Published: August 23, 2024 |

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Iris Jancik
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International Battery Metals’ new CEO, Iris Jancik, has taken the helm of the company, following her June 3 appointment. Jancik will be focused on expanding commercial deployment of IBAT’s patented modular direct lithium extraction (DLE) plants and engaging with potential partners and buyers.

Now that IBAT has achieved its first commercial operations, Jancik will advance ongoing discussions the company has held with large industrial companies, including automakers, as well as oil and gas majors and brine-resource owners, and seek additional prospects and potential stakeholders.

IBAT established a global lithium industry milestone in July when it achieved first lithium from the only modular DLE operation in the world and the first commercial DLE operation in North America at a facility outside Salt Lake City, Utah. The landmark plant is co-located at the operations of U.S. Magnesium LLC and is successfully extracting lithium from a complex byproduct magnesium chloride/ lithium chloride resource derived from historic magnesium production.

“The timing of IBAT’s breakthrough technology is ideal given soaring demand for lithium batteries to power EVs and energy storage. I look forward to accelerating our growth as we expand commercially to meeting this demand with an unmatched lithium extraction technology that can be cost-effectively and quickly deployed, sustainably operated to respect water resources, and easily scalable in a variety of brine resources,” said Iris Jancik.

“I can think of no one better to partner with on this journey than our chief technology officer, founder and DLE pioneer, John Burba,” added Jancik.

Prior to joining IBAT, Jancik served as CEO of IDE Americas, a subsidiary of IDE Technologies, a global desalination and water treatment solutions company, where she was responsible for the development and operations of major infrastructure projects, including San Diego County Water Authority’s Carlsbad Desalination Plant in Carlsbad, California, as well as other municipal and industrial water treatment plants. An engineer with extensive global contracting and management experience, she holds an M.B.A. in international business from Texas A&M University.

POISED FOR GROWTH

“Given her track record of business growth and infrastructure development, Iris is the right person at the right time to lead IBAT and marshal expansion in the right places,” said Founder and CTO, John Burba.

“With Iris’ leadership, we are well positioned to realize our vision of mass production of cost-effective and sustainable lithium required for the energy transition,” added Burba.

Jancik, based in Texas, will immediately engage with colleagues, partners, and potential partners in the U.S. and abroad. Her initial schedule includes travel to Europe, followed by a speaking engagement at the Financial Times Live Mining Summit in London, September 26-27.

MORE SUSTAINABLE LITHIUM EXTRACTION

IBAT’s DLE technology selectively extracts lithium ions via absorption with a proprietary crystal structure, resulting in a lithium-chloride solution with the requisite feedstock purity to produce battery-grade lithium. The technology has been independently verified by SLR and Mehos Consulting to extract more than 97 percent of available lithium from Smackover brine.

IBAT’s proprietary absorbent does not require chemicals in the extraction process. The technology extracts lithium from brine sources and returns the lithium-depleted brine back to its source. Due to the plant’s advanced water recovery rate of up to 98 percent of water recycled, IBAT’s technology is highly protective of sensitive water resources, based on Smackover brine testing by SLR and Mehos.

The modular system’s small footprint can be installed at a variety of lithium brine resources around the world, including formations with active or inactive oil and gas operations. The system is easily scalable by adding modules for expansion.

International Battery Metals is an advanced technology company focused on the development of environmentally responsible methods of extracting lithium compounds from brine. IBAT has developed a patented modular direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant which allows for rapid deployment to a resource holders production site. IBAT is working with resource holders of oilfield brines, brine aquifers, and industrial customers with brine by-products. IBAT believes the modular design of its DLE plant provides significant initial costs savings to customers and the proprietary DLE technology lowers operating costs by selectively extracting lithium from the brine while efficiently removing contaminants.

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