Intrepid Potash weighs potential to develop battery-grade lithium processing plant in Utah

Core Insights - Intrepid Potash, in collaboration with Aquatech International and Adionics SAS, has successfully completed test work to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from byproduct brine at its Wendover, Utah facility [1][2] Group 1: Lithium Production - The testing achieved a lithium extraction rate of 92.9%, with lithium chloride purity exceeding 99.5% [3] - Aquatech successfully converted the lithium-rich brine to a product with ≥99.5% lithium carbonate purity, meeting specifications for battery manufacturing [4] Group 2: Strategic Developments - The company is progressing towards developing a lithium processing facility in Wendover, leveraging advancements in direct lithium extraction technologies [5] - Intrepid Potash aims to limit capital exposure while focusing on core fertilizer operations, viewing lithium monetization as a means to improve margins at Wendover [6] Group 3: Market Response - Following the announcement, Intrepid Potash's stock increased by 2.85%, with a market capitalization of $382 million [6]