This week (6.23-6.27), overseas lithium news [SMM Weekly Overseas New Energy News]

[Gradiant to Build Lithium Production Plant in Marcellus Shale Region, Pennsylvania]

On Tuesday, water treatment and resource recovery firm Gradiant announced that its wholly owned lithium-focused subsidiary, Alkali, will design and construct a commercial lithium production plant in Montrose, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, within the Marcellus Shale region.

According to the company, this site represents the world's first facility to extract lithium from oilfield produced water through an integrated end-to-end process combining extraction, concentration, and conversion (EC²). Following last year's launch of Alkali's EC² platform, Gradiant claims the system guarantees at least 95% lithium recovery rates at customer sites, enabling producers to supply battery-grade lithium carbonate in a more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable manner.

Gradiant's Alkali owns and operates the Pennsylvania facility, including equipment, land, water rights, mineral rights, and permits. This vertical integration model ensures long-term U.S. lithium supply while avoiding permitting and ownership delays common in critical mineral projects.

Currently in testing phase, the system has demonstrated 97% lithium recovery from produced water and produced battery-grade lithium carbonate with 99.5% purity, Gradiant stated. The company revealed Alkali has secured a multi-year offtake agreement to supply up to 5,000 metric tons (mt) of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually to a U.S. lithium-ion battery manufacturer for EV and energy storage systems.

"We now have a fully operational lithium production asset in the United States that proves the EC² platform's delivery capability," said Gradiant CEO Anurag Bajpayee. "This isn't a concept—it's an operating facility demonstrating that clean, domestic lithium production is viable and scalable." Bajpayee added: "Our goal isn't to compete with customers but to empower them—and the entire industry—to meet growing battery-grade lithium demand and accelerate the clean energy transition. This strategic investment in the Marcellus Shale could supply up to 50% of U.S. lithium needs, validating Alkali's technological maturity and securing long-term domestic supply."

Source: ming.com

[Halliburton to Design Demonstration Well for GeoFrame Energy's Direct Lithium Extraction Project in Texas]

Publicly listed firm Halliburton announced on Monday that it has been awarded a contract for GeoFrame Energy's geothermal and direct lithium extraction (DLE) project in Texas.

The company stated that it will plan and design the first batch of demonstration wells for the Smackover Formation in eastern Texas. According to GeoFrame, it is expected to become the first company to bring battery-grade lithium carbonate from this US reservoir to market.

According to GeoFrame, the project is projected to produce approximately 83,500 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually, sufficient to meet the entire domestic demand of the United States. This will mark a turning point for the US to end its reliance on lithium imports from China.

"With its brine lithium extraction technology, GeoFrame Energy is strategically positioned to capitalize on the current wave of lithium demand," said Duane Scherritt, Vice President of Halliburton's Low Carbon Solutions business. "Halliburton's century-long drilling expertise and execution capabilities, combined with innovative technologies supporting new energy projects and decades of experience in the Smackover Formation, make us the optimal partner to support GeoFrame Energy's vision."

"As a key team member, Halliburton will provide support during the project's drilling phase, covering demonstration well construction, design, operations, and full-field development," stated Bruce Cartwright, CEO of GeoFrame. "The company plans to utilize geothermal brine to generate renewable electricity through zero-emission binary cycle generators, powering both direct lithium extraction (DLE) and lithium carbonate production facilities. Surplus geothermal power will be sold into the power grid."

The project is expected to commence at the end of 2025.

Source: ming.com, halliburton.com

[Q2 Metals Intersects 151 Meters of Continuous Lithium-Bearing Lepidolite Pegmatite at Quebec's Cisco Lithium Project, Announces Property Option Payment]

Q2 Metals announced the commencement of drilling operations at the Cisco Lithium Project, located within the traditional territory of Eeyou Istchee James Bay region in Quebec, Canada. The project is traversed by the paved Billy Diamond Highway and situated only 150 kilometers north of Matagami along the Canadian National Railway.

The primary objective of the 2025 summer drilling program is to conduct infill drilling along the 1.5-kilometer northeast-southwest trending mineralized zone.

The 2025 summer program will initially resume drilling of hole CS-25-036, which was suspended at 315.3 meters at the conclusion of the 2025 winter program. Hole 36 has now reached 582.11 meters, intersecting three additional lithium-bearing lepidolite pegmatite mineralization intervals, including the widest continuous interval measuring 151.0 meters.

"As part of the 2025 summer program, the initial hole has exceeded expectations by extending the main mineralized zone deeper than previously recognized, representing the project's best hole to date in terms of cumulative lithium-bearing lepidolite pegmatite mineralization encountered," commented Neil McCauley, Q2 Metals' Vice President of Exploration. Next, our priority is to tighten the drill hole spacing near the broad mineralized zone of the Cisco Project to advance mineral resource estimation work."

Cautionary Statement: The presence of pegmatite does not confirm the existence of lithium (lepidolite or other lithium minerals). Pegmatite is a differentiated coarse-grained igneous rock commonly associated with lithium mineralization; however, many pegmatites do not contain mineralization. Only through assay can any mineralization be confirmed.

The geological team has completed core cutting and logging for drill hole #36. Samples will be sent to SGS Canada's preparation laboratory in Val-d'Or, Quebec for mineral analysis to confirm lithium presence.

Source: junior mining

[E3 Lithium, Canada's Leading Lithium Company, Releases First Measured & Indicated Lithium Resource Estimate for Garrington Project]

E3 LITHIUM LTD., Canada's leading lithium company, recently published an updated mineral resource report for its Garrington Project in central Alberta. Prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, the report details the latest measured and indicated mineral resource estimate of 5 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) for the Garrington Project.

Key Highlights:

• Garrington Project covers 273,449 hectares
• Measured & Indicated mineral resource estimate: 5 million mt LCE
• Inferred mineral resource estimate: 300,000 mt LCE
• E3 Lithium's total measured & indicated mineral resources in Alberta now reach 21.2 million mt LCE

Located in central-south Alberta, the Garrington Project extends from immediately southwest of Edmonton at its northern end to the town of Sundre in the southwest. Within the project area, the company holds approximately 155,236 hectares of brine mineral rights through Crown leases, with the remaining area being unleased proprietary rights. Lithium concentrations across E3 Lithium's landholdings or adjacent areas range from 45 to 61 mg/L, averaging 54 mg/L. Situated immediately west of the company's Bashaw area (part of the developing Clearwater Project), the Garrington Project's lithium brine deposit also occurs within the Leduc Formation carbonate reef complex sediments, similar to the Bashaw area.

"Alberta's lithium resources are gaining global attention due to their massive scale, supported by the province's extensive lithium-bearing brine basins," said Chris Doornbos, President and CEO of E3 Lithium. "This resource update for Garrington highlights another extensive lithium-rich brine area west of our existing Bashaw resource. While E3 Lithium focuses on developing the Clearwater Project, the additional resources at Garrington expand our resource base and establish a foundation for long-term value creation."

Source: junior mining