Lithium Ark, the technology company pioneering a new approach to lithium refining, has been granted a European patent for its proprietary "Ark Loop" process.

The patent protects the integrated technology underpinning the Ark Loop process, which is designed to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide directly from lithium chloride, in either solution or crystal form.

The process simplifies the value chain by eliminating the need to produce, transport, and reconvert lithium carbonate, while retaining the ability to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate where customers require it.

Lithium Ark has also secured patents for its technology in the US and Chile, with the European patent representing an important milestone as the company advances its technology toward commercial deployment.

The name Ark Loop reflects both its connection to Lithium Ark and the circular nature of the underlying chemistry; the process is designed as a closed-loop system that recycles potassium and eliminates the need for external reagents, creating a more self-sustaining refining pathway.

"By re-engineering conventional refining, the Ark Loop process delivers up to 89% lower carbon emissions, 75% less water consumption, and 49% lower energy use, while reducing operational and capital expenditure costs by up to 50% and enabling faster, more scalable deployment," says Lithium Ark co-founder and CTO Peter Ehren.

Lithium Ark is working to develop its first commercial facility in Antwerp, Belgium, with the project designed to demonstrate the Ark Loop technology at industrial scale and provide a platform for future global deployment.

“This European patent is an important addition to Lithium Ark’s intellectual property portfolio and provides further protection for the technology behind Ark Loop, including the removal of soda ash from the refining process, a key contributor to its emissions reductions.

"Naming the technology Ark Loop gives this innovation a clear identity as we advance towards commercial deployment in Antwerp and demonstrate its potential to deliver cleaner, lower-cost and more efficient lithium refining at industrial scale," Ehren concludes.