How Jiuwu Hi-Tech Addresses Diverse Salt Lake Brine Compositions for Direct Lithium Extraction

A Full-Process “Adsorption + Membrane” DLE Solution Across Multiple Brine Types

Jiuwu Hi-Tech’s DLE system combines lithium-selective adsorption with membrane separation to extract lithium directly from complex brines. In practice, lithium-specific adsorbents selectively capture lithium ions from raw brine; membrane separation then purifies and concentrates the lithium-bearing solution; evaporation and refining produce the final lithium salt product.

The company customizes the core adsorbent and process configuration to the brine composition. For high-sodium raw brine at Wukuang Yiliping, Jiuwu developed a specialized adsorbent for a high Na/Li ratio system. For the high-magnesium, high-scale brine at Salt Lake Co.’s 40,000 tpa basic lithium salt project, Jiuwu supplied adsorbents matched to a continuous ion exchange moving bed plus membrane coupling process. For Tibetan salt lakes, Jiuwu has applied titanium-based adsorbents that maintain stable adsorption capacity and selectivity under high-altitude and complex brine conditions.

Jiuwu is one of the few domestic providers that masters both high-performance lithium adsorbent materials and membrane separation core technologies. In July 2025, its lithium adsorbent synthesis technology and salt lake lithium extraction process integration technology were placed on China’s Export Prohibited/Restricted Technologies list.

Inside the World’s First Industrial Raw Brine Adsorption Project: Wukuang Salt Lake’s Yiliping Expansion

On March 8, 2025, the Wukuang Salt Lake Yiliping Phase III technical revamp completed feed commissioning, marking the world’s first industrial-scale salt lake raw brine adsorption project. Jiuwu Hi-Tech served as the core process technology service provider for this milestone.

Wukuang Salt Lake’s self-developed raw brine high-efficiency lithium extraction technology used adsorption process innovation to improve the lithium comprehensive recovery rate by nearly 100% and significantly shorten the production cycle. The revamp is expected to increase annual lithium carbonate capacity by 15,000 tonnes.

Jiuwu Hi-Tech’s scope included:

• Full-cycle process support from laboratory small-scale parameter optimization and pilot validation to industrial scale-up design and process package development.

• Custom-developed adsorbent for high Na/Li ratio raw brine, with a cumulative filling volume of 1,710 m³, accounting for 75% of the total adsorption section.

• Complete membrane separation system design to build the adsorption–membrane coupled lithium extraction system.

Facing −20°C extreme cold and a pre-Spring Festival deadline, the Jiuwu team used modular pre-filling to overcome winter construction challenges. Key parameters achieved 100% compliance, and the adsorption section passed the continuous operation test in one pass.

Scaling DLE to 40,000 tpa: Jiuwu’s Role in Salt Lake Co.’s Largest Salt Lake Lithium Project

Salt Lake Co.’s 40,000 tpa basic lithium salt integrated project is the largest already-built and operational salt lake lithium extraction project in China. Jiuwu Hi-Tech received the “Best Collaborative Partner” award from the project team for its technical support, full-process coordination, and on-site service.

For this project, Jiuwu customized high-performance lithium adsorbents for the “continuous ion exchange moving bed + membrane coupling” process. The company supported the project from laboratory testing through industrial application, helping the 40,000 tpa project achieve early commissioning and immediate full production after startup.

Key performance results include:

• Lithium comprehensive recovery rate of 82.4%.

• Comprehensive energy consumption reduced by 50.67%.

• In November, monthly lithium carbonate output exceeded 1,700 tonnes, reaching 113% of the monthly plan and a 4% month-on-month increase.

After startup, Jiuwu R&D engineers remained on-site to support stable production and capacity ramp-up. They monitored production data in real time, adjusted operating parameters, and worked with the customer’s technical and production teams to optimize process adaptation, equipment linkage, and working-condition control.

Titanium-Based Adsorbents for Tibetan Salt Lakes: 50% Higher Capacity and 20% Lower Acid Consumption

Jiuwu Hi-Tech’s titanium-based lithium adsorbent has completed more than two months of continuous experiments in a Tibetan salt lake project. During the test, the adsorbent showed stable adsorption capacity and selectivity. Compared with commercial competitors, the titanium-based adsorbent delivered 50% higher adsorption capacity and saved more than 20% acid consumption.

