Water and resource recovery company Gradiant's alkaLi division has unveiled plans to design, build, own and operate a lithium production facility in the Marcellus Shale formation in Pennsylvania.
The project is claimed to be the world's first such lithium production facility to produce lithium from oilfield-produced water.
This facility will implement the company's proprietary Extract, Concentrate and Convert (EC²) technology to deliver battery-grade lithium carbonate.
The initiative follows the successful launch of alkaLi's EC² platform last year, which promises at least 95% lithium recovery at customer sites.
The patented EC² process integrates direct lithium extraction (DLE), concentration and conversion into a singular, efficient system.
This method boasts up to 50% lower capital and operational costs, modular designs for swift global implementation, AI-optimised performance and reduced environmental impact, all while offering flexibility in feedwater sources.
The vertically integrated approach of the Pennsylvania facility aims to secure a stable US lithium supply and circumvent common project delays.
The facility is currently undergoing testing, with impressive results including 97% lithium recovery and 99.5% purity levels for battery-grade lithium carbonate. Full commercial operations are set to commence in early 2026.
Gradiant CEO Anurag Bajpayee said: “We now have a fully operational lithium production asset in the US that proves what EC² can deliver. This isn’t a concept – it is a live facility demonstrating that clean, domestic lithium production is both viable and scalable.
“Our goal isn’t to compete with customers, but to empower them – and the broader industry – to meet surging demand for battery-grade lithium and accelerate the clean energy transition. This strategic investment in the Marcellus Shale, which could supply 50% of US lithium demand, validates the maturity of alkaLi’s technology and secures a long-term domestic supply.”
alkaLi has also entered a multi-year offtake agreement to supply a US lithium-ion battery manufacturer with up to 5,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually.
The agreement underscores the strong market demand and the commercial viability of alkaLi's technology.
alkaLi offers a range of partnership models including deploying the EC² solution to lithium producers, constructing and managing integrated systems, and producing and selling lithium from its assets.
