MELBOURNE, VICTORIA – 16 May, 2025 – The World Economic Forum today announced that ElectraLith Pty Ltd (“ElectraLith”) is a winner of the highly prestigious Sustainable Mining: Mining the Unmined Challenge. In its selection, the World Economic Forum identified ElectraLith’s next-generation DLE-R technology as one of the most promising solutions driving progress toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Image: ElectraLith’s DLE-R
As part of the challenge, ElectraLith was selected by UpLink as one of eight Top Innovators advancing groundbreaking technologies that maximize the recovery of metals and minerals from ores and non-primary sources, reducing the need for fresh extraction to meet future raw material demands. Uplink is the World Economic Forum’s innovation platform with a mission to enable an innovation ecosystem driving positive systemic change for people and the planet.
The World Economic Forum commented: “We are deeply inspired by ElectraLith’s solution and excited to help ElectraLith scale its impact.”
As a Top Innovator, ElectraLith will benefit from a three-year curated Engagement Programme that includes high-profile events, global visibility and access to networks of potential partners, collaborators and investors. The Engagement Programme is intended to significantly enhance ElectraLith’s ability to rapidly scale DLE-R to create a lasting and positive impact on global sustainability challenges.
Charlie McGill, ElectraLith’s CEO, commented: “It is a genuine honor to receive this special recognition from the World Economic Forum. Our team is dedicated to delivering the cleanest method of extracting and refining lithium from any source, unlocking lithium’s full potential to deliver a sustainable future. This recognition validates that DLE-R is on track to make an important and measurable impact that directly addresses the global sustainability challenges identified by the United Nations.”
McGill continued: “DLE-Rs’ ability to extract and refine lithium from any source without water is its true differentiator. It means we can unlock lithium in regions where water is extremely scarce, such as in the Andes where the vast majority of the world’s lithium reserves can be found. It’s estimated that more than 60% of all water in this region is used for lithium extraction, having a devastating impact on the environment and its indigenous communities.”
Jun Qu, ElectraLith Director and Main Sequence Investment Manager, commented: “Ensuring sustainable access to critical resources is one of Main Sequence’s key priorities. Lithium is central to the energy transition, but there is a significant innovation gap that needs to be bridged before we can sustainably supply the battery-grade materials needed at scale. ElectraLith is closing that gap. Its single-step, cost-effective process is capable of producing battery-grade lithium directly from any source.”
Based on technology invented at Monash University by Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor Huanting Wang, ElectraLith’s DLE-R system uses proprietary electrochemical technology to extract and refine lithium in an end-to-end, modular and scalable system. It is the only Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) process that requires no water or chemicals, and the only DLE process able to directly produce refined lithium for the battery market, eliminating dependence on third party refining. By removing these externalities, DLE-R is rapidly emerging as the cleanest, most versatile and most-cost-efficient method to extract and refine lithium from any source.
The World Economic Forum’s recognition follows the December 2024 close of a materially oversubscribed Series A funding round of A$27.5m led by Main Sequence and supported by a world-class investor syndicate comprising Rio Tinto, Chevron Technology Ventures, Marathon Petroleum, Vista Energy, In-Q-Tel, IP Group, Fathom Fund, Hostplus, Breakthrough Victoria and Monash University.
Information: media@electralith.com
About ElectraLith
ElectraLith is unlocking a green future with the cleanest, most versatile and most cost-efficient method of extracting and refining lithium, the fundamental element of a sustainable future. ElectraLith’s cutting-edge DLE-R technology revolutionises the DLE and refining industry by extracting and producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate in a single, scalable and modular step. As opposed to other DLE processes, DLE-R fully eliminates the need for water and chemicals and can run entirely on renewable energy.
ElectraLith is based in Melbourne, Australia, and Washington, DC.
About Main Sequence
Main Sequence is tackling the world’s biggest challenges by turning today’s scientific discoveries into tomorrow’s industries. Main Sequence was founded by CSIRO in Australia in 2017. It now has $1Bn funds under management to help build and invest in companies that are solving our greatest planetary challenges.
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