Aquatech (Canonsburg, Pa.; www.aquatech.com) a global leader in critical minerals process technology and industrial water reuse, will supply the largest direct lithium extraction (DLE) unit ever deployed in North America for Prairie Lithium’s (www.prairielithium.com) 4.6 MT LCE resource base in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Aquatech will deploy its Li-Pro™ Lithium Selective Sorption (LSS) technology under its PEARLTM technology licensing platform to enable production of a highly purified lithium chloride stream. A modularized QuadpodTM unit consisting of four full-scale Li-Pro columns will arrive at Prairie Lithium’s production facility during summer 2026, marking one of the first ever implementations of large-scale modular lithium processing.
Li‑Pro LSS is the world’s most rigorously tested and proven DLE technology, demonstrating consistent lithium recovery across more than 15,000 DLE cycles over 4 years, processing over 1 million barrels of Arkansas Smackover brine.
“This collaboration is designed to accelerate Prairie Lithium’s path to commercial production.” said Manish Backliwal, Senior Director at Aquatech. “Aquatech’s contribution to the project will support Prairie Lithium through an integrated approach that combines process expertise, modular deployment capability, and DLE project execution support.”
“The installation of a commercial-scale Li-Pro unit at our facility in Saskatchewan represents an important step toward demonstrating the project’s commercial viability. This is a significant milestone for the lithium industry as we look to commission one of the largest DLE facilities globally with Aquatech” said Zach Maurer, Executive Director at Prairie Lithium.
The Aquatech PEARL™ technology licensing platform combines direct lithium extraction through refining and purification, process design, modular execution, and digital optimization to create a comprehensive lithium processing solution. Acting as a single accountable partner, Aquatech enables resource owners to deliver battery-grade lithium with confidence, while bringing down total installation cost, process risk, and time to market.