Business
Rock Tech Lodges Patent Application for a Novel Lithium Hydroxide Process
(TheNewswire) Vancouver, BC, Canada - TheNewswire - Novem...
About this update from Rock Tech Lithium Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Rock Tech Lodges Patent Application for a Novel Lithium Hydroxide Process\n \n \n (TheNewswire)\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Vancouver, BC, Canada -\n \n \n TheNewswire\n \n \n - November 12, 2020\n \n -\n \n Rock Tech Lithium Inc.\n \n (the\n\"Company\" or \"Rock Tech\") (TSXV:RCK\n \n ) (OTC:\n \n RCKTF\n \n )\n \n \n (\n \n Frankfurt:RJIB) is pleased to announce that it has\nlodged a patent application with the European Patent Office for a new\nand innovative lithium hydroxide manufacturing process.\n \n \n The so-called Nitrate Process has been developed in cooperation with\nProf. Dr. em. Wolfgang Voigt from TU Bergakademie Freiberg / Germany\nand aims to replace the Sulphate Process which is currently used in\nmost operating lithium converters worldwide.\n \n \n In comparison to the Sulphate Process, the Nitrate Process presents\ntwo key advantages:\n \n \n \n \n \n - The crystallization step of lithium hydroxide in the Nitrate Process\ndoes not require temperatures around negative 10 degrees Celsius.\nInstead it is carried out at higher temperatures, resulting in\nsubstantial energy savings potential.\n \n \n \n - Gypsum and nitrate compounds are produced as by-products which are\nexpected to generate higher value revenue streams than the Sodium\nSulphate by-product from the Sulphate Process.\n \n \n \n \n Rock Tech has successfully produced battery-grade lithium hydroxide on\na lab-scale basis and intends to prove the industrial scalability and\neconomic benefits of its proprietary flowsheet as part of the upcoming\nconverter pre-feasibility study targeted for completion in mid-2021.\n \n \n The by-products from the lithium conversion can have a significant\nimpact on the overall cost of production for lithium hydroxide.\n \n \n The Company considers the price outlook for Sodium Sulphate to be\nnegative. Increasing by-product production from conventional lithium\nhydroxide converters will hit a shrinking market as the main\nconsumers, like the detergents and wood pulp industry, are switching\nto substitutes. There is an increasing risk that the market will not\nbe able to absorb all the Sodium Sulphate produced. In that case,\nsubstantial disposal costs will be foisted upon lithium producers as\nSodium Sulphate cannot be stored in standard disposal facilities due\nto its high solubility in water.\n...