ioneer Ltd., a lithium-boron supplier, awarded a major engineering and equipment supply contract to Veolia Water Technologies Inc. for the development of the company’s wholly owned Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada, U.S.
Veolia commenced work on final detailed engineering design of the equipment package, which includes evaporation, crystallization and dewatering equipment. It is the largest single supply contract that ioneer will award as part of the Rhyolite Ridge build.
The contract has been awarded on a limited notice to proceed basis. Phase one, the supply of engineering services for detailed design, has commenced while phase two, the supply of equipment, is conditional on a final investment decision on the project by ioneer’s Board of Directors.
Veolia and ioneer have been working together since 2018 to demonstrate the feasibility of the process design, including design and operation of ioneer’s full simulation pilot plant in Vancouver, British Columbia. Veolia has also conducted laboratory testing and simulated key unit operations including clarification, ion exchange purification, evaporation, crystallization, and precipitation at Veolia’s Phillip J. Stewart Technology Center in Plainfield, Illinois, U.S., including the production of high-purity lithium hydroxide monohydrate. The results obtained from this work further confirmed the design parameters, reduced the technical risks and boosted the project economics.
“We have been working closely with Veolia over the past three years during the pilot plant and DFS phases and have developed a strong relationship and mutual respect,” ioneer Managing Director Bernard Rowe said. “Veolia is a recognized leader in process design and engineering, with direct experience in developing solutions for lithium processing facilities. Veolia’s experience and capabilities are important to meet required purity standards in our production facilities.”
