Technology

LithiumBank is advancing its Alberta lithium-brine projects using Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) technology developed in partnership with SLB, a global leader in energy technology and subsurface engineering. The Company’s DLE strategy is designed to enable rapid, scalable, and environmentally responsible lithium production while seeking to reduce the land footprint, water consumption, and capital intensity associated with conventional evaporation pond operations.

SLB’s well-to-product integrated lithium solutions that incorporate direct lithium extraction (DLE) have been demonstrated at pilot scale and are especially suited to LithiumBank’s brines. Extensive testing on brine from the Boardwalk and Park Place projects has delivered lithium recoveries of approximately 95% while achieving greater than 99% impurity rejection, producing high-purity lithium chloride concentrate that the Company believes is suitable for downstream conversion into battery-grade lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide.

LithiumBank previously completed initial Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) pilot testing with SLB, demonstrating sustained lithium recoveries of up to 95% and exceptional impurity removal, with greater than 99% overall rejection. Individual impurity rejection rates included 98.80% for boron, 99.97% for calcium, 99.96% for magnesium, 99.98% for potassium, 99.98% for sodium, and 99.97% for strontium. The initial pilot campaign processed approximately 35,000 litres of brine sourced from the Boardwalk project. 

For additional information regarding the DLE pilot testing results described above, readers are referred to LithiumBank’s news release entitled “LithiumBank Confirms up to 95% Lithium Recovery and over 99% Impurity Rejection from DLE Pilot Testing Using SLB’s Integrated Lithium Production Solution Technology on Boardwalk and Park Place Brines” dated April 14, 2025, which has been filed on SEDAR+. 

Unlike traditional evaporation methods that can require years of pond residence time, DLE technology selectively extracts lithium directly from produced brine in a continuous industrial process. The treated brine is then reinjected back into the reservoir, reducing surface disturbance, eliminating tailings, and supporting a more sustainable operating model. The process is designed to recycle water minimizing freshwater consumption and is also designed to operate with lower energy usage and fewer chemical reagents.

LithiumBank’s development strategy incorporates modular DLE processing units capable of producing approximately 5,000 tonnes per annum (“tpa”) of lithium carbonate equivalent (“LCE”) per module. This modular design allows for phased project expansion, reducing upfront capital requirements and enabling scalable growth aligned with market demand. Initial development at Boardwalk is expected to utilize multiple modules in a staged commercial rollout.

SLB brings more than a century of global engineering and process technology experience to the partnership, including expertise in subsurface modelling, well-field optimization, industrial processing, and large-scale project execution. The technology has already been validated through demonstration-scale operations in Nevada, where SLB successfully produced several tonnes of lithium carbonate from subsurface brines.

Through its collaboration with SLB, LithiumBank is positioning itself to become a future North American supplier of domestically produced battery-grade lithium using DLE technology proven at pilot and demonstration scale and Alberta’s many jurisdictional advantages.