Outotec has been awarded an order for the delivery of technology and process equipment for a lithium carbonate plant in South America. The €20m order has been booked in Outotec’s 2017 second quarter order intake.

Salt lake brine and spodumene ore are the primary sources for lithium. Outotec offers sustainable solutions both for processing lithium from brines and for the entire value chain of processing spodumene ore to lithium carbonate, including ore beneficiation, calcination, and both acid and alkaline hydrometallurgical refining.

Outotec’s scope in this order includes technology to remove impurities from salt lake brine, detail engineering, project management, delivery of proprietary process equipment such as filters, clarifier and reactors, as well as other equipment and technical assistance.

"This order reflects the increased demand of lithium processing solutions due to rapidly expanding markets for lithium salts. With our broad expertise and in-house R&D and raw material testing facilities we are well-positioned in this growth market," says Kalle Härkki, head of Outotec’s metals, energy and water business.