Jiuwu’s DLE technology has been applied and promoted at Tibet Mining, Zangge Lithium, and other enterprises, demonstrating adaptability to high-altitude and complex brine conditions. In 2023, the company built China’s first intelligent production line with an annual capacity of 6,000 tonnes of lithium adsorbent at its Tibet Jiuwu subsidiary in the Golmud Tibetan Industrial Park.

Core Adsorbent Materials: Why Aluminum and Titanium Adsorbents Achieve <5% and <15% Annual Loss

Jiuwu Hi-Tech’s adsorbent portfolio is built on controlled material synthesis and granulation technologies. The key material-level improvements are summarized below.

The aluminum-based adsorbent powder uses a synchronous intercalation self-assembly reaction technology. Compared with traditional preparation processes, this increases powder adsorption capacity by 60–75% while keeping annual loss below 5%. The titanium-based adsorbent powder uses element doping to adjust the layer spacing, which significantly improves ion selectivity and long-term cycling stability; its annual loss rate is below 15%. Hollow granulation converts powder into granulated adsorbent with more than twice the adsorption capacity of traditional lithium adsorbents and a halved annual loss rate. In 2025, Jiuwu also developed a quasi-spherical aluminum-based lithium adsorbent for high-lithium-concentration brines, increasing adsorption capacity by more than 20%.

From Lab to EPC: How the Integrated “Adsorption + Membrane” Process Covers the Full DLE Lifecycle

Jiuwu Hi-Tech provides full-cycle support for DLE projects, covering laboratory-scale parameter optimization, pilot validation, industrial scale-up design, process package development, installation, commissioning, and on-site operation.

The integrated process uses lithium-specific adsorbents for selective lithium adsorption, membrane separation for purification and concentration, and evaporation to produce lithium salts. Jiuwu’s engineering capability is supported by its materials platform: ceramic membranes, organic membranes, and lithium adsorbents.

The company’s track record includes:

• Completing the world’s first 10,000 tpa lithium carbonate full-membrane EPC project in 2018.

• Applying “adsorption + membrane” technology in more than 95% of lithium carbonate production plants in Qinghai.

• Building China’s first intelligent 6,000 tpa lithium adsorbent production line in 2023.

Automation control solutions help stabilize industrial operation. At the Wukuang Yiliping project, modular pre-filling and on-site commissioning by Jiuwu process experts overcame extreme weather and tight deadlines, with the adsorption section passing continuous operation testing in one pass.

Green DLE: Cutting Energy Use by 50.67% and Recycling Tail Brine for Potash Production

At Salt Lake Co.’s 40,000 tpa project, Jiuwu’s adsorption-coupled membrane process contributed to a 50.67% reduction in comprehensive energy consumption. The process supports green production and comprehensive utilization of lithium, potassium, and boron resources. Tail brine after lithium extraction can be used for potash fertilizer production, and the process realizes water circulation and resource comprehensive utilization.

This approach avoids the brine losses and long production cycles associated with traditional salt pan evaporation. Jiuwu’s membrane system energy-efficiency optimization supports clean production goals, as demonstrated in multiple industrial projects where tail brine is returned to resource use rather than discharged as waste.

The Future of Raw Brine DLE: Technology Export Controls and Global Application Outlook

In July 2025, Jiuwu Hi-Tech’s lithium adsorbent material synthesis technology and salt lake lithium extraction process integration technology were listed in China’s Export Prohibited/Restricted Technologies catalog. This listing reflects the strategic position of the company’s core technology and supports its “anti-chokehold” role in international salt lake lithium extraction.

Jiuwu expects raw brine DLE to be popularized globally as adsorbent performance continues to improve, because it avoids the lithium losses and long cycles of traditional evaporation-based extraction. Future technology directions include continuous improvement of adsorption, membrane separation, and extraction processes, with coupled processes refined for diverse salt lake brine compositions.

Beyond lithium extraction, Jiuwu is expanding into solid-state electrolyte materials, including LLZO and LATP oxide solid-state electrolytes. Multiple batches have been supplied to leading domestic battery cell enterprises, indicating a broader lithium industry chain strategy from resource extraction to advanced battery materials.

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