Utah Petrolithium Project. Source: MGX Minerals, Inc.

With more than 10,000 acres of oil and gas leases within one of North America's largest undeveloped oil and gas fields, the nation’s first integrated petroleum and lithium project is slated for Utah.

The Paradox Basin play, identified by the USGS as being one of the largest undeveloped fields in the nation, is situated adjacent to the Lisbon Valley oilfield in Utah, which has reported concentrations of lithium up to 730 ppm in the associated wastewater brine.

This presents a unique opportunity for MGX Minerals to capitalize on both resources. With PurLucid Treatment Solutions, they can extract lithium from the associated brine when they begin production in the Paradox Basin play, where they have acquired more than 10,000 acres of oil and gas leases.

PurLucid has developed a low-cost wastewater treatment technology that creates a value stream from an abundant waste product, a problem that has plagued operators across the nation. Their proprietary nanoflotation system can extract lithium from oil and gas wastewater and treat the brine to a point that it is suitable for re-use or is otherwise easily disposed of. It greatly reduces the physical footprint and overhead associated with large, multi-phase, lake-sized, lined evaporation ponds.

The nanoflotation system integrates high-intensity froth flotation with a unique polymer membrane filtration system. It can remove particles down to 0.01 microns and PurLucid can commission, support and, if needed, operate mobile or fixed facilities across North America.

MGX Minerals and PurLucid Treatment Solutions just deployed the first advanced wastewater treatment system in Alberta. MGX and their engineering partnership are set to exemplify the value proposition of petrolithium projects before deploying the same technology in the Paradox Basin play.