Sunresin Unveils Comprehensive EPC Solution for Direct Lithium Extraction

Sunresin New Materials Co. Ltd., a global leader in adsorption and separation technologies, has unveiled a comprehensive engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) solution for direct lithium extraction (DLE) from brine resources. The company’s approach ensures a streamlined process from raw brine intake to the production of battery-ready chemical salts, addressing the growing demand for high-purity lithium in the battery industry.

Sunresin’s DLE solution begins with a thorough front-end assessment of the target brine resource. This includes evaluating parameters such as initial lithium concentration, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), temperature, and interfering ion ratios. For geothermal brine, the company employs high-temperature lithium adsorbent technology, which can handle temperatures exceeding 60 to 80 degrees Celsius, ensuring structural integrity and preventing media degradation. Raw brine intake systems are equipped with robust pretreatment engineering to protect downstream separation media, incorporating high-efficiency clarification, multi-media filtration, and chemical softening steps. Automated pH control systems optimize fluid chemistry before the brine enters the primary adsorption columns, safeguarding continuous separation assets and extending media replacement intervals.

At the core of modern DLE plants, Sunresin’s high-selectivity resin and adsorbent chemistry are engineered for target ion capture. The company’s proprietary SEPLITE® lithium adsorbents feature customized crystal structures that recognize lithium ions while excluding competing sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions. These media exhibit rapid mass transfer kinetics and high dynamic working capacity, enabling efficient target binding even from low-concentration brine deposits. The adsorbent media is integrated into continuous Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) systems, which arrange multiple adsorption columns into synchronized, automated loops. This continuous operational mode yields a concentrated lithium eluate while operating at low fresh water consumption ratios per ton of extracted product, minimizing overall footprint requirements and lowering energy consumption compared to traditional fixed-bed batch systems.

Following the primary adsorption stage, the eluate undergoes downstream concentration, refining, and battery-grade conversion. Multi-stage reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membrane arrays are employed to remove bulk water and elevate lithium concentrations efficiently. Specialized chelating resins execute targeted polishing to eliminate trace residual divalent cations, ensuring that fluid composition satisfies stringent chemical precursor standards before entering final thermal crystallization. Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) evaporative crystallizers heat concentrated lithium chloride solutions, driving off remaining moisture with minimal thermal energy consumption. Reacting the purified concentrate with sodium carbonate precipitates high-purity lithium carbonate, while treating the stream with calcium hydroxide yields battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate. Industrial precipitation systems control temperature and agitation precisely, ensuring uniform particle size distribution and product purity exceeding 99.5 percent.

Sunresin’s turnkey EPC delivery model mitigates risk by integrating media production and process engineering under one umbrella. This approach ensures that column hydraulics, valve timing, and skid design match the precise kinetic properties of the underlying adsorbent media. The company has secured 9 commercial DLE contracts, representing an aggregate production capacity of 73,000 metric tons per annum. These installations operate across diverse geographic regions, validating system reliability under real-world salt lake and geothermal operating conditions. Sunresin’s extensive operational track record demonstrates how turnkey EPC delivery reduces execution risk, shortens project commissioning schedules, and guarantees target production yields for global mining developers.

The company’s research infrastructure comprises over 300 technical experts, providing comprehensive life-cycle technical support, operator training, and continuous system monitoring. Sunresin’s capabilities are showcased on its website, https://www.seplite.com/. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Xi'an, China, Sunresin has grown into one of the world’s leading companies in the adsorption and separation industry. The firm operates manufacturing and system integration bases in China, Belgium, and Argentina, with an annual production capacity of 100,000 m3 of specialty resins and the ability to deliver more than 200 integrated systems each year. Sunresin serves customers across 100+ countries and regions, providing innovative solutions for metal extraction, water treatment, ultrapure water, food processing, chemical processing, life sciences, and environmental protection.

The global EPC market for lithium extraction is poised for significant growth, driven by the increasing demand for lithium in the battery industry. According to the Solar EPC Market Outlook 2035, the market was valued at US$ 95.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach US$ 294.5 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 10.8% from 2025 to 2035. This growth is expected to increase from $232.58 billion in 2024 to $248.35 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 6.8%. Sunresin’s comprehensive EPC solutions are well-positioned to capitalize on this expanding market, ensuring reliable and efficient lithium extraction processes.