ElectraLith extracts $27.5 million to tackle lithium’s environmental challenges
Lithium extraction startup ElectraLith has raised $27.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Main Sequence.
Lithium extraction startup ElectraLith has raised $27.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Main Sequence. It was joined by Breakthrough Victoria, Rio Tinto, Chevron Technology Ventures and Monash University.
The oversubscribed round is set to fund the development and deployment of ElectraLith’s proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction and Refining (DLE-R) technology.
The company says this aims to eliminate the need for water, harmful chemicals, and extensive energy inputs traditionally associated with lithium production. The funds will also support the company’s first field-deployed pilot plant.
“The Series A funds will enable DLE-R’s rapid development into what we believe will be the cleanest, most versatile and most cost-efficient method to extract and refine lithium,” ElectraLith CEO Charlie McGill said.
The quality, breadth and scope of the Series A investor syndicate provides the strongest signal yet of DLE-R’s full potential.”
Breakthrough in sustainable lithium production
ElectraLith’s DLE-R technology uses a patented electro-membrane system to extract and refine battery-grade lithium hydroxide in a single modular step.
The startups says this differs from conventional methods, which rely on water-intensive evaporation ponds or carbon-heavy hard rock mining, often coupled with refining processes overseas.
By addressing these inefficiencies, ElectraLith’s technology could help reduce environmental impact while meeting the growing global demand for lithium.
The company’s progress follows a breakthrough in 2024, where it demonstrated the ability to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide from diverse sources, including geothermal and oilfield brines, without water or chemicals. This development has sparked interest from key players in the energy and resources sectors.
“The technology developed by ElectraLith has the potential to reduce the cost, energy, waste and water intensity of direct lithium extraction and refining, which could provide an attractive alternative to incumbent technologies,” Jim Gable, president of Chevron Technology Ventures, said.
Breakthrough Victoria, which contributed $2 million to the round, underscored its commitment to supporting innovations driving the energy transition. Acting CEO Lauren Morrey said the investment aligns with the state’s ambition to position Victoria as a leader in critical technologies.
ElectraLith plans to deploy three pilot plants within the next 24 months, with trials scheduled at Rio Tinto’s Rincon Project in Argentina in 2026. These pilots will test the scalability and efficiency of DLE-R across diverse brine chemistries, including resources previously considered unviable.
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