™

Li-PRO Lithium
Extraction & Refining
Transformative Solutions for Battery Material Production
The KSS Advantage
Proven, Innovative, and Unique Solutions
Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) is transforming the landscape of separations by leveraging synergistic
technology such as membrane filtration, ion exchange, evaporators, and dryers. Our solutions are tailored to
improve product quality, increase process efficiency, and drive down costs in dairy, food, beverage, life science,
and industrial markets around the world.

Lithium Extraction
The shift towards efficient and sustainable lithium the production of high-purity lithium battery materials.
processing is driven by the growing global demand In addition, for operations leaching lithium from solid
for lithium-ion batteries, primarily for electric vehicles. mineral sources, our acid purification technology
This invaluable resource, found in solid mineral and supports the recovery of leaching acids. Our integrated
brine deposits around the world, has become a technologies and collaborative approach position
critical target for extraction and purification with KSS to be a preferred partner for customers seeking
demand rapidly exceeding supply. Efforts to optimize innovative and sustainable lithium production solution.
the battery recycling process are also underway to
increase sustainability initiatives in the market, Li-PRO Benefits
requiring innovative processing techniques.
• Increased lithium recovery
To optimize operational effectiveness and meet • Higher purity product
demands for the highest quality lithium battery
• Improved process performance
materials, KSS employs the Li-PRO™ Process,
a series of specialized separation processes for • Reduced processing time
lithium extraction and refinement. Advanced sorption • Optimized operating and capital costs
technologies used to achieve direct lithium extraction • Simplified process flowsheet and smaller
(DLE) from brines. Membrane filtration and ion equipment footprint
exchange are utilized in pretreatment and downstream • Fewer chemical and process water requirements
refining, concentration, and conversion, supporting
The KSS Advantage

Transformative Solutions Backed by Koch Industries

As a part of Koch Industries, KSS leverages a global reach and extensive resources to provide cutting-edge
solutions for a variety of industries. Koch Industries has over 130,000 employees worldwide and reinvests 90%
of its earnings to drive transformation and innovation.

Through Koch Industries, KSS is positioned to be a preferred partner and complete solutions provider to lithium
producers. KSS’ parent company, Koch Engineered solutions (KES), provides a variety of internal resources
to support project success, including engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services through
Optimized Process Designs, LLC (OPD). Partnering with our sister company, OPD, as the EPC on lithium
extraction opportunities allows KSS to be more than just a technology provider, as we package plant design
and full-scale project execution into one comprehensive offering.

Koch Industries is also a major investor in the lithium market space, recognizing the need for alternative energy
sources and the importance of sustainable technologies and engineering. Through Koch Minerals & Trading,
LLC (KMT), Koch Industries invests heavily in lithium producers and participates in the trading of lithium battery
material, providing these valuable resources to various end users around the world to drive innovation.

Collaborative Innovation
By partnering with KSS, lithium processors leverage synergistic technologies, provided in integrated system
packages from a single source, to achieve optimal performance and efficiency. We work collaboratively with
our customers, combining decades of separation expertise with their unique process knowledge to deliver
start-to-finish solutions resulting in maximum value creation. Through early-stage lab testing and field piloting
and demonstration, we help customers characterize their unique lithium brines and subsequently tailor DLE
process solutions to ensure maximized productivity and efficiency.

EARLY-STAGE FIELD TESTING FULL-SCALE LONG-TERM SUPPORT

DEVELOPMENT EXECUTION
• Pilot testing • Complete after-sales services
• Understand challenge & • Process optimization • Project management & • System troubleshooting
identify desired outcomes • Full scale costing and execution of capital projects • Performance optimization
• Evaluation of separation design recommendation • Construction and installation through remote digital
properties & bench testing • Commissioning and monitoring program
• Access to Process operator training
and R&D experts
Major Applications
Value Creation Through the Li-PRO Process
The Li-PRO™ process includes the pretreatment of source brine, lithium selective sorption (LSS),
ion exchange softening, concentration using reverse osmosis (RO), evaporation and crystallization, and
a solid/liquid separation step to produce a purified, concentrated lithium chloride product suitable for
conversion to lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide for use in battery production.

Through various points of water recycle and a salt recycle stream, the Li-PRO process optimizes water and
process chemical usage. Water from the source brine is collected as permeate from the RO and as condensate
from the evaporator and recycled back to the LSS process step, minimizing external water usage and associated
costs. Salt, collected as sodium chloride, is separated in a final solid/liquid separation and recycled back to the
LSS process step to aid in the chemical regeneration of the ion exchange softener. This effectively reduces salt
or other chemical reagent purchases required for ion exchange regeneration. This process can be adjusted to
accommodate operations where a salt recycle is not required or preferred.

