ElectraLith and Captura Enter Strategic Partnership to Commercialize Next-Generation Lithium Extraction Technology

Brings together two companies backed by industrial majors including Rio Tinto, Chevron Technology Ventures, Marathon Petroleum Corporation and Equinor Ventures

MELBOURNE, VIC, AUSTRALIA, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Captura and ElectraLith enter strategic partnership to commercialize next-generation lithium extraction technology

• ElectraLith will integrate Captura's electrodialysis stacks into its lithium extraction and refining process, beginning with two pilot plants before expanding to commercial deployments

• The partnership brings together two companies backed by industrial majors including Rio Tinto, Chevron Technology Ventures, Marathon Petroleum Corporation and Equinor Ventures

PASADENA, Calif. and MELBOURNE, Australia (18 August 2026) — Captura, a US-based electrochemical platform provider, and ElectraLith, a pioneer in direct lithium extraction and refining, today announced a strategic partnership to commercialize ElectraLith's DLE-R technology. As demand for lithium continues to grow driven by the electrification of transportation, energy storage and grid infrastructure, the companies believe the partnership will accelerate deployment of lower-impact, lower-cost technologies to support the energy transition.

ElectraLith’s DLE-R technology is emerging as one of the cleanest, most versatile and most cost-efficient methods to extract and refine lithium. DLE-R’s proprietary electrochemical process is designed to produce 99.5%+ pure battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate from a range of resources in a single, scalable and modular step that eliminates the need for further refining, often performed overseas. ElectraLith anticipates multiple commercial deployments across major lithium bearing regions including Chile, Argentina, Australia and the United States by 2028.

Captura's proprietary bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) platform enables efficient electrochemical separation and conversion processes with significantly lower energy consumption and capital cost than conventional BMED systems. The technology can support multiple steps in lithium extraction and refining, and can integrate with a broad range of solutions, helping producers improve process efficiency, economics, and sustainability performance.

Under the partnership and subject to certain terms and conditions, ElectraLith will procure BMED stacks from Captura over an initial period of five years. This includes BMED stacks procured in June 2026 for two commercial-scale DLE-R pilot plants, both of which are expected to be commissioned in early 2027. ElectraLith anticipates orders for additional BMED stacks immediately following successful pilot operations for DLE-R’s global deployment.

“ElectraLith’s partnership with Captura combines two industry pioneers taking on climate change, one of the greatest challenges of our generation” said Charlie McGill, CEO of ElectraLith. “Captura’s BMED technology fully unlocks DLE-R’s potential to deliver the cleanest, most versatile and most cost-efficient method of extracting and refining lithium, the fundamental element of a sustainable future. It also unlocks DLE-R's potential to support a fully domestic US lithium supply chain.”

"This partnership represents an important commercial milestone for Captura as ElectraLith becomes our first major customer for our electrodialysis platform," said Christene Banda, Chief Operating Officer of Captura. "It validates the strength of our proprietary membrane technology and demonstrates the value of combining our teams’ complementary expertise and technologies to develop a differentiated solution for the lithium market."

The partnership brings together two companies supported by major strategic investors with deep expertise across the energy, mining and industrial sectors. ElectraLith is backed by a consortium including Rio Tinto, Chevron Technology Ventures, Marathon Petroleum Corporation and In-Q-Tel (IQT), while Captura recently announced the first close of its Series B financing with continued support from existing investors including Equinor Ventures, Aramco Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, Maersk Growth and National Grid Partners.

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About ElectraLith:
ElectraLith’s DLE-R technology is emerging as the cleanest, most versatile and most cost-efficient method to extract and refine lithium. DLE-R’s proprietary electrochemical process is designed to produce 99.5%+ pure battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate from a range of resources in a single, scalable and modular step that requires no water or chemicals and fully eliminates the need for further refining, often performed overseas.

Backed by Rio Tinto, Chevron Technology Ventures, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Vista Energy, IP Group, Main Sequence, Fathom Fund, Hostplus, Breakthrough Victoria, Monash University and IQT, ElectraLith is based in Melbourne and has offices in the United States.

ElectraLith was designated a Top Innovator by the World Economic Forum in 2024.

About Captura:
Captura is an electrochemical platform provider and carbon removal company. Founded at Caltech, the company has developed a high-performance bipolar membrane electrodialysis technology with applications across a range of industrial and sustainability markets. Captura’s Direct Ocean Capture solution combines this technology with the ocean’s natural carbon removal capacity to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere at large scale and low cost. From its manufacturing facility in Pasadena, California, Captura produces membranes, stacks, and integrated systems for applications spanning carbon removal, critical minerals, industrial water, and energy storage.

Media Contacts:

Captura:
captura@cognitomedia.com

ElectraLith:
media@electralith.com

Charles McGill
ElectraLith
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