E3 Lithium's Clearwater Project in Alberta, Canada, plans to produce 32,250 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year using Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE)
E3 Lithium's Clearwater Project in Alberta, Canada, is expected to produce an initial 32,250 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year, with a potential production life of 50 years. The project's initial capital expenditure is estimated at $2.47 billion, backed by Exxon's Imperial Oil. Utilizing Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technologies, the company plans to reduce water and land usage compared to traditional methods. However, the DLE process requires large amounts of potable water and electricity, and none have yet reached commercial scale. E3 Lithium plans to mitigate this by recycling all process-affected water and reducing land usage by 90%. The all-in average operational expenditure for the project, including sustaining and abandonment capital, is projected at $8,250 per tonne of lithium hydroxide monohydrate.