Challenge
A major lithium processing operation faced the complex task of converting one of North America’s largest hard-rock lithium suppliers into a lithium hydroxide production facility — combining mine conversion, concentrator operations, and downstream chemical processing to meet Québec’s growing lithium demand. The extraction process requires precise temperature control, residence times and acid-to-mineral ratios and plant performance hinges on managing variability in feed grade, moisture, and reagent quality and energy integration. These dynamics create significant uncertainty for commissioning, control strategy development, and operator readiness. Lithium market volatility and prior project disruptions added further pressure to execute efficiently and safely.
Solution
Multi-Purpose Dynamic Simulation (MPDS) enabled them to build an understanding of the lithium extraction process and train on critical unit operations before the plant was built. Integrating simulation with their control system allowed them to test control strategies, conduct process automation studies, and successfully execute virtual commissioning and start up. Rigorous custom models were designed for dryers, crystallizers, and filtration systems to accurately represent lithium process chemistry while simplified models we used for support systems like utilities. This helped them ensure accuracy in critical areas and keep their digital twin investment within budget.
Results
- Four DCS FAT events completed.
- 100+ alarm ranges corrected.
- Operator training on 10,000 simulated i/o points completed prior to startup.
Process optimization in recycle management, purge strategies, and energy consumption
At a Glance