Calgary-based cleantech company Litus has deployed its first lithium extraction pilot unit in the field, marking a major step toward commercializing its patented Litus LiNC technology.
Foresight named Litus the Venture of the Year at 2024 Alberta Cleantech Awards.
The announcement signals growing momentum for Alberta’s emerging role in the critical minerals sector, particularly in sustainable lithium extraction.
The Litus LiNC system—a one-step, direct lithium extraction (DLE) solution—uses proprietary nanotechnology to extract lithium from brine with up to 99.5% recovery and 99% impurity rejection, even in low-concentration sources.
The pilot deployment follows the successful commissioning of Litus’s in-house nanomaterial production facility in Calgary, which was validated over a 20-month period and can scale production 500 times per day.
“We are confident in our technology and our unique ability to extract lithium,” said Dr. Ghada Nafie, CEO and co-founder of Litus. “This pilot represents a key validation step. With every successful scale-up, we move closer to commercial deployment and to redefining what’s possible in lithium extraction.”
RELATED: How Cleantech Startup Litus is Advancing Lithium Production in Calgary
Litus’s innovation journey began nearly ten years ago at the University of Calgary, where Dr. Nafie and co-founders Dr. Pedro Pereira-Almao and Dr. Gerardo Vitale laid the scientific foundation for what would become a game-changing solution in the clean energy transition.
Since founding Litus in 2019 and launching in 2021, the team has focused on building a simple, efficient, and environmentally responsible method to unlock lithium from unconventional sources like oil and gas produced water and geothermal brines.
While many DLE startups struggled to scale beyond the lab, Litus has proven its ability to bridge the gap from bench to field. The new pilot unit is designed as a modular, plug-and-play system that integrates easily with existing infrastructure while minimizing energy and water use.
As global demand for lithium continues to surge—driven by EVs and clean technology—Litus LiNC positions itself as a cost-effective and flexible solution, even when lithium prices fluctuate.
“Litus LiNC is profitable when lithium prices are low, and unstoppable when prices are high,” said Dr. Nafie.
The company has garnered global recognition, landing on the Cleantech Group’s 50 to Watch and Foresight 50 lists, and presenting at COP28, ADIPEC, and the Chile-Canada Mining Innovation Summit.
Backed by support from organizations including NRC-IRAP, MICA, Emissions Reduction Alberta, SDTC, Alberta Innovates, The Firehood, MaRS, and Foresight, Litus is part of a growing wave of Alberta innovators reshaping the future of energy with science, sustainability, and global scalability.
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