Chemical Engineering August 2014 - 20

Newsfront
Nemaska Lithium Inc. (Quebec,
Canada; www.nemaskalithium.
com), which is also focused on producing
high-purity lithium carbonate
and hydroxide. The company
has filed patent applications
for its electrolysis-based process.
It is developing the Whabouchi
lithium deposit, located about 300
km from Chibougamau, Quebec,
which is estimated to be one of the
richest and highest-grade lithium
deposits in the world. Nemaska's
production plant, located in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield,
Quebec, will
have an average capacity of 500
m.t./yr.
Unlike more traditional processes
that use soda ash to produce lithium
carbonate for the production
of lithium hydroxide, the company's
electrolysis-based process produces
lithium hydroxide directly, eliminating
a greater amount of impurities.
The process nearly eliminates
the use of soda ash, improving the
process' economics.
Construction of the mine is scheduled
to start in mid-2015, and the
start of concentrate production and
commissioning is scheduled for the
fourth quarter of 2016.
Reed Resources managing director
Chris Reed says the main difference
between Reed's process and Nemaska's
is that Reed uses hydrochloric
acid and as such, Reed's process is a
traditional chlor-alkali process. Hydroxide
is the primary product, it is
only necessary to bleed carbon dioxide
into the LiOH liquor to drop out
lithium carbonate, he says.
Also in Quebec, RB Energy, Inc.
(Vancouver, British Columbia;
www.rb-e.com) has announced it
has achieved continuous production
of battery-grade lithium carbonate
at its Quebec Lithium operation located
at La Corne, Quebec. The company
aims to achieve commercial
production levels (20,000 m.t./yr)
by the end of this year. " We are now
focused on increasing production
levels, firstly toward meeting the
initial shipping volumes required
by our offtake partner Tewoo, secondly
to reach commercial production
levels and finally, to realize
the design production threshold of
20,000 m.t./yr, says Reed. "
Also, Western Lithium Corp. (Vancouver,
B.C.; www.westernlithium.
com) is planning to operate a lithium
carbonate demonstration plant
by the end of this year at its Kings
Valley, Nev. lithium deposit, one of
the world's largest known lithium
deposits. The reserve base supports
an annual production of 26,000 m.t.
of lithium carbonate.
Production of high-purity lithium
carbonate, based on different
lithium raw materials, is also the
aim of Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland;
www.outotec.com). Outotec has deIINNOVATIONNNOVATION
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20 ChemiCal engineering www.Che.Com august 2014

http://www.nemaskalithium http://www.westernlithium http://www.rb-e.com http://www.outotec.com http://www.koch-glitsch.com http://adlinks.che.com/50979-12 http://www.Che.Com

Chemical Engineering August 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering August 2014