The installation will enable testing with brines and lithium-containing solutions, thereby helping to assess how advanced extraction technologies can improve lithium recovery while promoting responsible resource development.
SQM International Lithium (SQMi) and French engineering company SEPROSYS SAS have formalized a strategic collaboration agreement to advance direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, marking an important step in the development of more sustainable and efficient lithium production methods.
Following an extensive technical assessment program, SQMi selected SEPROSYS to supply a pilot-scale direct lithium extraction unit.
According to both companies, the installation will enable testing with brines and lithium-containing solutions from projects within SQMi’s global portfolio, thereby helping to assess how advanced extraction technologies can improve lithium recovery while promoting responsible resource development.
The pilot plant was designed and manufactured by SEPROSYS in France, drawing on the company’s expertise in molecular separation and purification processes used in complex chemical industries.
The unit will be installed at SQMi’s facilities, and will enable the assessment of multiple lithium resources using direct lithium extraction technology.
The results obtained from the pilot program will help define future development pathways aimed at improving recovery efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
This initiative reflects SQMi’s ongoing commitment to advancing innovative processing technologies as part of its broader strategy to support the global transition to clean energy.
Mauricio Olivares, Senior Vice President of Projects and Operations at SQMi, emphasised the importance of this partnership in strengthening the company’s technology development program, stating that «exploring innovative technologies such as direct lithium extraction is an important part of our ongoing effort to improve lithium production processes. This pilot unit will enable us to assess new approaches that may enhance efficiency while maintaining high environmental and operational standards.»
SEPROSYS SAS executives Stanislas Baudouin and Maxime Redondo highlighted the significance of this collaboration following a successful testing phase. «The selection of SEPROSYS’s technology, after a comprehensive assessment process, reflects the strength of our engineering capabilities and our ability to meet the evolving needs of the lithium industry,» they said.
SQM International Lithium (SQMi) is the international lithium division of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM), dedicated to the responsible development and operation of lithium assets worldwide.
SEPROSYS is a French technology company specializing in the development of advanced separation and purification processes for industrial applications.
The company designs customized solutions to separate, concentrate, and purify compounds within complex matrices, based on its expertise in membrane technologies, chromatography, and catalytic processes.
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