China’s lithium breakthrough: Key development for EV batteries
China has achieved a major industrial breakthrough in lithium extraction by launching the world’s first 20,000-tonne production line using new technology to extract lithium from salt lake brine, a critical step for electric vehicle battery production.
The facility, built by Qinghai CITIC Guoan Technology Development Co., Ltd. in Qinghai Province, has begun operating at full target capacity, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
The successful operation of the production line is expected to significantly enhance the comprehensive utilization rate of China’s salt lake lithium resources and extend their viable development lifespan. The report said the project offers an important model for upgrading the industry toward greener, smarter and larger-scale operations.
Lithium, often referred to as “white gold,” is a key raw material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics and large-scale energy storage systems.
The breakthrough is viewed as a crucial step toward building a more self-reliant and secure lithium supply chain for China, strengthening the strategic security of its rapidly expanding new energy sector.
At the core of the project is a proprietary extraction process protected by multiple patents. The technology has raised the lithium recovery rate at the salt pan stage from an industry average of below 50 percent to more than 78 percent. Across the entire production workshop, the overall lithium recovery rate has increased from 75.38 percent to 90.41 percent, the report said.
The new production line marks a major advance in processing lithium from salt lakes, a resource type that is abundant in China but has long been difficult to exploit efficiently due to high loss rates associated with traditional solar evaporation methods.
In addition to improving yields, the new technology significantly shortens the average production cycle for battery-grade lithium carbonate and sharply reduces lithium losses compared with conventional evaporation processes.
The method also preserves the comprehensive utilization of associated resources such as potassium and boron, ensuring these materials remain unaffected. This approach promotes a balance between higher resource efficiency, economic benefits and environmental sustainability.
By Nijat Babayev
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