Stria’s proprietary processing technologies were developed by Mr. David Johnson, a co-founder and Director of ALCERECO Inc., a Kingston, Ontario-based advanced materials services company that provides specialty processing capabilities to companies innovating in new and existing markets.
"A simpler, more efficient recovery of lithium and lithium compounds from spodumene ore at the source leads to a competitive advantage in business terms," said Gary Economo, Stria’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Economo said the potential benefits of the technologies is that they require less controls; less chemistry via the recycling of chemicals; require less energy due to energy recycling; reduce capital costs from the construction of smaller, compact processing facilities, and; the combination of a simple process and compact design enable easy automation.
"Powering the green revolution from technologies that bring high purity lithium products to market on a cost-competitive basis with lithium brine precipitation producers is critical to our long-term success in the lithium sector," said Mr. Economo.
"We see technology innovation as the key that unlocks the door for Stria to move into an established global market in tandem with green technology manufacturers seeking low-cost, high-quality lithium chloride, lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide sourcing options," Mr. Economo added.
(1) The acquisition by Stria of Pueblo Lithium LLC from the Vendor is subject to various terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement, including Board approvals and the receipt of requisite TSX-V and other regulatory approvals. (Please refer to Stria’s news release dated December 23, 2013).
About Lithium
Lithium is considered a key, strategic material in the clean technology economy that is being fuelled by advances in electric vehicles, energy storage and electronics.
The U.S. Department of Energy has identified lithium as a critical material whose demand is forecast to grow dramatically in the medium term, with rechargeable lithium batteries leading the way.
Demand for lithium batteries – especially from consuming nations India and China – is expected to increase significantly as demand for plug-in hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles grows.
Demand today for rechargeable lithium batteries already exceeds that of rechargeable non-lithium batteries for use in cellphones, cordless tools, MP3 players and portable computers and tablets, according to the US Geological Survey.
Major automobile companies are scrambling to develop lithium batteries for electric vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles. According to the U.S. Energy Department’s Critical Materials Strategy, in the medium term, Li-ion batteries may gain significant market share, especially in hybrid-electric vehicles, as more carmakers switch over from nickel-metal hydride batteries.
Lithium batteries could also be important to the successful integration of renewable electricity technologies in the context of Smart Grid development.
Non-rechargeable lithium batteries are used in calculators, cameras, computers, electronic games, watches, and other devices.
