Anson Resources Limited (ASN) has announced a significant milestone in its Green River Lithium Project in southeastern Utah, USA. The company, an ASX-listed mineral resources company with core assets in Utah, USA, is focused on developing these assets into significant lithium-producing operations. Anson Resources, through its subsidiary Blackstone Minerals NV LLC, has successfully completed the ‘polishing’ of the highly purified lithium chloride eluate (LiCl) produced at the Green River Lithium Project using Koch Technology Services’ (KTS) Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) pilot plant.
The ‘polishing’ process is a critical step in downstream processing, designed to remove minor contaminants remaining in the purified lithium chloride eluate after the DLE process. According to the company, the majority of contaminants are removed in the DLE process, but this further polishing step ensures a higher grade final lithium carbonate product. Anson has developed a process flowsheet which was tested at Anson’s Lithium Innovation Center in the USA. The polishing system, utilising nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and a combination of IX systems manufactured in the USA, has been installed at Green River and is processing 43,000 gallons of eluate produced by the KTS DLE system.
The polishing process, developed by A1 Technologies Inc, has demonstrated a high rejection rate of remaining contaminants. Downstream of the polishing processes, the LiCl solution is concentrated with technologies including nanofiltration and reverse osmosis, to further remove impurities such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Initial polished samples from the Green River Sample Demonstration Plant (SDP) have been completed and are being concentrated prior to final evaporation and carbonation.
Anson Resources remains on track to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate, with final evaporation and carbonation steps underway. This announcement has been authorised for release by the Executive Chairman and CEO. Further information can be found on the company’s website.
