Potential Markets

Our technology imitates the processes known in biology as “secondary active transport”, which allows the extraction of metal ions from large volumes and to transfer and concentrate them in small volumes up to saturation and precipitation. It has applications in the following markets:

  • Lithium Extraction from Natural Brines, Geothermal Wells, or Leach Solutions.
  • Extracting Fatty Acids from Vegetable Oils for a More Economical Refining without environmental issues.
  • Extracting of Radioactive Ions from Nuclear Plant stored water.
  • Extracting of Metal Ions from Mine Leach Solutions, Effluents, or Tailings Ponds.
  • Desalination of Sea Water, by Extracting Ions for Water Purification

Lithium Extraction

There is tremendous demand for lithium globally. Today there are over 300,000 metric tons of lithium are produced per year, but 3.5 million metric tons are projected as being required by 2035. At $13,000 per metric ton this would make a $45.5 billion annual market.

The most common current process of lithium extraction is the evaporation of brines over 12-24 months. This requires multiple stages, takes a long time and wastes valuable water.

Our process allows lithium extraction from brines, without the need to concentrate by evaporation or batch processes with costly high pressure or ion exchange systems. Our system does not need high temperatures, high pressure or electrolysis to operate and it does not need significant fresh water, while allowing most of the brine stream to be returned underground.

Vegetable Oil Refining

Over 58 million metric tons per year of vegetable oil are refined in order to purify the edible oils by removing fatty acids that cause bitter taste, bad smells, and the oil to go rancid. A further 67 million metric tons are refined for biofuels and also require the fatty acids to be removed as those acids damage engines.

The existing refining processes require the oils to be vigorously mixed with sodium hydroxide and then waiting up to two days for the oil to separate in special setting tanks.

Our process is a continuous one that is significantly more economical and leaves no waste emulsion to dispose of. Oil stays on one side of our membrane and the fatty acids collect in an alkaline solution on the other side.

Radioactive Ions Extraction

There is a huge demand globally for the processing of water containing low concentrations of radioactive ions that is a by-product of all nuclear processing and power plants. At the moment this water is simply stored until it is economically feasible to concentrate and remove the radioactive ions so that the water is no longer a problem.

Fukushima in Japan has run out of storage and has a crisis to get rid of over a million cubic meters of such water. They have paid millions to companies which have failed to show a solution. The UK has announced a similar problem and they both say they will have to dump in the sea within 2 years if no solution is found.

Our proven technology can remove radioactive strontium, cesium, cobalt and other radioactive ions that exist in very low concentrations. We also believe our technology can extract tritium – a radioactive ion for which no one has worked out an economical extraction process – and we are developing a small pilot plant to demonstrate.

Mining Metals Extraction

There is a significant worldwide demand for a technology to economically extract low concentrations of metal ions, such as copper, nickel, cobalt, gold, rare earths, etc., from leach or waste solutions.

A pilot plant for this proven technology is planned after finishing the first 3 pilot plants already described, so that we can project the economics for each potential customers specific liquid material.

Desalination

With demand for fresh water increasing globally there is an almost unlimited market if the economics are superior to the standard Reverse Osmosis plants.

Our technology is usually focused on extracting specific ions from a source liquid for the purpose of marketing those ions. However, in the case of Desalination, it is the reverse in that one wants all the ions out and to have a pure stream of water left to market. Our technology can do this, however, we need to make a pilot plant to determine how many modules in series are necessary so that we can calculate the economics.

Key Takeaways

  • Proven Novel Environmentally Friendly Technology with significant economic advantages.
  • Intellectual Property – patent issued and several in process.
  • Diverse Markets – same underlying technology applies to several distinct very large market opportunities that need better solutions and more environmental technologies.
  • Pilot Lab – Laboratory at Research Park in Champaign, Illinois.
  • Scientific Team – One of the top membrane chemists in the world, who spent years developing our technology, leads a team of qualified specialists.
  • Business Team – Successful in commercializing new technologies.
  • Potential Customers – are all waiting for pilot plant economics to be demonstrated for each customer’s particular extraction requirements.
  • Next Steps – Completing initial LOIs and conditional contracts based upon pilot plant test results of each customers’ liquids.