Hertz Energy Inc. · CSE:HZ
Hertz Energy — Technical Presentation (October 2023)
24 slides from Hertz Energy's technical presentation, October 2023
Slide 1: Direct Extraction of Lithium from a-Spodumene
DIRECT EXTRACTION OF LITHIUM FROM A-SPODUMENE
Slide 2: Disclaimer
DISCLAIMER This presentation (the “Presentation”) relating to the technology and intellectual property licensed to Hertz Lithium Inc. (the “Company”) is current as of ●, 2023, except as otherwise provided herein. It is information in a summary form and does not purport to be complete. It is not inte
Slide 3: Partnership Highlights
PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS Patent-Pending process for Direct PCT/US2021/018727 applications Efficient process design allowing for reduced energy consumption, significantly Extraction of lithium from a- filed by Penn State in 2021 lower CO2 emissions, reduced chemical spodumene costs and fewer facility c
Slide 4: Lithium Applications
LITHIUM APPLICATIONS 90 80 Flux Powders Medical 1% Air treatment 2% 1% 70 Global end-use markets (%) Other Uses Lubricating 5% 60 Greases 4% 50 Ceramics & Glass 7% 40 Batteries 80% 30 20 10 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Year USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2023 HERTZ LIT
Slide 5: Lithium Production
LITHIUM PRODUCTION Production (kt) Price ($1000//tLCE) 140 38 36 130 34 120 32 110 30 100 28 26 90 24 Price ($1000/tLCE) Production (kt) 80 22 70 20 18 60 16 50 14 40 12 30 10 8 20 6 10 4 0 2 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Year USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2023 HERTZ LIT
Slide 6: Lithium Sources
LITHIUM SOURCES Brines: ~50% (ABC triangle, US, China) • Using solar energy • 12-18 months Minerals: ~40% • Distributed around the world • Higher concentration • More reliable • Faster to production Others: ~10% • Clays • Secondary resources Tabelin, et al., Miner. Eng. 163 (2021) 106743 HERTZ LITHI
Slide 7: Current Industrial Process
CURRENT INDUSTRIAL PROCESS • The spodumene concentrate, which typically has about 6% Lithium Oxide (Li2O), is obtained through physical separation. • Spodumene mineral naturally occurs in the αlpha phase, a monoclinic compact crystal structure with low reactivity, and thus cannot be easily leached.
Slide 8: Drawbacks
DRAWBACKS • High cost required for the energy- extensive high-temperature calcination process for the phase transformation of α- to β- spodumene. • Significant environmental impacts as it contributes to the high greenhouse gas (GHG) emission of Li extraction from spodumene (i.e., 9 tonnes of CO2 per
Slide 9: Lithium Extraction from Spodumene
LITHIUM EXTRACTION FROM SPODUMENE Spodumene LiAlSi2O6: 8% Li2O Crushing/ Gravity/ Raw Ore Tailings Grinding/ Flotation/ Classification Magnetic Separation α-Spodumene Concentrate (Li2O>6%, Fe2O3<1%) Process flowsheet of the current industrial practice for the extraction of Li from spodumene Water Le
Slide 10: Patent-Pending Discovery
PATENT-PENDING DISCOVERY CHEMICAL ROASTING • To eliminate the need for high-temperature calcination and acid-baking processes, Penn State research focused on direct extraction of Li from α-spodumene. • Research was focused to transfer the structure of α-spodumene to water or acid soluble phases, tha
Slide 11: Salt Roasting and Leaching – Testing Phase
SALT ROASTING AND LEACHING – TESTING PHASE 100 α-Spodumene Concentrate 90 Acid Leaching Water Leaching 80 70 Roasting 60 Li Recovery (%) 50 Water Leaching 40 30 Acid Leaching 20 10 0 NaOH Na₂CO₃ NaCl Na₂SO₄ KOH Purification 318 oC 851 oC 801 oC 884 oC 360 oC HERTZ LITHIUM X PENN STATE UNIVERSITY 11
Slide 12: Salt Roasting and Leaching Outcome
SALT ROASTING AND LEACHING OUTCOME • Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) was found the most effective reagent for the phase transformation of α-spodumene to water-soluble phases. • 71% and 88% of water leaching, and total leaching recovery values, correspondingly, were achieved by NaOH roasting, water leaching,
