Volt Lithium Corp. announces that the company has significantly improved the operating capacity of its proprietary and proven next-generation Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) technology for processing oilfield brines in the Delaware Basin in West Texas, USA (a sub-basin of the Permian Basin), enabling an increase of throughput capacity while reducing future capital requirements.
Volt’s U.S. Field Unit (“Field Unit”) is modular, providing the flexibility for continued optimization, modifications and process improvements. Through the installation of Volt’s Generation 3 equipment at its Field Unit in the Delaware Basin in West Texas, USA, recent direct lithium extraction cycle times have been consistently less than 30 minutes, representing a four times improvement in operating capabilities, setting the stage for commercial production in the range of 5,000 to 10,000 barrels per day (“bbls/d”) of brine production by the end of 2024. Volt and its Strategic Partner will continually scale-up its Field Unit, positioning the Company as a low-cost and full-scale commercial producer.
“We have successfully transitioned the Generation 3 System from Volt’s Simulation Centre in Calgary to the field in Texas, paving the way for Volt to commence commercial operations by the end of 2024”, commented Alex Wylie, President & CEO of Volt Lithium. “The success in the field to date will allow Volt and our Strategic Partner to significantly scale-up operations in 2025 and beyond.”
U.S. Field Operations Update: Continued Optimization of Proprietary DLE Technology
The Company is pleased to announce that as a result of technical advancements and optimization from its Generation 3 equipment, it has significantly improved its processing extraction time from oilfield brine to under 30 minutes while maintaining the technical standards of 99% lithium extraction rates. In addition, most recent results in the field have demonstrated up to 75% lithium extraction rates within a 10 minute lithium extraction cycle time. The improved cycle times will allow Volt to significantly increase throughput capacity in its operations in the Delaware Basin in Texas.
In collaboration with our Strategic Partner’s engineering, construction and technical teams, the Company will continue to improve operational processes for our proprietary DLE technology that we believe will truly drive commercial success for the Company into 2025 and beyond. The Company will continue to cost-effectively and efficiently scale-up further to process commercial levels of brine through: 1) Adding modules to increase processing capacity; 2) Reducing lithium extraction time to increase volumes; and 3) Implementing larger extraction modules.
As Volt’s DLE process can successfully achieve rapid lithium extraction rates, the Company can cost-effectively generate a high-quality eluate of lithium chloride (lithium chloride concentrate), as well as battery-grade lithium carbonate or battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate. The Company’s phased scale-up approach, coupled with extensive testing at its Field Simulation Centre mitigates project execution risk and accelerates timeline to full-scale commercialization. This plan minimizes capital at risk and allows for validation of Volt’s proprietary DLE technology prior to full-scale commercialization.
The brine production from the Permian Basin today is approximately 19 million bbls/d, representing an estimated potential of 325,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate production1. Assuming average economics from lithium extraction, sensitivities are as follows at potential production levels and lithium concentrations 2,3 and have been adjusted to reflect lithium carbonate production, as opposed to lithium hydroxide monohydrate production.
| Brine Production per day (bbls) |
Lithium Carbonate Produced per annum (tonnes) (31 mg/L) |
Operating Cash Flow4 per annum (31 mg/L) ($US) |
Lithium Carbonate Production per annum (tonnes) (55 mg/L) |
Operating Cash Flow4 per annum (55 mg/L) ($US) |
| 100,000 | 900 | 14,500,000 | 1,600 | 27,600,000 |
| 500,000 | 4,500 | 72,300,000 | 8,000 | 137,800,000 |
| 1,000,000 | 9,000 | 145,000,000 | 16,000 | 275,700,000 |
| 2,000,000 | 18,000 | 289,000,000 | 32,000 | 551,400,000 |
Appointment of Industry Veteran Dr. John McEwen as Chief Technology Officer
Volt is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John McEwen, PhD Chemistry, as Chief Technology Officer of the Company. Dr. McEwen has over 30 years of industry experience in technical services and research and development. Since 2018, Dr. McEwen has been Director, Technical Services, for Sterling Chemicals and has been an Advisory Board Member of Volt since 2022.
“John has been instrumental in the development of our proven proprietary direct lithium extraction technology and process since the inception of the Company,” commented Alex Wylie, President & CEO of Volt Lithium. “His extensive specialized experience will continue to be a welcomed benefit for the Company and will continue the advancement of our proprietary DLE technology and processes. By formalizing John’s role at Volt, the Company continues to strengthen its intellectual property around the extraction technology and process and aligns the Volt team for its planned 2025 scale-up of operations.”
Qualified Person’s Statement
Scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Doug Ashton, P.Eng, and Meghan Klein, P.Eng of Sproule Associates Limited, each of whom are qualified persons within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Mr. Ashton and Ms. Klein consent to the inclusion of the data in the form and context in which it appears.
