POSCO and Anson Resources partner for US lithium plant

POSCO Holdings has finalised a cooperation agreement with Australian resource developer Anson Resources (ASX:ASN) to construct and operate a direct lithium extraction demonstration plant at the Green River Lithium Project in Utah, United States.

The signing ceremony, held today at the POSCO Centre in Seoul, marks a crucial milestone in securing a robust North American critical minerals supply chain.

Under the terms of the binding agreement, South Korea's POSCO will entirely fund and lead the engineering, construction, and operation of its proprietary, non-commercial DLE facility.

Anson Resources will provide vital site access, local infrastructure, and a continuous brine supply from its Bosydaba #1 well, receiving a non-dilutive facilitation fee of US$5.2 million.

The scaled-up pilot plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2027, with comprehensive technology validation using actual brine slated for completion by 2028.

DLE technology represents a major industry advancement, yielding higher lithium recovery rates and significantly shorter production times compared to traditional evaporation ponds, even when utilising low-concentration brine.

Successful validation will de-risk the Green River project and lay the groundwork for potential future joint investments, commercialisation pathways, and long-term strategic cooperation between the two companies.