Commercial lithium refining plant

Two major constraints shaped the project from the very beginning. First, process parameters were constantly changing, requiring engineering work to advance in parallel with technological development. Second, the project had to meet a non-negotiable year-end deadline.
BBA was selected to provide process engineering, detailed design, EPCM support, commissioning and risk and safety engineering services for this demonstration facility. Key tasks included:

•    Scaling up an emerging electrochemical process to meet the requirements of an industrial facility
•    Integrating specialized equipment supplied by third-party vendors
•    Selecting materials suited to the technology’s unique requirements
•    Maintaining strict schedule governance through structured decision-making milestones 
•    Providing consistent onsite support and real-time coordination with Mangrove staff, contractors and equipment suppliers
 

The project’s greatest challenge was scaling up an electrochemical process that had never been deployed at this size, with no established industry standards or precedents to rely on. The team adopted a disciplined risk management approach built on conservative, safety-focused assumptions that guided critical decisions, while maintaining flexibility in areas that could be optimized during operations.

The demanding chemical environment added another layer of complexity. Lithium-based solutions presented material compatibility challenges that weren’t well documented in standard industry references. The teams developed innovative material selection strategies, including optimizing operating temperatures to allow the use of plastic piping and tanks instead of fibre-reinforced polymer systems, lowering capital costs while maintaining safety margins. The hazard and operational (HAZOP) risk analysis was also led as an iterative process rather than a one-time exercise to evolve with the growing understanding of the process.