Slide 13: Elemental Recovery by NaOH Roasting
ELEMENTAL RECOVERY BY NaOH ROASTING • Equilibria calculated by FactSage 100 90 Acid Leaching Water Leaching 80 3α−LiAlSi2O6 + 14NaOH ⟶ 70 5Na2SiO3 + Li3NaSiO4 + 3NaAlO2 + 7H2O 60 Li Recovery (%) 50 SiO2 + 2NaOH ⟶ Na2SiO3 + H2O 40 30 20 Na2SiO3 + 2NaOH ⟶ Na4SiO4 + H2O 10 0 Li Al Si Element HERTZ LITH
Slide 14: Patent-Pending NaOH Roasting
PATENT-PENDING NaOH ROASTING • Penn State Process developed by Dr. Rezaee’s research group eliminated the high temperature calcination and acid baking processes, and directly extracted Li from α-spodumene through NaOH roasting (at ~320 oC) followed by leaching. • To further reduce the energy consump
Slide 15: Patent-Pending NaOH Roasting
PATENT-PENDING NaOH ROASTING • Microwave roasting of spodumene with NaOH was conducted at 1.5 kW and 400 ◦C 100 90 Acid Leaching Water Leaching 80 70 60 Recovery (%) 50 40 30 20 2.45 GHz, 6kW 10 Multimode Batch System 0 Li Al Si Element HERTZ LITHIUM X PENN STATE U NIVERSITY 15
Slide 16: Penn State Team
PENN STATE TEAM Dr. Mohammad Rezaee Penn State stands as a hub of comprehensive expertise Associate Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering covering the entire spectrum of the critical minerals supply The Pennsylvania State University chain. This encompassing knowledge spans across pivotal Moham
Slide 17: Technology Readiness Level Timeline
TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVEL TIMELINE • Penn State and Hertz Lithium will optimize the process parameters for maximizing Lithium recovery in water and conduct the kinetic study to obtain scale-up parameters for pilot-scale testing. By completion of this research project (within 6 months) the technolog
Slide 18: Process Sustainability Advantages
PROCESS SUSTAINABILITY ADVANTAGES • The Penn State process directly recovers Li from α-spodumene through NaOH and water leaching. • The developed process eliminates the high-temperature (1100 oC) calcination process, and associated energy cost as well as Green House Gas emissions. • The process elim
Slide 19: Thank You!
THANK YOU! FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: HERTZ LITHIUM INC. 1500 – 1055 WEST GEORGIA STREET, VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA V6E 3N9 PHONE: 604-805-4602 EMAIL: [email protected]
Slide 20: Appendix I - Acknowledgments
APPENDIX I - ACKNOWLEDGMENTS • Penn State Center for Critical Minerals (C2M) • Penn State EMS Energy Institute (EI) • Penn State Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering • Penn State Microwave Processing and Engineering Center (MPEC) HERTZ LITHIUM X PENN STATE UNIVERSITY 20
Slide 21: Appendix II – Scientific Process
APPENDIX II – SCIENTIFIC PROCESS Microwave-Assisted Calcination • Microwave-assisted calcination of spodumene offers significant advantages over calcination through conventional heating. • Microwaves are electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz from which 915 and 2450 MHz a
Slide 22: Appendix III – Scientific Process Cont'd
APPENDIX III – SCIENTIFIC PROCESS CONT’D Microwave-Assisted Calcination • The optimum lithium recovery through the microwave calcination-acid roasting-leaching process reached 97% at 2.0 kW microwave power, comparable with that of conventional heating. The complete phase transformation in microwave
Slide 23: Appendix IV – Scientific Process Cont'd
APPENDIX IV – SCIENTIFIC PROCESS CONT’D Microwave-Assisted Calcination Spodumene Concentrate 2.45 GHz, 6kW Multimode Batch System Microwave Calcination Acid Baking Water Leaching Purification Critical temperature 570 oC HERTZ LITHIUM X PENN STATE UNIVERSITY 23
Slide 24: Appendix V - Elemental Recovery
APPENDIX V - ELEMENTAL RECOVERY • Conversion to β-spodumene • 2kW: 97% Li • Lower concentrations of impurities M. Rezaee, et al., Powder Technol. 397 (2022) 116992. HERTZ LITHIUM X PENN STATE UNIVERSITY 24