To support battery materials production
Metso is set to introduce the next generation of its lithium carbonate production process, a single-pass technology developed to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from spodumene concentrate with high yield, low operating costs, and in a more sustainable way
Global lithium demand is expected to rise, driven by the electrification of transport, the integration of renewable energy, and the adoption of battery storage. Metso’s lithium carbonate process can address this demand by enabling efficient, scalable production of battery-grade materials. There is a growing interest in lithium carbonate production from mineral raw materials, driven by demand for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
Marika Tiihonen, technology manager for Lithium at Metso, said, “We are pleased to introduce our enhanced lithium carbonate process to support customers and partners in lithium minerals-related applications. By combining our proven thermal and hydrometallurgical technologies with our strong end-to-end flowsheet capabilities and local service support to maximise production, we can deliver high availability lithium processing plants while enabling efficient, safe, and reliable operations. This launch builds on our strong track record in hydrometallurgical technologies and further strengthens Metso’s ability to support customers across the lithium value chain.”
Metso’s lithium carbonate process refines spodumene to battery-grade lithium carbonate in a single pass, helping to avoid complex processing and undesired by-products such as sodium sulfate. By minimising the number of process steps, customers can benefit from lower capital costs, enhanced operational stability, simplified plant design, and faster ramp-up.
Metso’s hydrometallurgical alkaline leach processes provide simple, safe ways to refine spodumene concentration into battery-grade products such as lithium carbonate. The process involved soda-pressure leaching, which enables selective extraction of lithium while removing less-soluble impurities. Metso is also testing and developing a circular metallurgy concept to regenerate chemicals used in the alkaline leach process.
