Aquatech to Deliver North America's Largest Ever Direct Lithium Extraction Unit for Prairie Lithium

CANONSBURG, Pa., June 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquatech, a global leader in critical minerals process technology and industrial water reuse, will supply the largest direct lithium extraction (DLE) unit ever deployed in North America for Prairie Lithium's 4.6 MT LCE resource base in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Aquatech will deploy its Li-Pro™ Lithium Selective Sorption (LSS) technology under its PEARL^TM technology licensing platform to enable production of a highly purified lithium chloride stream. A modularized Quadpod^TM unit consisting of four full-scale Li-Pro columns will arrive at Prairie Lithium's production facility during summer 2026, marking one of the first ever implementations of large-scale modular lithium processing.
Li‑Pro LSS is the world's most rigorously tested and proven DLE technology, demonstrating consistent lithium recovery across more than 15,000 DLE cycles over 4 years, processing over 1 million barrels of Arkansas Smackover brine.
"This collaboration is designed to accelerate Prairie Lithium's path to commercial production." said Manish Backliwal, Senior Director at Aquatech. "Aquatech's contribution to the project will support Prairie Lithium through an integrated approach that combines process expertise, modular deployment capability, and DLE project execution support."
"The installation of a commercial-scale Li-Pro unit at our facility in Saskatchewan represents an important step toward demonstrating the project's commercial viability. This is a significant milestone for the lithium industry as we look to commission one of the largest DLE facilities globally with Aquatech" said Zach Maurer, Executive Director at Prairie Lithium.

About Aquatech
With over 100,000 tons per year of lithium projects under execution globally, Aquatech's commitment to technology leadership and performance excellence is powering the electrification of the global economy. Aquatech brings over 45 years of experience solving complex water and process challenges to enable reliable delivery for critical minerals and lithium processing.
Our PEARL™ technology licensing platform combines direct lithium extraction through refining and purification, process design, modular execution, and digital optimization to create a comprehensive lithium processing solution. Acting as a single accountable partner, Aquatech enables resource owners to deliver battery-grade lithium with confidence, while bringing down total installation cost, process risk, and time to market.
www.aquatech.com

About Prairie Lithium
PL9's Prairie Lithium Project in Saskatchewan, Canada, is in one of the world's top mining friendly jurisdictions. The project has easy access to key infrastructure including electricity, natural gas, fresh water, paved highways and railroads. The project also aims to have strong environmental credentials, with Prairie Lithium targeting to use less freshwater, land and waste, aligning with the Company's sustainable approach to lithium development.

https://www.prairielithium.com

SOURCE Aquatech