By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : October 03, 2025 5:56 pm
This technology aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption in the refining process
Mitsui & Co. and Microwave Chemical Co. are jointly developing a microwave-based low-carbon lithium ore refining technology and have completed a pilot plant at Microwave Chemical's Osaka facility to demonstrate the process.
This technology aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption in the refining process by using microwaves to directly heat the lithium ore, leading to more compact facilities and potentially higher energy efficiency and safety compared to traditional methods.
The purpose of this joint development project, which was announced on June 27, 2023, is to electrify the calcination process—the main source of CO2 emissions in lithium refining—and to establish the world's first lithium refining technology using eco-friendly microwave technology and explore the potential for the implementation of this technology at new lithium mines and refining plants. In order to increase the scale of this technology, a pilot plant for conducting the demonstration experiment has been completed at the MWCC plant based in Osaka.
This pilot plant will continuously calcine lithium ore by using a microwave heating unit. In addition to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, this method will also deliver energy savings through improved thermal efficiency. The next step will be to use this plant to conduct a demonstration experiment with a capacity of approximately 700 tons per year, in preparation for commercialization by around 2030.
Mitsui aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and to halve its greenhouse gas impact by 2030 compared with the level in the fiscal year ended March 2020. Through this project, Mitsui will contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by establishing a reliable lithium supply chain.
MWCC sees the real-world implementation of this new lithium ore refining technology as a step toward the achievement of carbon neutrality under its C NEUTRAL 2050 Design concept.