Evaporator Condensate Recycle

Source
Brine
RO Permeate Recycle

Eluate Dilute LiCl

PURON® MP Lithium Selective Ion Exchange FLUID SYSTEMS® RO

Ultrafiltration Sorption (LSS) Softening

Barren Brine NaCl Recycle Retentate

Solid / Liquid Concentrate Evaporation/

Concentrated
Separation Crystallization
LiCl
(SLS) (E / C)
Major Applications

Pretreatment
Our ultrafiltration (UF) membrane technology offers an excellent
solution for pretreatment of brine. Featuring our PURON® polyester
reinforced PVDF hollow fiber membrane, the PURON MP system
treats a variety of water and wastewater. KSS is the sole producer
of the innovative single-potting hollow fiber cartridge design, which
VS
works to reduce buildup and “fiber sludge”. The membrane is
constructed with superior membrane chemistry and tight pore
structure to deliver stable performance without the need for
extensive chemical cleans. The PURON MP system offers an
optimized design and operation to lower operating and capital costs.
These skid-mounted systems produce high-quality effluent and Traditional Designs PURON MP Design
demonstrate excellent solids tolerance. Potting at Both Ends Single Potting

PURON MP UF LSS SYSTEM Recoflo® Softener FLUID SYSTEMS® RO

Direct Lithium Extraction

The Li-PRO™ process approach to DLE uses highly selective sorption media beds to typically recover over
95% of lithium found in source brines, leveraging decades of ion exchange and sorption technology experience.

Leaching Acid Recovery & Brine Polishing

Raw lithium chloride brine extracted via the DLE process is further polished for divalent and other ionic
contaminant removal by our Eco-Tec ion exchange technology. Based on our proprietary Recoflo fine-mesh ion
exchange resin, our systems operate at high efficiency using less resin in a significantly more compact column
design. These systems also offer capabilities such as leaching acid recovery and purification, salt separation,
and further softening to promote a higher-purity final lithium battery material.
Major Applications
Recoflo Ion Exchange Softening
Our lithium extraction process is fundamentally supported by our proprietary Eco-Tec Recoflo ion exchange
technology. Compared to conventional ion exchange resin, the Recoflo resin bead is a quarter of the size leading
to higher packing density and surface area. By design, the required reaction zone is significantly decreased,
and the system exists in a smaller footprint while maintaining high operational efficiency and reducing waste.

Conventional Ion Exchange Recoflo Ion Exchange Features of Recoflo Technology

Recoflo:
Fine mesh resin beads
Resin Conventional:
4X larger diameter resin beads

Loaded Resin Recoflo:

Compressed shallow resin bed
Column Reaction Zone
Conventional:
Unused Resin Fluidized resin bed with large freeboard

Regenerant Feed
Feed Recoflo:
Short cycles (minutes) of counter-current regeneration
Regeneration
Conventional:
Long cycles of regeneration, same direction as process flow
Regenerant

Lithium Brine Concentration

Our solution involves RO membrane systems to provide high recovery and high concentration capabilities
for lithium extraction. Dilute lithium chloride is concentrated using RO technology prior to evaporation and
crystallization. High-quality water recovered in this step may be recycled back into the process, improving
sustainability, and minimizing water usage. Our spiral RO membranes are built with durability and reliability
in mind to facilitate a simple and effective operation.

FLUID SYSTEMS RO System

The FLUID SYSTEMS® RO system offers proven
performance in the most demanding industrial
applications. Operating within a compact footprint,
this system offers a high recovery of up to 95% to
produce high-quality effluent suitable for discharge
or reuse. The system is reliable and simply operated
and maintained.
Major Applications

Pilot Testing and Demonstration

KSS offers laboratory feasibility testing for any of our Li-PRO™ lithium processing capabilities.
For even more representative testing and demonstration, pilot units are available for on-site testing, either
for temporary evaluation or for purchase as part of a long-term overall process pilot plant. All laboratory and
pilot engagements are supported by a team of experienced KSS engineers and technicians.

For lithium producers, the KSS team offers both standard and customized piloting options to accommodate
a variety of capacities across the pretreatment, DLE, softening, and RO concentration process steps.

• Standard piloting offering:

► Up to 1 gal/min of raw brine feed
► Up to 5 gal/min of raw brine feed

• Custom pilot plants can be provided at any capacity

 Koch Separation Solutions
Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) is a global leader in separation technologies.
With best-in-class domain expertise, technologies and systems, KSS is uniquely positioned
to help customers purify and recover valuable process streams and achieve sustainability goals
across food and beverage, life science, and general industrial markets.

Services & Support

After-Sales Services & Maintenance Programs • SepTrac™ Smart System

www.kochseparation.com • [email protected]

For complete contact information and listing of our global locations, visit www.kochseparation.com
©2022 Koch Separation Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. For related patent and trademark information, visit www.kochseparation.com/legal.
Koch Separation Solutions, Inc. is a Koch Engineered Solutions, LLC company. 8/22