Breakthrough in Utah: Partnership Hits Key Milestone in Domestic Lithium Production
#Lithium #CriticalMinerals #cleanenergy #UtahMining #Aquatech #EVSupplyChain #SustainableMining #IntrepidPotash #Adionics
January 2026 : In a significant boost for the American critical minerals supply chain, Intrepid Potash, Inc., Aquatech, and Adionics have recently announced the successful production of battery-grade lithium carbonate from byproduct brine at Intrepid’s Wendover, Utah facility. This milestone marks a major leap forward in transforming a potash byproduct into a high-value essential for the electric vehicle revolution.
The demonstration tests yielded impressive technical results, achieving a 92.9% lithium extraction rate and a lithium chloride purity exceeding 99.5%. Using Adionics’ specialized extraction technology and Aquatech’s refining processes, the team successfully converted the brine into a final product of lithium carbonate, meeting the stringent specifications required for battery manufacturing.
Kevin Crutchfield, Intrepid’s CEO, emphasized the strategic timing: “Advancements in direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies have come at the perfect time, as the United States has reprioritized increasing its production of critical minerals.” He added that the project differentiates itself by leveraging existing infrastructure, noting, “Successfully monetizing lithium from our byproduct magnesium chloride brine will constitute an important step forward in driving margin improvement at Wendover.”
The project operates under a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) aiming for a final investment decision in 2026 for a 5,000-metric-tonne facility. Devesh Sharma, CEO of Aquatech, highlighted the cost advantage: “We expect our integrated flowsheet will operate at an attractive marginal cost, allowing us to produce domestic lithium at a pace and cost point that can compete with global benchmarks.”
François-Xavier Rame, Adionics’ CEO, confirmed the efficiency of their liquid-liquid DLE technology, stating it reflects their "ambition to provide practical, resource-efficient solutions for lithium extraction."
The partnership combines decades of industrial leadership. Intrepid Potash is the only U.S. producer of muriate of potash and a leader in solar evaporation. Aquatech brings global expertise in water technology through its PEARL™ platform, while Adionics provides its proprietary Flionex® system for reagent-free extraction. Together, these companies are positioning Utah as a vital hub for the domestic energy transition.
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