Strategic alliance fast-tracks lithium extraction innovation

Kurita Water Industries and Evove announced their alliance in direct lithium extraction (DLE), combining Evove’s patented DLE technologies and processes with Kurita’s modular system engineering and manufacturing capabilities. This partnership integrates advanced water treatment technology and engineering into the DLE field to enable faster deployment and increase the availability of sustainable, local lithium supplies. The first joint commercial projects are set to begin in November 2025.

The market for lithium used in batteries continues to expand rapidly. Analysts like SC Insights forecast that demand for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and stationary storage will double, surpassing 4 million tonnes by 2030, with a CAGR of 20% from 2025 to 2035. Meanwhile, supply has been slowed or halted due to volatility in China and growing environmental concerns surrounding conventional extraction methods such as mining and salt lake evaporation, potentially creating a supply gap of 2-3 million tonnes of lithium.

Direct Lithium Extraction offers a solution for fueling the energy transition, as it allows lithium to be extracted from salty waters found in geothermal boreholes, aquifers, and oil-and-gas produced water. DLE boasts a lower environmental footprint, quicker deployment, and the potential for transformative economic benefits.

Evove’s mission to "filter the unfilterable" has driven the development of advanced filtration technologies tailored specifically for lithium extraction. Recently, Evove implemented its DLE solution for Northern Lithium in the UK, operating a 1:15 scale demonstration plant between January and April 2025. The results confirmed that DLE at Ludwell Farm in County Durham could produce over 20,000 tonnes of lithium annually with high purity and recovery rates.

Kurita Water Industries, a leading international water treatment company headquartered in Japan, has become the largest shareholder in UK-based Evove Ltd. as part of this alliance. The two companies will collaborate exclusively for Kurita to deliver DLE plants incorporating Evove’s technologies. Additionally, Kurita will gain non-exclusive access to Evove’s innovations in other sectors, including the upcoming launch of the Separonics product line in 2026. These 3D printed ceramic filtration modules are designed to improve resource recovery from challenging industrial discharges, waters, and food and beverage processing.

Chris Wyres, CEO of Evove, stated, “We firmly believe that the key skill set needed to unlock efficient and sustainable lithium production is water treatment, which Kurita has practiced at the highest standards for 75 years. This alliance enables lithium producers to confidently source an advanced DLE solution from a water industry leader. We anticipate beginning the engineering of the first commercial DLE plant as early as November this year and progressing several key projects across the EU and the USA throughout 2026.”

Kurita’s lithium division leader, Hideyuki Komori, added, “We are pleased to collaborate with Evove in expanding our presence in the growing DLE market. Through Evove's innovative DLE technology, combined with Kurita's expertise in comprehensive water treatment and rapid modular plant deployment, we aim to make significant contributions to the industry.”

Following the announcement, Evove’s clients in lithium production responded positively, expressing increased confidence in the partnership’s potential, as well as optimism about closer support and execution for projects farther from Evove’s UK base. There is also an expectation that this collaboration will foster further technological innovation.

More information is available at www.dle.technology. More information can be found at www.kurita-water.com/en/.