The US is set to have access to about 110,000 US tons (100,000 metric tons) of battery-grade lithium over the next decade following a new agreement to produce the critical mineral using advanced lithium extraction technology.
The GET-Lit direct lithium extraction (DLE) and refining technology was developed by Energy Exploration Technologies (EnergyX). The Texas-based firm specializes in lithium extraction and critical mineral production.
On Monday, October 12, EnergyX announced that it signed a binding, 10-year, take-or-pay agreement with Singaporean global commodity trader Trafigura to supply lithium from two major projects in Texas and Chile. The supply will support electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and other industries that depend on battery materials.
The company said commercial production is scheduled to start in 2028. “Offtake agreements are among the most important steps in taking a lithium project from development to production,” Teague Egan, EnergyX founder and CEO, disclosed.
The US produces about 6,600 US tons (6,000 metric tons) of lithium annually. This accounts for less than one percent of the global production. Moreover, it relies on net imports for more than 50 percent of the lithium it consumes. To address this, EnergyX came up with the GET-Lit direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology.
Backed by more than 150 patents, the approach extracts lithium from mineral-rich brines and refines it into materials suitable for batteries. The novel process works by separating lithium directly from liquid brines.
EnergyX has already tested the method in labs, pilot facilities, and demonstration plants in the US and Chile.
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