en.Wedoany.com Reported - Prairie Lithium Ltd. has commenced factory acceptance testing (FAT) for its commercial-scale Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) unit, which is scheduled for deployment at the company's Phase 1 production facility in Saskatchewan, Canada.
The unit consists of four commercial-scale DLE columns, making it the largest equipment of its kind in North America. Upon completion of factory acceptance testing, the unit will be transported to Saskatchewan for installation at Prairie Lithium's Phase 1 production facility. Commissioning is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026, with initial production expected to generate the company's first revenue under its binding offtake agreement with Hydro Lithium.
The DLE unit comprises four commercial-scale columns, representing a significant scale expansion compared to the single commercial-scale Li-Pro DLE column deployed by Standard Lithium at its Arkansas project in March 2024. Standard Lithium reported strong operational performance at the Arkansas facility, including processing approximately 1 million barrels of brine, completing 15,000 DLE cycles, achieving lithium recovery rates exceeding 95%, and removing 99% of key impurities.
The offtake agreement covers the entire production from the Phase 1 project, equivalent to 150 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent. Hydro Lithium will also provide and operate approximately AUD 10 million in proprietary refining equipment on-site in Saskatchewan, thereby reducing upfront capital requirements.
Prairie Lithium views the successful testing and deployment of the four-column DLE unit as a critical milestone in validating its scalable development model. The Phase 1 project is designed to first establish a commercial-scale proof of concept, followed by expansion through a replicable, block-by-block development strategy.
Managing Director Paul Lloyd stated: "Commencing factory acceptance testing of the commercial-scale DLE unit is a pivotal milestone for Prairie Lithium, as we move closer to installation, commissioning, and first production in Saskatchewan. The unit itself is the largest DLE unit ever constructed in North America, and we look forward to installing it in Saskatchewan in the near future. Standard Lithium has achieved tremendous success with its single-column DLE unit in Arkansas, and we are very excited to build on that success at four times the scale. Deploying one of the world's largest DLE units not only allows us to de-risk and rapidly scale the project, but also enables Prairie Lithium to generate revenue by producing and selling lithium under our recently announced binding offtake agreement with Hydro Lithium of South Korea."
Following the completion of factory acceptance testing, Prairie Lithium will transport and install the unit, continue completing the remaining facility construction, and integrate commercial-scale processing equipment. After commissioning, the company plans to optimize and test operational performance, including lithium recovery rates and impurity removal rates, while evaluating future expansion opportunities.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
