[1/3] A sign at the approach road leads to Albemarle's lithium evaporation ponds at its facility in Silver Peak, Nevada, U.S., January 9, 2019.
Already the world's largest lithium producer, a successful move into the DLE sector would likely cement Albemarle's dominance in the fast-growing industry amid the push to electrify the global economy.
DLE technologies vary, but they each aim to roughly double lithium extraction rates from brine deposits compared to traditional evaporation ponds.
No DLE technology has reached commercial production without the use of those ponds, though, sparking a global race to be the first.
If the tests are successful, the company could essentially bolt on DLE equipment to its bromine operations.
Persons:
Ernest Scheyder, Kent Masters, Albemarle, Masters, Nick Zieminski
Organizations:
REUTERS, Reuters, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, General Motors, Ford, Tetra Technologies, Thomson
Locations:
Silver, , Nevada, U.S, Albemarle, Arkansas