Albemarle awarded prize for lithium extraction technology in Chile

Albemarle Corporation has been awarded the 2025 Technological Contribution Prize by the Asociación de Industriales de Antofagasta (AIA). The recognition honors the company for the development and operational validation of its Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology in Chile.

The award follows the successful operation of a pilot plant in La Negra, located in the Antofagasta Region, which involved a US$30 million investment. The pilot plant operated for over 3,000 hours in 2025, achieving a lithium recovery rate exceeding 94% under stable conditions while demonstrating improvements in water and energy efficiency.

Designed specifically for the geochemical conditions of the Salar de Atacama, the pilot program was conducted entirely by Albemarle’s local team. The technical data gathered from this facility, which is approximately one-tenth the scale of a commercial plant, will serve as the foundation for the company’s transition toward industrial-scale commercial application through its TED (Transition to Direct Lithium Extraction) project.