Ekion is revolutionising the mining industry with its innovative Electrokinetic In Situ Recovery (EK-ISR) technology, offering a sustainable, excavation-free method for extracting critical metals. By harnessing electric fields to recover valuable resources from tailings and deep ore bodies, Ekion is paving the way for a cleaner, more efficient, and fully electrified future in metal extraction.
Ekion: Transforming Mining with Sustainable Electrokinetic In Situ Recovery (EK-ISR)
Pioneering a New Era in Mining for the Global Energy Transition
As the world transitions towards a low-carbon economy, the demand for critical metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements (REEs) is set to soar. Some projections estimate a 30-fold increase in demand for these materials by 2040 under a net-zero scenario. However, this surge in demand is accompanied by significant challenges: declining ore grades, deeper ore bodies, and the environmental impact of conventional mining methods.
Ekion is leading a transformative shift in the mining industry with its revolutionary EK-ISR technology. Unlike traditional mining, which involves large-scale excavation, waste generation, and environmental degradation, EK-ISR extracts metals directly from low-permeability subsurface media through the application of electric fields. This approach eliminates the need for excavation, blasting, or fracking and results in zero waste production.
A Disruptive Solution to Mining’s Biggest Challenges
Ekion’s EK-ISR technology provides an innovative solution to several key challenges in mining:
Unlocking Value from Tailings Dams: In the short term, EK-ISR enables the recovery of valuable metals from waste material stored in tailings dams, reducing environmental liabilities and unlocking previously untapped resources.
Extracting Metals from Stranded Deposits: In the long term, this technology provides access to deep or complex ore bodies that are not viable for conventional mining.
Minimising Environmental Impact: By eliminating excavation and solid waste production, EK-ISR reduces land disturbance and preserves surrounding ecosystems.
Enabling Electrified and Renewable-Powered Mining: The technology is designed to be powered by variable renewable energy (VRE) sources, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and aligning with global decarbonisation efforts.
A Vision for Sustainable, Electrified Mining
Ekion envisions a future where metal extraction is fully electrified and seamlessly integrated into the renewable energy transition. The EK-ISR process combines two existing technologies:
In Situ Recovery (ISR): An established mining technique that delivers specific chemical solutions (lixiviants) into ore bodies, where the targeted metals are selectively dissolved and then recovered through pumping wells.
Electrokinetics (EK): A relatively mature technology that has been applied in several fields of engineering, including the remediation of contaminated sites, where an electric field is established to accelerate the transport of ions.
By placing electrodes of opposite polarity directly within ore bodies, tailings dams, or REE-hosting clays, electromigration and/or electroosmosis can induce the efficient ionic transport of the lixiviants and the dissolved target metals. These metals are then extracted from specifically designed reservoirs and processed using standard hydrometallurgical methods to produce commercial-grade materials.
Leadership and Expertise
Ekion’s leadership team brings extensive expertise in geochemistry, electrokinetics, and sustainable mining technologies:
Prof. Henning Prommer, CEO – With over 30 years of experience in environmental engineering, Henning oversees Ekion’s operations and business development. He has led numerous research initiatives focusing on reactive transport processes in subsurface media.
Dr. James Jamieson, CSO – As Chief Science Officer, James leads all laboratory R&D efforts and liaises with mining companies. With a doctorate in geoscience from the University of Western Australia, he has a strong background in experimental geochemistry and mineral characterisation.
Dr. Riccardo Sprocati, CTO – Riccardo, an expert in electrokinetic technologies, holds a PhD from the Technical University of Denmark. He is responsible for R&D in ionic transport processes, simulation software, and the application of machine learning in mining technologies.
Scaling EK-ISR: The Road Ahead
Over the next two years, Ekion will conduct pilot plant and field-scale testing to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of EK-ISR. The first large-scale trials are set for late 2025, with an initial focus on extracting valuable metals from tailings waste.
As the mining industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact while meeting the surging demand for technology metals, Ekion’s EK-ISR technology presents a scalable, efficient, and sustainable solution. By redefining how metals are extracted, Ekion is not only enhancing the supply of critical minerals but also paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future in mining.
