Compass Minerals to extract lithium from the Great Salt Lake, USA

The mining company has selected EnergySource Minerals as a direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology provider for a previously identified 2.4mlnMT lithium carbonate equivalent resource

The miner has spent three years testing across multiple DLE technologies to make this selection. Several key milestones have been announced including the targeting of phase-one production of around 11kMT LCE annually.

An estimated phase-one development capital of $262mln to $985mln in after-tax net-present-value.

And a completed life cycle assessment has confirmed phase-one's sustainability profile.

'We are confident that the continued forward momentum achieved through these milestones further demonstrates the value creation potential, differentiated positioning and formidable environmental profile of our planned lithium development...' says President & CEO Kevin S. Crutchfield.

The company says it will be utilising existing operational infrastructure, permits, water rights and pond processes to extract lithium as a co-product of its sulfate of potash, sald and magnesium chloride production at the Ogden facility.