This move positions PEARL as the only commercially proven, end-to-end lithium processing flowsheet, covering extraction, purification, and refining to deliver high-purity battery materials for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

As part of the acquisition, existing Li-Pro projects and agreements, including the Joint Development Agreement with Standard Lithium and a licensing deal with Smackover Lithium (Standard Lithium and Equinor JV), transfer to Aquatech. The Smackover project alone targets an initial 22,500 tons per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent by 2028.

Commenting on the announcement, Venkee Sharma, Executive Chairman of Aquatech, said:
“Fragmented technology offerings increase project cost, risk, and time to market. By bringing Li-Pro into the PEARL platform, we are offering the industry the only proven full flowsheet solution that integrates both upstream and downstream lithium processing.”

Aquatech also featured on stage at the conference, with their session Behind the Scenes of Lithium Extraction: Data, Technology, and Hard Lessons highlighting real-world operating data, techno-economic insights, and the path to scaling brine purification, DLE systems, and crystallisation technologies.

This combination of major industry announcements and expert presentations reflects the kind of high-impact developments that happen at the European Battery Raw Materials Conference.


Source: https://www.aquatech.com/blog/aquatech-acquires-kochs-direct-lithium-extraction-business