Aquatech says it has acquired Koch Technology Solutions’ (KTS) direct lithium extraction (DLE) business, in the process integrating the Li-Pro™ Lithium Selective Sorption (LSS) technology and extensive Li-Pro IP portfolio into the PEARL™ process technology platform.
The acquisition of KTS’ Li-Pro LSS technology adds direct lithium extraction to Aquatech’s extensive process flowsheet IP, lithium conversion and crystallisation capabilities, the company says. With this addition, Aquatech’s PEARL platform becomes the only commercially proven, end-to-end flowsheet solution for lithium processing, it claims. Spanning lithium extraction, purification and refining, the PEARL process technology platform delivers high-purity battery materials for electric vehicles and utility-scale electricity storage systems.
The integration and optimisation of upstream and downstream lithium processing will empower lithium resource owners with modularised process solutions at scale, Aquatech says. This approach improves project bankability by removing process risk, accelerating project schedules and reducing the total cost of lithium production. Li-Pro LSS will be available under technology licence as part of the PEARL full flowsheet licensing offerings.
As part of the acquisition, all ongoing lithium extraction projects using Li-Pro technology and associated licences, agreements and performance guarantees will be transferred to Aquatech. This includes KTS’ role in the Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Standard Lithium Ltd in the Smackover Formation, where they have completed over 12,000 operational cycles using Li-Pro technology at its demonstration plant and achieved an average lithium recovery of over 95%. It also includes a licensing agreement with Smackover Lithium, a joint venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor, for the first phase of its South West Arkansas project. The project is among the largest lithium projects in the US, with an initial phase of 22,500 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent targeting first production in 2028, with significant scope for future expansion.
Dave Dotson, President at Koch Engineered Solutions, the parent company of KTS, said: “Koch Technology Solutions has proven the Li-Pro LSS technology as a successful DLE solution, and the time has come to scale it for the market. Aquatech is uniquely placed to scale this technology and deliver it into projects as a cost competitive, end-to-end process solution, creating significant value for the lithium industry.”
Garrett Krall, Critical Minerals & Lithium Business Leader at Koch Technology Solutions, said: “We are confident that our legacy lithium customers will benefit from the broader offering of Aquatech. More broadly, Koch continues to maintain an active interest in the success of the technology via its investments in several key companies within the lithium minerals and lithium battery industries.”
Venkee Sharma, Executive Chairman at Aquatech, added: “Fragmented technology offerings increase project cost, risk and time-to-market, which has hindered the ramp-up of urgently needed critical minerals production in the Americas and Europe. Bringing Li-Pro into the PEARL technology platform solves this pressing industry need by offering the only proven full flowsheet solution that encompasses both upstream and downstream lithium processing technology.”
He continued: “We welcome the KTS Li-Pro team to Aquatech and commend them on the pioneering work done to develop Li-Pro LSS. With over 45 years of experience scaling commercially proven technologies, we are excited to evolve Li-Pro LSS both as a standalone technology offering and as part of the PEARL platform.”
