Amid the rapid growth of the global new energy industry, lithium has emerged as a strategic mineral of critical importance. As the primary source of global lithium supply, salt lakes differ significantly in brine composition, impurity structure, geographic conditions, and environmental policies across regions. Standardized processes struggle to adapt to these complex extraction conditions. As a leading provider of integrated solutions for salt lake lithium extraction, BICHEM adheres to a “one lake, one strategy” approach, leveraging a diversified core technology matrix to develop customized process solutions tailored to the unique endowments of salt lakes worldwide. This strategy builds technical advantages for the industry, providing global clients with efficient, low-carbon, and high-yield lithium resource development services.
BICHEM’s global markets
Divergent endowments of global salt lakes
Core lithium-producing regions are concentrated in Argentina, Chile, and China. Due to geographic and geological factors, the characteristics of brine and the associated development challenges vary greatly, making one-size-fits-all lithium extraction solutions economically and operationally unfeasible. Argentina’s salt lakes, situated on the Andean Plateau, generally feature high sodium and low magnesium content, with magnesium-to-lithium ratios typically below 5:1. Lithium concentrations are moderate, offering significant extraction advantages, but water scarcity, limited infrastructure, and high salinity interference pose challenges. Chilean salt lakes are globally recognized for their high-quality lithium resources, characterized by extremely high lithium concentrations and low magnesium-to-lithium ratios. The Atacama Salt Lake, for example, boasts lithium concentrations exceeding 1,800 mg/L. However, boron and silica impurities are abundant, and stringent local environmental regulations demand exceptionally high product purity.
Compared with South American salt lakes, Chinese lakes present higher extraction difficulty. Qinghai’s Qarhan Salt Lake, for instance, is marked by high magnesium-to-lithium ratios and low lithium concentrations, with some areas exhibiting ratios in the hundreds or even thousands. Brine compositions are complex, and traditional evaporation methods and single extraction technologies struggle to achieve commercial-scale efficiency. These distinct characteristics across regions demonstrate that there is no universal optimal process for salt lake lithium extraction; only customized solutions that align with local conditions can maximize economic value.
BICHEM’s workshop of a lithium extraction project in Qarhan Salt Lake
Tailored solutions based on local conditions
BICHEM has accumulated years of expertise in salt lake lithium extraction. Drawing on successful projects in Qinghai, China, we have established a comprehensive technology matrix covering lithium-rich mother liquor recovery, brine pre-treatment, freshwater recovery, membrane-based extraction, adsorption-based extraction, and solvent extraction, forming a complete, high-yield-focused technological ecosystem. BICHEM’s innovative process technologies include:
1. Membrane-based lithium extraction: Efficient membrane filtration and ion-selective separation achieve high lithium-impurity separation, with recovery rates exceeding 97%.
2. Adsorption–membrane coupled process: The process combines lithium ion sieve adsorption materials with membrane separation technology to significantly improve lithium selectivity and yield, adaptable to diverse brine qualities.
3. Solvent extraction process: In alkaline lakes, selective organic solvents extract lithium with high concentration and low impurities, conserving energy and water resources.
4. Electrodialysis technology: Electric fields selectively migrate lithium ions while removing boron and silica impurities, achieving high efficiency with low chemical consumption and minimal environmental impact.
5. Multi-stage crystallization and deep processing: Industrial-grade lithium salts are refined into battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide while simultaneously recovering by-products such as boric acid and potassium salts, enabling comprehensive utilization of salt lake resources.
BICHEM’s process flow chart
For each process, BICHEM conducts in-depth analyses of hydrology, chemistry, and environmental conditions, leveraging production insights, application-driven R&D, and rapid process optimization to ensure optimal operation in each salt lake. We build a flexible process system, combining tailored process packages to address local challenges and deliver high-efficiency, low-carbon, and low-cost extraction. Typical regional solutions include:
1. Argentina salt lake solution: The solution addresses local water scarcity and high salinity interference using lithium-rich mother liquor recovery coupled with solvent extraction and membrane integration, combined with a lithium-sodium separation membrane filtration device. Lithium recovery exceeds 98%, minimizing reagent and water consumption, perfectly suited to arid environments and cost-effective development.
2. Chile salt lake solution: The solution is designed for stringent impurity control and high product purity standards. Electrodialysis paired with MVR-coupled membranes simultaneously removes boron and silica, reduces lithium loss to below 0.5%, cuts resin costs by 20%, increases water recovery by 10–30%, and simplifies evaporation stages, reliably producing battery-grade high-purity lithium salts.
3. China high magnesium-lithium ratio salt lake solution: The solution tackles high Mg/Li ratio challenges with a specialized lithium extraction system. Lithium ion sieve adsorption materials combined with membrane-based deep impurity removal achieve lithium recovery above 98%, unlocking the economic potential of low-grade domestic salt lake resources.
Custom innovation drives high-quality global lithium development
While many industry players over-rely on standardized processes, BICHEM asserts that non-standardized, customized capability is the core technical advantage in salt lake lithium extraction. Enterprise competitiveness stems not from individual equipment or processes, but from the ability to flexibly integrate technologies based on hydrological conditions, impurity profiles, and production targets. To strengthen custom R&D capabilities, BICHEM has built a three-dimensional innovation system encompassing operations, strategy, and foresight. By focusing on on-site process optimization, tailoring solutions to client needs, and advancing industry-leading technological innovations, BICHEM continues to refine its capabilities.
Currently, BICHEM offers a complete technology matrix spanning brine pre-treatment, specialized membrane processing, adsorption and solvent extraction, and integrated resource recovery, complemented by custom equipment, delivering end-to-end services from raw brine to high-purity lithium salts and metallic lithium. Looking ahead, BICHEM will always adheres to its “one lake, one strategy” approach, refine non-standardized custom technologies, and optimize global salt lake project solutions. Leveraging mature technical expertise and project experience, we provide clients worldwide with highly adaptable, high-yield, and sustainable lithium extraction services. Through these services, we aim to establish industry-leading technical leadership, promote the green, efficient development of global lithium resources, and support stable and long-term growth of the new energy industry.
