Vineeth Ram, Chief Revenue Officer at OLI Systems, shares insights into the company’s instrumental role in supporting critical materials innovation.
Oli systems is a leading provider of solutions in the field of water chemistry and electrolyte thermodynamics and develops advanced process simulation software and related chemistry property databases. Operating for over 50 years, OLI Systems is well-known for its expertise in modelling the behaviour of complex aqueous systems and electrolytes. Our software solutions are widely used for predicting the properties and interactions of chemicals, ions, and minerals in water-based environments. These predictions are crucial for understanding and optimising complex chemical processes in industries like oil and gas, chemicals, power generation, water treatment, mining, decarbonisation, and the energy transition.
Decades before critical materials gained global recognition, OLI was working steadily to predict its behaviour in multiphase systems. Drawing from this strong foundational work, OLI emerged as a key resource for the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) and the Critical Materials Institute (CMI), pioneering critical materials chemistry modelling innovation.
Through our cutting-edge expertise and dedicated research, OLI technology can now predict the properties of nearly 80 elements in electrolyte and non-electrolyte systems. This includes the 15 rare earth metals (including yttrium), critical metals nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), and lithium (Li) and other industrial elements such as iron (Fe), aluminium (Au), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and arsenic (As).
As a testament to our commitment to critical materials chemistry modelling, OLI has studied well over 15,000 peer-reviewed publications containing several hundred thousand experimental datapoints and thermodynamic properties to produce a comprehensive database.
As OLI Systems continues to spearhead critical materials research, our innovations have gathered significant attention and respect from the scientific community. With a rich history of pioneering achievements and a future brimming with possibilities, OLI remains steadfast in our pursuit of cutting-edge chemistry and sustainable solutions for critical materials supply.
Advancing the purification and extraction of critical materials
As the demand for critical materials increases, OLI’s simulation tools aid the development of cutting-edge solutions to address key industry challenges. OLI’s expertise has been pivotal in advancing the supply of rare earth metals, Ni and Co through the development of chemical speciation and solvent extractant modelling.
On the engineering front, OLI’s subject matter experts have helped to advance the design and efficiency of the burgeoning Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) process. These include advanced modelling for lithium extraction from geothermal and oilfield-produced brines.
Collaborating closely with operators in diverse sectors, OLI Systems engineers have contributed their expertise to design lithium extraction pilot plants for producers of magnesium, potash, and boron tailings, from rhyolite clays, and untested pegmatite ores. These pilot plants serve as crucial testing grounds for novel extraction methodologies, aiding in the optimisation of lithium recovery processes.
OLI engineers are also instrumental in advancing the design and efficiency of lithium purification processes: lithium hydroxide (LiOH); lithium carbonate (Li2CO3); lithium nitrate (LiNO3); lithium peroxide (Li2O2); and other novel purification products. By leveraging our deep knowledge of chemistry mechanisms like ion exchange and redox reactions, OLI ensures the efficient study of key reaction and separation processes that are essential to producing high-purity lithium products.
OLI’s proficiency is exemplified in our role as the chief simulation team for the Salton Sea (California) and Smackover (Arkansas) lithium extraction and purification demonstration plants. These plants are pioneering examples of sustainable and efficient critical materials extraction.
These advancements empower OLI’s clients to design their own operations independently or with the support of OLI’s subject matter experts. This democratisation of technology ensures wider access to state-of-the-art solutions, fuelling the growth of critical material industries.
Empowering critical material industries with cutting-edge solutions
In the dynamic landscape of critical materials, OLI Systems acts as a pivotal partner, collaborating with dozens of companies, national laboratories, and joint consortia to produce essential critical materials. OLI’s expertise and dedication to research have cemented our role as a key participant for developing the thermodynamics that are essential to advancing extraction and purification processes.
At the forefront of the lithium extraction industry, OLI’s impact on the lithium production sector extends to all aspects of lithium extraction and purification, to all lithium sources, and to all geographic regions. For salars, OLI’s predictive capabilities play a crucial role in optimising pond evaporation and chemical treatment, leading to enhanced lithium recovery rates. In pegmatites, OLI’s software solutions help optimise roasting, leaching, and impurities removal, resulting in improved yield and purity. Likewise, in clay extraction, OLI’s Flowsheet: ESP software and chemistry database play a critical role in modelling the removal of various metals from the pregnant leachate. This provides lithium producers with a cleaner Li2SO4 feedstock, enhancing the overall purity and quality of the final product.
OLI is committed to supporting the lithium industry’s drive towards sustainable and efficient production. Our expertise in chemistry, coupled with state-of-the-art software solutions, has transformed the lithium extraction landscape, enabling companies to overcome complex challenges and optimise their operations.
Enabling sustainable lithium solutions
The lithium industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, with companies spanning multiple sectors and creating an ecosystem for identifying viable reserves, lithium extraction, purifying to acceptable quality, converting it into material for batteries and eventually recovering it from spent batteries. OLI Systems’ metals and mining consulting teams play a critical role in supporting and collaborating with key players across the entire lithium space, enabling the industry’s progress towards sustainability and efficiency.
Exploration geology is the starting point for any successful lithium operation and OLI tools have become indispensable in studying potential extraction challenges faced by this sector. OLI’s simulations help assess overall yield, purity, chemical demand, and environmental impact, providing vital insights to optimise lithium extraction processes.
