KBR Selected for Weardale Lithium’s Demonstration Plant in the UK
London, January 30, 2025, (Oilandgaspress) ––– KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today it has been awarded a contract by Weardale Lithium Limited for one of Europe’s most advanced demonstration facilities for lithium brine extraction in Eastgate, County Durham, United Kingdom.
Under the agreement, KBR will provide technology licensing and proprietary engineering design for Weardale Lithium’s plant, which will be designed to scale up to a commercial production target of 10,000 tons per annum in the coming years. The facility will produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from geothermal groundwater sourced from existing production wells.
This proprietary engineering design is based upon an integrated technology offering, established through a global alliance agreement last year, and has successfully produced battery-grade lithium carbonate from Weardale Lithium’s brine at pilot scale, combining KBR’s PureLi® technology with Geolith SAS’ Li-Capt® Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology.
“KBR’s collaboration with Weardale Lithium reflects our shared commitment to providing sustainable solutions for addressing the growing demand for lithium, essential to the growth of EVs and renewable energy storage,” said Jay Ibrahim, President, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. “This project is a significant step forward for overcoming global lithium supply chain challenges and advancing the energy transition.”
“We’re pleased to begin the engineering design for our demonstration plant, with the first quantities of battery-grade lithium carbonate expected in early 2026,” said Stewart Dickson, CEO, Weardale Lithium Limited. “The integrated KBR-Geolith offering positions us to confidently scale up on-site production, contributing over £1bn to the North East England economy. Recognized in the UK Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy, this project is pivotal to the UK’s transition to a net-zero economy.”
“We are happy to see our DLE Li-Capt technology implemented alongside KBR’s PureLi technology at the Weardale Lithium demonstration facility,” said Jean-Philippe Gibaud, President and Founder of Geolith SAS. “Our technology is recognized for its highly selective lithium extraction with low-carbon and low-water usage, making it a sustainable method for extracting lithium.”
KBR’s expertise in the recovery and purification of critical minerals stems from over seven decades of experience in evaporation and crystallization technologies, all designed to comply with evolving environmental regulations.
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