Rock Tech Lithium Inc. announced a major boost to its ambitious plans for advanced lithium processing in Germany, securing funding under the prestigious KAVA (Knowledge and Innovation Activities) grant program by EIT RawMaterials. This significant recognition marks a pivotal moment for Rock Tech, being the first direct funding awarded to its Lithium Hydroxide Converter Guben (LHCG) project since its designation as a strategic project under the European Commission's Critical Raw Materials Project.

The project, named OLiVer (Hard rock Lithium Extraction and Purified Value Products for Energy Applications), has been allocated a total funding of EUR 2.5 million from EIT RawMaterials, the leading network in Europe's raw materials sector, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union. Of this, Rock Tech will receive up to EUR 1 million directly, with EUR 800,000 specifically earmarked to further improve and innovate its lithium conversion processes for the Guben Converter.

The Guben Converter, poised to become a cornerstone of Europe's burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain, aims to produce high-purity lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) from spodumene, a critical component for EV batteries.

Under the KAVA Call-funding program, Rock Tech's subsidiary, Rock Tech Guben GmbH, will collaborate with a consortium of esteemed research partners. These include Advanced Minerals and Recycling Industrial Solutions (AdMiRIS) from Greece, the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) also from Greece, and Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek NV (VITO) from Belgium.

The OLiVer project is focused on four main objectives, all aimed at advancing sustainable and efficient lithium production:

•             Optimizing pyro-hydro-metallurgical processing: This objective aims to significantly enhance lithium extraction efficiency from spodumene, ensuring maximum resource utilization.

•             Developing a novel secondary lithium sulfate recovery process: This innovative approach seeks to improve overall lithium recovery rates by capturing and utilizing secondary lithium sulfate streams.

•             Integrating primary and secondary lithium sulfate streams: By combining these streams, the project aims to boost the overall LHM production yield, leading to greater efficiency and output.

•             Conducting pilot-scale demonstrations: These demonstrations will be crucial in establishing the commercial viability of the enhanced lithium extraction process, paving the way for full-scale implementation.

Through the OLiVer project, Rock Tech is not only reinforcing its own position as a leader in lithium refining but also actively contributing to the European Union's critical raw materials strategy and ambitious sustainability goals.