A University of British Columbia spin-off company that has found a sustainable way to boost the global supply of battery-grade lithium has received $10 million in funding from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the investment fund founded by Bill Gates to support the growth of clean energy technologies.
Formed by UBC chemical and biological engineering professor Dr. David Wilkinson and members of his research group in 2017, Mangrove Lithium has developed an innovative electrochemical system that enables raw lithium to be processed more efficiently — and from a more diverse range of sources — than ever before. Such sources include hard rock, clay, wastewater and brine resources.
By cutting costs and enhancing efficiency and productivity, the technology could help the world meet a rapidly rising demand for high-quality lithium, which is used predominantly in electric vehicle batteries. The widespread adoption of electric vehicles is a key part of many countries’ greenhouse gas emissions reduction plans, including Canada’s.
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