Alberta Infrastructure Supports Domestic EV Battery Production

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As supply chain problems continue and there is an increasingly urgent need to open up the domestic EV battery market, a company in Alberta said what the state needs to make lithium batteries at home. Indicates that it is equipped with.

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In June, E3 Lithium completed a pilot project with technology partner Pure Lithium to create a pouch battery using lithium extracted from the Alberta line field of the Leduc layer.

For Chris Doornbos, CEO of E3 Lithium, the pilot represents an exciting proof of concept that advances the Clearwater project, which is partially funded by Imperial Oil Limited. Alberta’s economy changed completely with the discovery of crude oil by Imperial in Leduc No. 1 in 1947. Although of little economic interest at the time, Leduc’s large underground pool of lithium-rich salt water contained important elements that would help facilitate future transport.

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The battery manufactured last month is not the first for Alberta. It is also the first battery manufactured with pure lithium from lithium concentrate that is not manufactured in the laboratory.

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E3 is currently building a large pilot plant in clear water when drilling the state’s first lithium well to demonstrate that advanced direct lithium extraction technology using its own adsorbent works on a commercial scale. It has been launched. By adopting a small footprint, the plant employs a closed-loop system to bring brine to the surface, extract lithium and reinject it into the brine pool within hours.

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“By building a plant from scratch, we have the opportunity to do more than just mine lithium,” says Doornbos. “The extracted lithium needs to be packed carefully so that it doesn’t oxidize and become useless. I believe it makes more sense to avoid that step and make a battery cell here. . “

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The plant will initially produce battery-quality lithium hydroxide to support the production of LiOH batteries, but as the EV manufacturing market matures, it can also be pivoted to produce the next generation of lithium metal batteries. increase.

Alberta is another economy that supports domestic EV battery production, including an established framework for licensing and licensing, existing oil and gas infrastructure, technical expertise, and a skilled local workforce. Provides an adaptive advantage.

“But that starts with the fact that Leduc is a world-class lithium reservoir,” says Doornbos. “From that point of view, Albermarle, the world’s largest lithium company, produces 80,000 tonnes per year on all projects. Based on our saltwater samples, we will finally produce 15 per year in 35 years. We believe we can produce at a rate of 10,000 tonnes. The commercialization of lithium production in western Canada by E3 and other companies will map us as the main lithium jurisdiction. “

This story was created by ContentWorks, Postmedia’s commercial content division.