In-house sorbent: VULSORB®

Technology asset for Vulcan: VULSORB®.

To efficiently produce lithium from the subsurface brine, Vulcan has developed its own in-house aluminate-based sorbent VULSORB® to capture the lithium before the brine is returned to the subsurface. VULSORB® is the potential to be a technology asset for Vulcan and is a testament to our team’s commitment to build value in-house. VULSORB® uses and improves on the same A-DLE technology that has been used commercially for over two decades, and currently accounts for 10% of global lithium production.

Vulcan has successfully developed, tested, and demonstrated its own in-house lithium extraction sorbent VULSORB®. The aluminate-based sorbent shows higher performance and lower water consumption for lithium extraction compared to commercially available sorbents. To achieve better optimisation, create IP value in-house and control over its process and supply chain, Vulcan has developed its own proprietary sorbent, VULSORB®, which is synthesised via a standard 3–step process. This highlights Vulcan’s strong passion for innovation and underlines the Company’s pioneering spirit. Based on test results achieved, Vulcan decided to use a sorbent with lithium aluminate intercalate structure for the A-DLE process.

This is Self-developed.

Naturally pre-heated brine as process driver

The main constituent of these sorbents is lithium chloride aluminate. These types of sorbents typically operate optimally at higher temperatures. In some commercial operations worldwide, gas is used to heat up the brine prior to lithium extraction. But Vulcan is taking advantage of the naturally pre-heated brine from the hot geothermal reservoir in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field (URVBF), thereby reducing operating cost and removing the need for fossil fuels in the process, ultimately enabling a net zero carbon footprint for lithium production.

Selectively extracted lithium

VULSORB® enables the lithium to be selectively extracted from the brine, providing a very pure lithium chloride eluate which can then be converted to lithium hydroxide for use in lithium-ion batteries in the European cathode, battery, and automaker industries. VULSORB® belongs to a lithium extraction adsorbent family that has been used by different companies in multiple commercial production assets over the past 25 years and can be used with other brines, both in Europe and globally.

VULSORB® as first choice

Vulcan has selected VULSORB® as its first choice of sorbent for lithium production in its planned Phase One commercial development. Our sorbent has the potential to be a technology asset for Vulcan beyond our phased growth ambitions in the Upper Rhine Valley and is a testament to our team’s commitment to build shareholder value in-house.

De-risking A-DLE on Upper Rhine Valley Brine Our activities.

Technology selected in scoping work 2018-2020.
3 years of in-house laboratory testwork successfully completed ’21-’23.
Technology de-risked on our brine chemistry (i.e., salinity, Li content, chemical composition, temperature) at multiple producing well sites.
Pilot Plant PP1 is operational since spring ‘21. Lithium hydroxide “better than battery grade” already produced.
5000+ cycles in 2 ½ years of stable, non-stop operation.
Larger Pilot Plant P1A in operation since fall ’22, with total 2000+ cycles of operation.
Data from pilot plants used to optimise and complete engineering design for Definitive Feasibility Study and Bridging Phase.

Ready to move into execution, construction and operation of commercial plant.

Technology asset for Vulcan: VULSORB®.