EELI develops chemical-free lithium extraction and purification solutions with zero carbon emissions. Leveraging breakthroughs in electrochemistry and material science, EELI’s electrified lithium extraction enables low-cost, efficient, and sustainable lithium production from untapped low-grade sources. Transforming unusable lithium deposits into feasible sources, EELI aims to unlock the full potential of American resources.
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Mert Akin
Mert Akin, founder and CEO of mining technology company EELI, holds a Ph.D. from the University of Miami with a focus on electrochemical energy storage. Formerly a scientist at a leading battery company, Akin led advancements in battery chemistries and recycling processes. Coming from the battery industry, Akin is on a mission to fortify the domestic battery supply chain by developing sustainable and efficient critical mineral extraction technologies leveraging innovations in electrochemistry and materials science.
TECHNOLOGY
Critical Need
The electric vehicle revolution will nearly double global lithium demand by 2030 (3Mt), outpacing projected production. The United States holds vast lithium reserves to meet this growing demand. However, conventional extraction practices are limited by low efficiency, lengthy recovery time, and prohibitive operational expenses, preventing feasible lithium extraction from domestic low-grade sources. Additionally, these methods are carbon-, chemical-, and water-intensive, posing an enormous environmental burden. Consequently, most domestic sources remain untapped, with only one percent of global lithium produced in the United States.
Technology Vision
EELI is on a mission to decarbonize, domesticate, and electrify critical mineral extraction, starting with lithium. Leveraging breakthroughs in electrochemistry and materials science, EELI develops advanced lithium extraction and purification technologies, enabling low-cost, efficient, and sustainable lithium production from untapped domestic sources.
Compared to conventional evaporation-based approaches, the company’s chemical-free technology can reduce the lithium carbonate cost by up to fivefold, boost the process efficiency from 30 percent to over 95 percent, and save approximately 98 percent of freshwater usage, all while eliminating carbon emissions and chemical inputs. EELI aims to transform unusable lithium deposits into feasible sources, unlocking the full potential of American resources.
Potential for Impact
Through decarbonization, domestication, and electrification of critical mineral extraction, EELI generates economic, environmental, and social benefits nationally and globally.
By unlocking domestic resources, EELI mitigates the nation’s foreign lithium dependency, bolsters the U.S. economy, and catalyzes socio-economic progress through workforce development. This will help establish a domestic lithium and battery supply chain, fostering accessibility to clean energy nationwide.
EELI’s technology offers significant environmental benefits, cutting approximately 98 percent of freshwater consumption and reducing land use by three orders of magnitude versus existing evaporation methods. Electrifying lithium extraction eliminates chemical consumption and carbon emissions, aligning with 21st-century environmental policies and the United States’ net-zero-carbon vision.
Website
EELI Technology
Twitter
@EELITechnology
@DrMertAkin