“There are next to nil options other than that carbonate plant.”
Perhaps there is an intermediary step that could be done at NAL before a fully operational carbonate plant is built.
As can be seen by the flow sheets below, the production of lithium sulfate is a step in the production of lithium carbonate in the processes depicted.
Why would that interest SYQ?
POSCO has developed a process whereby lithium ions are electrolytically extracted from lithium sulfate.
Last month they began operating a new refinery in South Korea that does this.
My thoughts are, NAL seems to have the major elements required to produce lithium sulfate already.
If they could produce lithium sulfate as an interim measure (before bringing carbonate production on line), they should have a ready made market, if not from POSCO who use a novel process or other hydroxide producers that use the traditional method.
(20min delay)