Wave Cyber's Innovative Membrane Technology Solves High Water Consumption Challenge in Salt Lake Lithium Extraction, Facilitating Greener Development of Salt Lake Resources

Recently, significant technological progress has been made in the development of lithium resources from salt lakes in China. The joint research project "Key Technology Application and Demonstration for Improving Quality and Efficiency of Salt Lake Lithium Resources," undertaken by multiple entities including Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co., Ltd. and Qinghai Lanbo Lithium Co., Ltd., has achieved a series of breakthroughs. Among them, the key technological contribution of Wave Cyber (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Wave Cyber") in the field of high-magnesium concentrated wastewater recovery is particularly outstanding. It provides an innovative "membrane-based" solution to address the long-standing challenge of high water consumption in the salt lake lithium extraction industry.

I. Strategic Value Highlighted, Lithium Resource Development of Great Significance

Lithium, known as the "white petroleum" and "energy metal" of the 21st century, plays a crucial role in the new energy revolution. With the global advancement of "dual-carbon" goals, lithium resources have become key raw materials supporting the development of strategic emerging industries such as new energy vehicles, energy storage systems, and aerospace.

China's lithium resource reserves rank among the top globally, with salt lake lithium resources accounting for over 70%, mainly distributed in western regions such as Qinghai and Tibet. Accelerating the development of salt lake lithium resources is not only vital for the security of the new energy industry chain and supply chain but also holds significant strategic importance for achieving energy structure transformation and ensuring national energy security.

II. Confronting Industry Pain Points, Breaking the High Water Consumption Bottleneck

Salt lake lithium extraction is an important guarantee for China's lithium resource supply, particularly in resource-rich areas represented by the Qarhan Salt Lake in Qinghai. Despite large reserves, the inherent characteristics of "ultra-high magnesium-to-lithium ratio and low lithium-ion concentration" necessitate substantial freshwater consumption during the extraction process. Freshwater resource constraints have become a key bottleneck limiting the industry's large-scale development.

To address this common industry challenge, leveraging its profound technical expertise in membrane materials and membrane separation systems, Wave Cyber undertook the research, development, and demonstration task for the sub-project "High-Magnesium Concentrated Wastewater Recovery." The project aims to deeply treat the high-magnesium concentrated wastewater generated during lithium extraction, achieving efficient freshwater recovery and simultaneous enrichment of low-grade lithium resources. This reduces freshwater consumption by nearly one-third per ton of lithium carbonate produced and enhances overall resource utilization efficiency.

III. Technological Innovation Breakthrough, Achieving Efficient Resource Recovery

Through in-depth research, the Wave Cyber project team innovatively adopted a combined membrane process of "Nanofiltration + Reverse Osmosis." This technological approach successfully overcame a series of technical challenges faced by membrane systems in high-magnesium brine environments, including concentration polarization, severe membrane fouling, and high operating pressure.

· High-Pressure Membrane Technology Breakthrough: By optimizing membrane materials and systems, the operating pressure limit of nanofiltration membranes in salt lake lithium extraction applications was increased from the conventional 41 bar to 75 bar, significantly enhancing the system's adaptability and treatment efficiency for high-salinity concentrated wastewater.

· High Recovery Rate and Water Quality Assurance: Through optimized multi-stage system design, the project achieved an industry-leading overall system freshwater recovery rate of ≥70%, with produced water quality fully meeting the requirements for process reuse.

· Cooperative Recovery of Low-Grade Lithium Resources: The innovative process not only recovers freshwater but also effectively enriches ultra-low-concentration lithium ions (only 20-40 ppm) present in the concentrated wastewater. This produces a lithium-rich solution with a lithium concentration exceeding 500 ppm, which can be returned to the front-end process for recovery, thereby improving overall lithium yield.

IV. Demonstration Project Implemented, Achieving Win-Win Economic and Environmental Benefits

A demonstration project for concentrated wastewater freshwater recovery with a capacity of 880 tons/hour, based on this technology, has been operating stably. The industrial application of these technological achievements has brought tangible benefits to production enterprises:

· Significant Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement: The demonstration project can recover over 10,000 tons of qualified freshwater daily, saving more than 7.5 million RMB annually in external water procurement costs. Additionally, the recovery of the lithium-rich solution creates extra economic value.

· Green and Low-Carbon Development: The technology application substantially reduces freshwater intake and concentrated wastewater discharge in salt lake lithium extraction. It aligns with the national water conservation policy of "determining production based on water availability" and is of great significance for protecting the fragile water ecological environment in western China, enhancing the green value chain of lithium products.

· Leading Domestic Substitution: The project actively promotes the application and validation of domestically produced high-performance nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes under harsh salt lake operating conditions. It provides important practical basis for breaking dependence on imported membrane products and ensuring the security of the industrial chain and supply chain.

Wave Cyber's outstanding performance in this joint technological攻关 demonstrates the company's technical strength and innovation capability in the field of specialty membrane separation. The successful application of this technology not only represents a solid step for Wave Cyber in the field of industrial water treatment and resource recovery but also provides strong technical support for the efficient, green, and sustainable development of China's salt lake lithium resources. It holds profound significance for safeguarding the security of strategic resources crucial to the national new energy strategy.