SWA Lithium and Koch Technology Solutions Sign License for First Commercial DLE Project in North America

Commercial-Scale DLE Column Continues to Exceed Expectations at Demonstration Plant in Arkansas

EL DORADO, Ark., Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SWA Lithium, the Joint Venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor which is developing the South West Arkansas Project (“SWA” or the “Project”), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a license agreement with Koch Technology Solutions LLC (“KTS”) to deploy and use KTS’ Li-Pro^TM Lithium Selective Sorption (“Li-Pro LSS”) technology at the JV’s commercial plant for the SWA Phase 1 Project.

The license agreement allows the JV to utilize KTS’ technology for the lifetime of the first phase of the Project, with an option for utilization in subsequent phases of the Project. Considerations and benefits of the license agreement include:

• Rights to use the Li-Pro LSS technology for subsequent phases of the JV’s SWA Project;
• Certain technology performance guarantees for lithium recovery, contaminant rejection and water use;
  • Lithium recovery ≥ 95.00%
  • Impurity rejection Calcium, Sodium, Potassium & Magnesium ≥ 99%
• Technical support from KTS to fully integrate the Li-Pro LSS technology into overall process plant design;
• Continued exclusive joint development of the technology in the Smackover Formation;
• Technical support from KTS during commissioning and startup;
• License payment phased over several milestones; and
• Continued collaboration and technology refinement between SWA Lithium and KTS.
  

Standard Lithium’s Director, President & COO, Dr. Andy Robinson commented: “Signing this license agreement is the culmination of over two years of close work with the KTS team to refine the direct lithium extraction (‘DLE’) technology and integrate it into the JV’s flowsheet. The Li-Pro LSS technology is now sufficiently scaled-up, tested and derisked, so not only is the JV comfortable committing to its use at commercial scale, but KTS is also able to offer performance guarantees for its commercial deployment. We view this as a significant derisking event for the Project, and it points to the successful ongoing partnership with the KTS team.”