Salt Lake City-based 6th Wave Innovations Corp., a nanotechnology company that develops proprietary molecularly imprinted polymers for minerals extraction in mining applications, has teamed up with TriLateral Energy LLC of Jackson, Wyoming, to form Geolithic Corp. The joint-venture company was formed to develop methods for extraction of lithium and other minerals from geothermal brine.
TriLateral Energy, an independent energy developer with extensive geothermal operations and construction experience, will manage the commercial aspects of the venture while 6th Wave will manage the technical aspects as the company moves to construct its first pilot plant at an unnamed existing geothermal facility.
According to a release from 6th Wave, the company has already commenced laboratory testing of proprietary lithium extraction technology, which it says could significantly reduce the cost of producing lithium and other minerals compared to traditional mining and other mineral extraction techniques. Such minerals are naturally present in the brine utilized by many existing geothermal power plants in the U.S. and worldwide, 6th Wave said.
Geolithic Corp. hope to construct a pilot project extraction plant at a U.S. geothermal energy facility with a design that will integrate with the facility’s existing brine handling facilities to extract the lithium and other minerals prior to reinjection of the brine into the geothermal reservoir.
Under the joint-venture agreement, 6th Wave will retain all rights to its proprietary molecularly imprinted polymer nanotechnology but will provide an exclusive license to Geolithic Corp. for geothermal minerals extraction.
Jonathan Gluckman, CEO of 6th Wave, said, “We are pleased at the opportunity to work closely with Trilateral Energy, which has decades of geothermal power plant construction and operations experience and extensive contacts in the industry. I am confident this joint venture will establish proof of concept with a pilot lithium extraction plant in the United States.”
“I was an early investor in 6th Wave and believe that the application of this groundbreaking extraction technology to geothermal brine has the potential to significantly lower lithium and other mineral production costs,” said Don O’Shei, CEO of TriLateral Energy.