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Volt Lithium (TSXV: VLT) has achieved first lithium production on its US field operations in the Permian Basin, Texas. The company began operating its direct lithium extraction (DLE) system last week and is currently optimizing its field unit.
According to the company, the next step will be the production of lithium chloride concentrate, which will be converted to battery-grade lithium carbonate at Volt’s field simulation centre in Calgary, Alberta. As the company scales up to full operations, downstream refining is expected to shift onsite.
“Achieving first lithium production establishes Volt as a leader in direct lithium extraction from North American oilfield brines and marks the company’s strategic shift from development to production,” Volt Lithium CEO Alex Wylie said in a news release.
Volt aims to ramp up commercial production to 100,000 barrels per day of brine during the second half of 2025.
Volt’s DLE approach involves a two-stage process. The first focuses on removing contaminants from the brine before extraction. In the second stage, the breakthrough in their technology came with the development of specialized ion exchange beads, the company said.
“Unlike traditional beads, their innovative creation boasted a size of five microns and an impressive 800 times the surface area of other industry standard beads, enhancing their extraction efficiency,” Wylie told The Northern Miner in 2023.
This advancement, he said, allowed the team to consistently extract lithium from brines during various testing stages, including successful pilot projects.
Volt’s shares were up 28% in Toronto on Thursday morning, bringing the company’s market capitalization to approximately C$68 million (about $50 million).
