The patent process for an Australian system for extracting lithium from waste materials has moved to the next level.

The Australian Patent Office has given Lithium Australia’s SiLeach® technology the green light. It’s a process for extracting and recovering lithium ‘values’ from lithium-bearing materials.

According to the company, the Australian Patent Office has deemed the process both ‘novel and inventive’ and said it met the requirements for ‘Industrial Applicability’.

“In so doing, it has confirmed that the SiLeach® process is patentable, paving the way for the grant of corresponding patents for the SiLeach® process around the world’,” Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin said.

“In February 2017, Lithium Australia submitted an international patent application for the SiLeach® process under the Patent Cooperation Treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

“A rigorous ‘preliminary’ examination of the patent claims conducted by the Australian Patent Office ensued, leading to confirmation in the International Preliminary Report on Patentability – which acts as a persuasive guide to national and regional patent offices– that the SiLeach® process is indeed ‘Novel, Inventive, Industry Applicable and Patentable’.”

Lithium Australia’s portfolio of potential lithium mining projects includes the Cape York, Amber and Cobree projects in north and far north Queensland.

It aims to unite resources and the best available technology to establish a global lithium processing business.