In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Steven Vassiloudis, founder & CEO of Novalith Technologies, about a simpler “direct-to-chemical” route that turns spodumene ore into battery-grade lithium carbonate using water and CO₂—skipping the sulfuric-acid roast and many downstream cleanup steps. The result aims to cut costs, slash emissions, and build refining capacity across the globe. Steven discusses Novalith’s pilot plant operating in Sydney and how the company is preparing a U.S. demonstration refinery to help onshore supply for EVs and (increasingly) large-scale energy storage.Key Points:<ul><li>Traditional refining is broken – Today’s hard-rock lithium refining depends on acid roasting and complex conversion steps, which drive up costs, energy use, and waste.</li><li>Novalith offers a new path – Their process uses water and CO₂ to directly produce lithium carbonate, eliminating the need for hazardous acids and multiple intermediate steps.</li><li>The environmental benefits have great potential – The approach cuts carbon emissions by about 50% compared to conventional methods, and up to 75% when powered by renewable energy.</li><li>Steven Vassiloudis, founder & CEO of <a href="https://www.novalith.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Novalith Technologies</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenvassiloudis/?originalSubdomain=au" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li></ul> Luis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at <a href="https://technica.inc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Technica Communications</a>🚀 Calling all Earthlings…&nbsp;&nbsp;Visit our <a href="https://earthlingspodcast.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">website</a> for more episodes!Sign up to our <a href="https://theearthlingspodcast.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">newsletter</a> for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures!&nbsp;We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QjZGBcv41Kgl4TbKEP2US-SiooH_R9812UBapuqudFs/edit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">survey.</a> Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our <a href="https://earthlingspodcast.com/episodes/life-at-3-c/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Life at 3C episode</a> on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our <a href="http://patreon.com/TheEarthlingsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patreon Page</a>.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news:&nbsp;<ul><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/earthlings-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/earthlingspod/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Follow us on our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086533328643" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Facebook Page</a></li><li>Follow us on <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/earthlingspod?lang=de" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;</li></ul> Thanks to <a href="https://resourcelabs.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Resource Labs</a> for having us on the network!Mentioned in this episode:Q3 Tigo Pre-RollQ3 End CreditsGreenlane, Ampion, Tigo, USBI, 247 Solar

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#127: A Cleaner Way To Reinvent Lithium Extraction with Novalith

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