Pilot plant for Torquay project
Arizona Lithium, now Prairie Lithium, has its pilot plant running at Emerald Park, Saskatchewan, processing brine collected from exploration wells near Torquay. The facility uses direct lithium extraction technology with cross-flow reverse osmosis to concentrate lithium solutions before converting the concentrate into lithium carbonate of better than 99 per cent purity through soda ash addition and drying. The process avoids acid stripping, with barren brine returned unchanged to disposal wells.
On an investor call, the company detailed plans for three modular production facilities of roughly 2,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate each, for 6,000 tonnes of total annual capacity, with first production targeted for the first quarter of 2025. Managing director Paul Lloyd emphasised the project's lower capital intensity versus the company's Big Sandy asset in Arizona, and said a preliminary feasibility study due by year-end would support capital raising, offtake discussions and strategic investment.