbon dioxide, planned to be captured from the upstream L-Max process, followed by refining
• LOH-Max and L-Max convert lithium mica minerals into fine alkali metal chemicals, including nominal battery-grade lithium hydroxide, without the requirement for energy-intensive roasting and calcination
• The new process can be integrated with either technologies or in the chemical conversion of spodumene concentrates
• The capital cost is estimated at less than US$1 million to integrate the process into the back end of the company’s phase one plant
• Shares last traded in the grey at 2.2 cents each

Lepidico (LPD) has lodged a patent application for a new process of producing high-purity, battery-grade lithium carbonate.

The lithium exploration company’s production process involves LOH-Max intermediate crude lithium hydroxide via the sequestration of carbon dioxide, which is planned to be captured from the upstream L-Max process and then refined.

In October 2019, Lepidico received a U.S. patent for its L-Max process technology. The process is used to extract and recover lithium chemicals to supply lithium carbonate at a low cost.

Further, in December last year the company partnered with Cornish Lithium to commercialise the L-Max and LOH-Max technologies.

Both technologies are said to convert lithium mica minerals into fine alkali metal chemicals, including nominal battery-grade lithium hydroxide, without the requirement for energy-intensive roasting and calcination.

The new process has been designed so that it can be integrated with either L-Max or LOH-Max technologies, as well as in the chemical conversion of spodumene concentrates.

The company hopes the process will lend itself to the growing need for lithium chemical companies to be able to efficiently switch between production of lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide when it comes to lithium-ion battery cathode manufacturing and the electric vehicle market.

Lepidico’s Managing Director, Joe Walsh, commented on the new process.

“Engagement with lithium chemical consumers over the past two years has revealed a growing need for suppliers to be able to contract for either lithium
carbonate or lithium hydroxide,” he said.

“Lepidico’s new lithium carbonate process coupled with its existing LMax and LOH-Max process technologies provide a unique solution to this need, which is both cost competitive and can lead to reduced CO2 emissions from levels which are already low within the industry,” he continued.

The capital cost is estimated at less than US$1 million to integrate this lithium carbonate functionality into the back end of the company’s phase one plant.

Lepidico has scheduled the process design work to be completed this quarter, allowing feasibility study work to start for retrofitting lithium carbonate functionality to the phase one plant in the second year of production.

Shares last traded in the grey at 2.2 cents each.