Pioneering the Future of Lithium: Innovative Extraction for Salt Lake Resources

Sulzer Chemtech and the Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISL) Join Forces to Drive Sustainable Hydrometallurgy

The Lithium Challenge: Meeting Global Demand with Smarter Chemistry

Lithium stands at the core of the global energy transition. While salt lake reserves are vast, extracting battery-grade lithium from brine is significantly more complex than traditional ore processing. The industry has long struggled to balance high yields with environmental stewardship. Sulzer Chemtech addresses this through the OptimEXT extraction solution—a revolutionary process specifically engineered to unlock the potential of salt lake resources with unprecedented efficiency.

Strategic Synergy: Bridging Scientific Research and Industrial Scale

In 2024, Sulzer Chemtech and the Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes (ISL), Chinese Academy of Sciences, formalized a landmark strategic partnership. This alliance integrates ISL’s deep academic insights with Sulzer’s global engineering leadership. Together, we are accelerating the journey from R&D to large-scale industrialization, providing our customers with sustainable process routes that contribute Chinese technical wisdom to the global green energy revolution.

End-to-End Excellence: A Comprehensive Journey to Market

The OptimEXT extraction solution is a versatile powerhouse for the hydrometallurgy sector, supporting:

• Energy Metals: High-purity separation of Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, and Rare Earths.
• Circular Economy: Advanced solutions for both brine extraction and battery recycling.
• 70% Footprint Reduction: Dramatically lowers construction costs and land requirements compared to traditional methods.
• 60% Lower Solvent Inventory: Reduces initial chemical investment and ongoing operational costs.
• Safety & ESG Excellence: Fully enclosed operations minimize VOC emissions, ensure a greener, safer production environment and easier regulatory compliance.
• Superior Separation: Achieves deep separation of lithium from complex impurities, ensuring premium, battery-grade product quality.
• Maximum Flexibility: Features low energy consumption and modular scalability to meet the unique demands of any project size.
• Operational Stability: Designed for ease of use, high reliability, and minimal long-term maintenance requirements.

Our "One-Stop Service" model ensures a seamless transition across the project lifecycle, from initial laboratory trials and pilot testing to successful industrial implementation, significantly reducing technical risks and time-to-market.

The OptimEXT Advantage: Redefining Economic and Operational Efficiency

Implementing the OptimEXT solution provides a measurable competitive edge by optimizing both CAPEX and OPEX:

1. Resource Efficiency and Cost Leadership

2. Precision Performance and Scalability

Empowering the New Energy Landscape

As a global leader in separation and mass transfer, Sulzer Chemtech is dedicated to fueling "New Quality Productive Forces." Through the OptimEXT solution, we continue to provide meticulous service and innovative technology, injecting green vitality into the global battery material supply chain.

Learn more about Sulzer OptimEXT™ here.