Total investment of 30 million! Public announcement of the second environmental impact assessment for the 5,000-ton lithium carbonate project in Panzhou

This project is invested and constructed by Guizhou Jinlaogui methodology Co., Ltd., and is located in Panzhou City, Liupanshui City. The total investment of the project is 30 million yuan. By leasing existing factory buildings, it will construct a lithium carbonate workshop, high-temperature workshop, brine workshop, warehouses, and office supporting facilities to build a lithium carbonate production line with an annual capacity of 5,000 tons.

The construction entity is a newly established enterprise, focusing on the new material resource recycling business

The project implementation entity, Guizhou Jinlaogui methodology Co., Ltd., was established in January 2025. Its business covers new materials, new energy methodology R&D, and resource recycling utilization methodology R&D, while also conducting related business activities such as the sales of metal materials and metal ores.

Using spent electrolytes from electrolytic aluminum as raw materials, following the discarded materials residue lithium extraction route

The core raw material to this lithium carbonate project is lithium-containing spent electrolytes from the electrolytic aluminum sector. It utilizes process methodology to recover lithium elements from the materials, achieving the resource-based disposal of smelting tailings and unlocking the economic value of discarded materials residue.

Aluminum electrolyte is the discarded materials residue produced during electrolytic aluminum production. In the cryolite-alumina molten salt electrolysis process, lithium fluoride is a key electrolyte additive that can reduce the electrolysis temperature, minimize the operating voltage, and enhance current efficiency. sector data shows that the lithium fluoride content in the electrolyte of aluminum electrolysis companies ranges from 1.24% to 8.61%, and the lithium oxide content in alumina raw materials ranges from 0.030% to 0.085%.

Iteration of lithium extraction methodology from electrolytic aluminum discarded materials residue, with the sector gradually moving towards extensive operations

Driven by downstream market demand, in recent years, methodology to extracting lithium salts from electrolytic aluminum discarded materials residue has continuously broken through, and related production capacity is accelerating towards the stage of extensive implementation. Multiple representative projects in China have successively entered production or trial production.

In 2023, the annual complete utilization project of 40,000 tons of aluminum electrolyte by Henan Qinyuanchun New Materials, a subsidiary of Do-Fluoride, was put into operation. Using the process of extracting lithium from electrolytic aluminum discarded materials residue, it can create 5,000 tons of lithium carbonate annually, while simultaneously producing 2,000 tons of carbon nanotube powder and conductive paste.

In 2024, the second phase project of Anhui Xinjiyuan methodology entered the trial production stage, planning to treat 100,000 tons of lithium-containing materials from electrolytic aluminum discarded materials residue annually, using hydrometallurgy to prepare lithium carbonate. Upon full production, the battery-grade lithium carbonate capacity will reach 30,000 tons, with an annual output value exceeding 8 billion yuan.

In 2025, the 380,000 tons/year complete utilization project of electrolytic aluminum discarded materials residue by Xinjiang Xiangyuan New Materials was planned and implemented. It utilizes electrolytic aluminum solid discarded materials to create battery-grade lithium carbonate and alumina. After completion, it will manage of 380,000 tons of electrolytic aluminum residue annually, producing 10,000 tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate and 88,000 tons of calcined alumina.