6th Wave Innovations Corp. of Salt Lake City, Utah, a nanotechnology company that develops proprietary molecularly imprinted polymers for minerals extraction in mining applications) has teamed up with TriLateral Energy, LLC of Jackson, Wyoming, (an independent energy developer with extensive geothermal operations and construction experience) to form Geolithic Corp., a joint venture for the extraction of lithium and other minerals from geothermal brine.
6th Wave has already commenced laboratory testing of the proprietary lithium extraction technology, which could significantly reduce the cost of producing lithium and other minerals compared to traditional mining and other mineral extraction techniques. Such minerals are naturally present in the brine utilized by many existing geothermal power plants in the U.S. and worldwide.
Geolithic Corp. plans to construct a pilot project extraction plant at one or more U.S. geothermal energy facilities, with a design that will seamlessly integrate with the facility's existing brine handling facilities to extract the lithium and other minerals prior to reinjection of the brine into the geothermal reservoir.