At the centre of OLI’s client base are lithium extraction companies, or crude lithium producers. These companies are building hydrometallurgy processes that extract lithium from various sources, including salars, geological brines, clays, aluminosilicates, borate, and gangue materials. OLI’s software and expertise are instrumental in guiding companies towards efficient and sustainable extraction methodologies.
Lithium purification companies form another significant client base for OLI. These companies convert crude lithium extracts into battery-grade materials. OLI’s support extends to designing optimum plant operations, making decisions regarding specific unit operations, optimising chemical costs, and optimising process conditions. By leveraging OLI’s capabilities, lithium purification companies achieve higher purity levels and pass on higher value to their end-user.
Engineering companies, another longstanding OLI client base, play a crucial role in designing, constructing, and commissioning lithium extraction and purification plants. OLI’s technology and expertise are indispensable for the successful completion of these projects, ensuring that operations are well-optimised and meet environmental standards.
Equipment suppliers like lithium media producers, electrochemical cell manufacturers, water treatment chemical companies and environmental service providers play a pivotal role in the success of plant operations. These suppliers are also the driving force behind the incubation of new extraction and purification solutions. OLI collaborates closely with them and provides technical expertise and solutions that align with their needs and market demands.
Research labs, both in universities and government institutions, are the critical medium-to-long-range source of technological advancements. OLI’s first-principles approach to modelling is indispensable for these organisations in their quest to understand fundamental mechanisms and develop universally applicable solutions for the industry.
The journey of lithium extraction to its integration into batteries involves multiple steps, and OLI software plays a key role at each stage. Battery manufacturers and users rely on OLI’s simulations and expertise to ensure that lithium feedstock have acceptable purity levels. As these companies work towards vertically integrating their supply chain, OLI’s technology and expertise is essential as they staff up to fill gaps in their chemical and engineering knowledge base.
Battery recycling has emerged as a fast-growing market. Recycling companies are expanding their processes to recover a greater fraction of the recyclable elements. OLI’s expertise and tools are increasingly being leveraged to address the complexities of lithium recovery from spent batteries.
Pioneering innovation in critical materials
OLI’s commitment to research and development has resulted in cutting-edge chemistry which has helped to revolutionise the way critical materials are understood and utilised.
One of OLI’s key contributions lies in our property predictions at extreme temperature, pressures, and concentrations. By accurately simulating the behaviour of critical materials under challenging conditions, OLI enables industries to design and optimise processes that can withstand the harshest environments, ensuring efficient and reliable material extraction and production.
OLI’s applied chemical mechanisms are at the forefront of innovation in the critical materials space. Our expertise extends to a wide array of chemical mechanisms, including Direct Lithium Extraction, layered double hydroxide extraction, electrochemical processes, adsorption/ion exchange on natural clays, zeolites, and demineralisation resins. This comprehensive range of mechanisms offers unprecedented flexibility in critical material processing, opening new avenues for sustainability and efficiency.
OLI’s commitment to cutting-edge technologies is evident in our mathematics-based design optimisation tools. By leveraging mathematical models, OLI enables industries to optimise their processes with precision, reducing waste, minimising resource consumption, and enhancing overall productivity.
The successful delivery of OLI technology through Cloud APIs has also been a pivotal step in OLI Systems’ innovation journey. We have democratised access to our technical insights for any application, for any type of user. By harnessing the power of cloud computing, OLI offers real-time access to critical materials simulations, providing industries with instant insights to enable swift decision-making, even in the most dynamic and fast-paced environments.
OLI’s direct use of real-time plant data further enhances the efficiency of critical material operations. By integrating data analytics and predictive modelling, OLI empowers industries to monitor and optimise their processes in near real-time, identifying opportunities for improvement and promptly addressing any challenges that arise.
Shaping a sustainable future
Sustainability, the foundational state of Earth’s natural ecosphere for a billion years, has evolved into a contemporary ethos. Achieving this crucial state demands the development of new science and engineering tools. As civilisation pivots towards sustainability, a collective effort from dedicated scientists, engineers, theorists, mathematicians, and data scientists is required to shape the technology that will achieve this vision. OLI Systems stands at the forefront of this endeavour, having been a driving force for the past 50 years, constantly pushing the boundaries to predict the behaviour of elements and natural materials in both natural and chemical environments.
Collaborating with numerous companies across multiple sectors, OLI actively contributes to the production of key critical materials. OLI, independently and through collaboration with multiple research and commercial ecosystems, aims to create a sustainable future by improving operational efficiency, reducing chemical consumption, reducing water use, eliminating hazardous chemical use and reducing the overall negative environmental impacts of chemical processes. OLI contributes to all steps from extraction to purification to product and finally recycling, supporting the circular economy, reducing waste and conserving resources.
The future of critical material industries
As the demand for critical materials continues to grow, OLI Systems remains committed to providing cutting-edge solutions, empowering companies to achieve sustainable and efficient production processes. Our contributions have not only enhanced the efficiency and sustainability of critical material processing but also fostered a more resilient and dynamic critical material ecosystem for the future. With wide-ranging expertise and a collaborative approach, OLI continues to play a transformative role in shaping the future of critical material industries.
OLI Systems continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. Through innovation, collaboration and a focus on sustainability, OLI strives to play a transformative role in meeting the world’s growing demands for critical materials and stands ready to lead the charge with innovation and excellence to deliver a greener and more responsible future.
Please note, this article will also appear in the fifteenth edition of our quarterly publication.
