Direct Lithium Extraction

Direct Lithium Extraction

A better way to extract one of the most critical materials — minimal water, no harsh effluents, zero grid reliance.

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Lithium can lead the way
to a greener future…

But not with current methods.

The transition to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and data-driven infrastructure is heavily reliant on one material as much as any other — lithium. The way the world extracts lithium today is outdated, inefficient, expensive, and more environmentally destructive than it needs to be.

I — The Problem

The state of traditional extraction

3×

Unprecedented Demand

Lithium demand is forecast to triple by 2030, driven by EVs, grid storage, and energy demand to support AI-scale infrastructure. The vast majority of lithium processing occurs outside the USA — mostly in China.

70%+

Geopolitical Pressure

The U.S. currently imports over 70% of its lithium, including more than 95% of lithium carbonate in 2024, exposing dependencies on critical supply chains to geopolitical and logistical risks.

12–24 mo

Broken Status Quo

Traditional brine evaporation takes 12–24 months, consumes enormous quantities of water and reagents, and leaves behind toxic waste. Hard rock mining is capex-heavy and often economically marginal.

II — Technology

DLE 2.0 — rewritten from first principles

A continuous-flow process engineered for real-world resources — not lab conditions. Purpose-built to reduce water, power, and effluents to a fraction of legacy techniques.

Resource Input 4 resource types DLE 2.0 Core Continuous-flow module No batching · No swap-outs Lithium Concentrate Battery-grade output Clean Brine Return No harsh effluents

Fig. 1 — DLE 2.0 continuous-flow schematic

Water

A fraction of the draw

Uses a fraction of the water of even the most advanced DLE 1.0 methodologies, critical for brine operations in arid regions.

Power

Built to run off-grid

Low power usage enables off-grid, self-contained system deployment, perfect for remote locations or wastepile sources.

Effluents

Clean & continuous

NexGen's DLE 2.0 methodology is a continuous flow process that does not require swapping out batches.

III — Positioning

Faster, cleaner lithium

Where others can't go, at costs they can't match. With minimal infrastructure, no reagents, and low energy input, our process achieves breakeven at under $6,000 per ton when processing clays, and a fraction of that when processing brines — making lithium recovery viable in regions and resource types that current technologies can't touch.

<$6,000 Breakeven / ton
IV — Our lithium Sources

Built for the resource, not the lab

Clays
01

Clays

Unlocks rich lithium trapped in deposits previously deemed too expensive to economically and eco-ethically process.

Brines
02

Brines

Adds value whether used as the end-to-end solution, or to pre-treat other DLE technologies that need process assistance.

Geothermal
03

Geothermal

Engineered for high-temperature and chemically complex resources that have defeated other DLE 1.0 methodologies.

Wastepiles
04

Wastepiles

Recovers lithium from discarded material, turning waste into usable resource. Transportable systems allow for temporary use.

V — Market

The market needs better tools

Lithium demand is projected to exceed 3 million tons of LCE annually by 2030, up from under 1 million tons in 2023. To meet targets, over 300 new lithium projects will need to come online in the next 5–7 years.

$50B
Total Addressable Market
<1M 2023 3M+ 2030 (proj.) ≈3× growth

Federal Backing

The U.S. Department of Energy has earmarked over $20B for battery supply chain initiatives.

Policy Tailwinds

IRA tax credits and loan guarantees have jumpstarted dozens of domestic lithium projects.

Private Sector Commitment

Major automakers, including GM, Ford, and Stellantis, have committed over $100B collectively to secure battery materials.

Ready to Unlock Your Lithium Resource?

Whether you’re a project developer, investor, or policy partner — let’s talk about what NexGen DLE 2.0 can do for your operation. No pressure. Just clarity on what’s possible.