LibertyStream Infrastructure Partners’ proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology has processed more than 250,000 barrels of Permian Basin brine at its Texas field unit over nine months of continuous operations. This is a key step in its targeted system enhancements and leads into the final de-risking stage: converting lithium chloride eluate to commercial-grade lithium carbonate.

The field unit’s system underwent several targeted technical upgrades during this period. LibertyStream says the addition of a pre-treatment step that removes iron and organic compounds from the brine, improving extraction efficiency and reducing reagent consumption. The field team also performed extensive temperature management tests across both the DLE and acid recovery stages, establishing optimal thermal conditions to enhance process kinetics—resulting in faster cycle times and lower operating costs. The system is organized into four modules, which have been used for real-time experimentation and performance benchmarking, supporting continual field improvements and confirming a modular expansion strategy.

LibertyStream’s next major milestone is the commissioning of a lithium carbonate refining unit, scheduled for the first half of the fourth quarter of 2025. The company has stockpiled lithium chloride eluate for immediate processing once the refining unit is operational, aiming to demonstrate single-location conversion of oilfield brine into battery-grade lithium carbonate.

LibertyStream says it has an upper production potential of approximately 220,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent based on current field validation. This is expected to support modular expansion to additional North American basins, leveraging pre-existing water disposal networks for cost efficiency and scale.

“We are very pleased to achieve the 250,000-barrel technical DLE processing milestone,” said Alex Wylie, President & CEO of LibertyStream. “Since the start of 2025, our Field Team has operated seven days a week, relentlessly focused on upgrading and improving our system in preparation for commercial deployment. As we approach the fourth quarter, the commissioning of our refining unit and subsequent conversion of stockpiled lithium eluate into commercial-grade lithium carbonate marks the final critical step toward launching full-scale operations in 2026.”

Source: LibertyStream Infrastructure Partners