SBIR Fast-Track: Selective Evaporative Lithium Transport and Extraction from Saline Water

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track project is to ensure sufficient domestic production of lithium for energy independence and supply chain resilience. Lithium plays a critical role in energy storage, especially in the electric mobility sector. The global electric mobility market was valued at $435 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $4.4 trillion by 2032. However, 99% of lithium used in the US is sourced internationally. Princeton Critical Minerals’ technology will help expand domestic lithium supplies and processing capabilities to meet US demand, increase job creation and technological advancements, ensure market stability, and address national defense concerns; this translates to overall economic growth in the US. Additionally, mining lithium releases toxic chemicals in the process and requires the use of strong acids and water for extraction. The Evaporative Lithium Transport and Extraction developed in this project uses 50% less energy to extract lithium. The technology makes what were once economically unviable lithium sources, attractive for extraction for the first time. Advancing sustainable lithium extraction technologies, will secure the U.S.’s its position in the global energy revolution while minimizing environmental impact. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track project will advance the company’s Evaporative Lithium Transport and Extraction technology and platform, facilitating critical minerals and materials extraction from liquid solutions like continental brine, oil/gas produced water, and process brine. Currently, the use of evaporation ponds to isolate critical minerals and materials takes over a year and requires massive land and water resources. New methods being developed to intensify the extraction treatment process suffer from excessive use of energy and chemicals, as well as high costs. The Evaporative Lithium Transport and Extraction technology has the capability to extract lithium from low-concentration brine sources quickly, selectively, and with minimal operational and capital expenditures. The passive, physical process uses a series of cost-efficient twisted cellulose fiber crystallizers to reduce the evaporation process to <20 days, and selectively concentrate lithium with minimal interference from other ions, thus eliminating the need for chemical or water washes. Princeton Critical Minerals’ objectives for this Fast-Track project will derisk the technology with separate and independent phases, including in Phase I finalizing the core technology, demonstrating compatibility with several brine sources, and manufacturing a 25 gallons-per day operational system. In Phase II, Princeton Critical Minerals will validate the technology through a pilot at a real-world lithium extraction site. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.