One World Lithium Inc. (CSE: OWLI) announced it has engaged the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of California, Irvine (UCI) to work with Moleaer Inc., a leader in nanobubble technology, to advance its Direct Lithium Carbonation Extraction (DLCE) technology. The collaboration aims to accelerate research and development toward designing and constructing a containerized pilot plant for field testing lithium extraction from brine.
Moleaer is assembling two Nanobubble Generators and additional equipment for shipment to the universities within the next six to eight weeks. The equipment will be used to continue DLCE test work, with the goal of validating and optimizing the single-step process that uses carbon dioxide (CO2) nanobubbles to separate lithium from brines, potentially producing lithium carbonate directly without intermediate steps.
The scope of work includes two primary phases. The first focuses on continued validation and optimization of the DLCE process for brine, advancing toward pilot-scale development. The pilot system is intended to demonstrate direct production of lithium carbonate from natural brines. In parallel, UBC and UCI will evaluate the recovery of additional industrial carbonates—such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium—which could create incremental revenue streams and improve project economics if successfully recovered at scale.
The second phase involves test work on lithium clay to create an effective lithium slurry, validating the DLCE technology to produce lithium carbonate from clay slurries under various conditions. This process would enable lithium carbonate generation directly from clays without requiring sulfuric acid, soda ash, sorbents, or multiple concentration steps.
At UBC, the team will be led by Dr. Alex Tavasoli, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Tavasoli, who holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Toronto and completed postdoctoral training at MIT, will oversee the design and fabrication of testing facilities. Her research group, the Laboratory of Future Industry (LoFI), focuses on design, optimization, scale-up, and commercialization of sustainable industrial processes.
At UCI, Dr. James Earthman, a professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, will lead the team. Dr. Earthman, a Fellow of ASM International, has extensive experience in nanobubble research and holds 16 issued US patents. He will oversee the design and fabrication of testing facilities for lithium carbonate and other metal extraction using OWL’s proprietary CO2 nanobubble processes.
Doug Fulcher, President and CEO of One World Lithium, stated: “We are extremely pleased to have such a talented team working with us in advancing OWL’s DLCE technology. We believe that under the direct supervision of Dr. Earthman with his background in research and management of materials using nanobubbles and Dr. Tavasoli’s background in chemical engineering and industrial production processing and alongside the expertise of Moleaer’s nanobubble team we are in a position to fast track our DLCE process for lithium and other critical mineral extraction from brine and complete the construction of a container size test plant in a timely manner.”
Unlike traditional methods that produce lithium intermediates requiring additional downstream processing, OWL’s objective is to produce lithium carbonate directly in a single-step process. By integrating CO2 in the separation chemistry and minimizing chemical inputs, the company expects reduced environmental impacts, lower capital and operating costs, and potential carbon credit opportunities pending pilot validation.
For more information, visit https://oneworldlithium.com/.
