Case Study: Zijin Mining's Bipolar Membrane Process for Lithium Hydroxide Production

【Project Overview】

Against the backdrop of the global energy structure rapidly transitioning towards clean and low-carbon sources, the strategic value of lithium as "white oil" has become increasingly prominent. However, traditional salt lake lithium extraction technologies have long been plagued by pain points including high energy consumption, high costs, reliance on strong acids, and weak environmental adaptability. Especially in remote, high-altitude regions, equipment stability and operational efficiency represent critical bottlenecks for industry development. The super-large bipolar membrane electrodialysis system developed by Hangzhou Create has successfully achieved commercial deployment. Leveraging its leading circular process and energy consumption control, the project has fundamentally shifted salt lake lithium extraction from "high-carbon energy consumption" towards "green electricity cycling." This provides a solid guarantee for China's lithium resource strategic security, redefines the technical ceiling for salt lake lithium extraction, and offers a replicable, sustainable green solution for the industry.

【Project Highlights】

The project relies on a bipolar membrane electrodialysis system comprising 88 precision press filter units, with a total membrane area exceeding 30,000 square meters. Using a 13 g/L lithium solution as feed, it efficiently electrolyzes to produce 2 mol/L hydrochloric acid and battery-grade lithium hydroxide, achieving:

• Internal Resource Cycling, Breaking Acid Dependency
  The by-product hydrochloric acid is directly reused for titanium-based adsorbent regeneration and system pH adjustment, significantly reducing external acid procurement costs and logistical pressures.
• Green Electricity Driven, Approaching "Zero-Carbon Production"
  The system is entirely powered by photovoltaic green electricity, with energy consumption per ton of alkali produced at only 1,800 kW·h, enabling a fully cleaned process with near-zero emissions.
• Ultra-Simplified Process, Significant Cost Reduction & Efficiency Gains
  Compared to traditional multi-stage lithium extraction methods, this process features a shorter flow sheet and faster response, leading to substantially lower overall costs.
• Stable Operation in Extreme High-Altitude Conditions Showcases Chinese High-End Equipment Capability
  The system maintains continuous, stable operation under extreme conditions including 4,600 meters altitude, -30°C severe cold, and low oxygen levels. It features automatic power frequency adjustment, achieving a power conversion efficiency of up to 99%, solving the pain points of poor equipment adaptability and difficult staffing in high-altitude regions.