The company announced Wednesday it had agreed with Australian resources developer Anson Resources to construct the direct lithium extraction (DLE) demonstration facility in Green River, Utah, with POSCO overseeing design, construction and operation, and Anson supplying the site, infrastructure and brine.
The plant is targeted for completion in 2027, with technical validation using actual brine to be finished by 2028, laying the groundwork for commercial production, POSCO said.
DLE recovers lithium economically from low-concentration brine, offering higher recovery rates and shorter production times than conventional evaporation ponds. POSCO has been developing the technology since 2016.
The project is the first overseas test of POSCO's proprietary process and a foothold for expanding its lithium business in North America, where automakers and battery firms are racing to secure supplies of the metal.
"This demonstration is a strategic investment to secure next-generation technology early and seize the global lithium market," POSCO Holdings President Lee Ju-tae said, adding that the company would strengthen its competitiveness in North America and beyond.
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