Clean TeQ Water has been awarded a US$12.5 million (>A$19 million) contract by Rigi – Rincon Mining Pty Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto Ltd) for the Rincon Lithium Project in Argentina.
-- The contract involves the engineering design, procurement and supply of a lithium concentrate softening plant using Clean TeQ’s proprietary CLEAN-IX® Moving Bed Ion Exchange (MBIX) technology.
This award marks a strategic achievement for Clean TeQ, being one of the largest contracts in the Company’s history and its first major project in South America. It firmly positions Clean TeQ as a global player in the lithium refining and direct lithium extraction (DLE) sectors.
“We are proud to be selected by Rio Tinto to support such a strategically important lithium project,” says Clean TeQ Water CEO Peter Voigt.
“This contract is one of our largest and is our first in the South American lithium triangle. The award is a strong endorsement of our MBIX technology as a best-in-class solution for, in this case, lithium refining – where it reduces lithium loss and fresh water use.
“As lithium demand accelerates over the coming decades, we see a significant global opportunity for MBIX as a critical enabler of cost-effective, sustainable lithium production.”
In parallel, Clean TeQ is advancing proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction (cDLE®) capabilities through its Go2Lithium joint venture. The JV is focused on commercialising Clean TeQ’s continuous ion exchange for efficient lithium recovery from brines. cDLE® is emerging as a transformative approach to lithium supply by offering higher recoveries and lower environmental footprint compared to conventional evaporation. This positions Clean TeQ at both the front (cDLE®) and back (refining) ends of the lithium production chain, enhancing its strategic relevance as lithium demand accelerates in response to the global EV and energy storage boom.
