Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom has developed a zero-waste technology to extract lithium from mica ores at the Nurlikon deposit in Uzbekistan, opening new opportunities for the country's battery materials industry.

The technology enables the production of high-purity lithium carbonate while incorporating industrial waste into the processing cycle, UzA reports.

The development was carried out by specialists from JSC Giredmet, part of Rosatom's scientific division. The technology was specifically designed to account for the geological characteristics of the Nurlikon deposit, where lithium oxide content in the ore averages approximately 0.5%.

Valery Golovko, Head of the Technical Department at Giredmet, said that the planned processing capacity is 750,000 tons of ore annually. This is expected to yield more than 8,500 tons of chemically pure (CP-grade) lithium carbonate per year.

A key feature of the technology is its ability to eliminate both liquid and solid waste by reusing industrial by-products in the processing cycle.

The project could mark an important step in developing Uzbekistan's lithium processing industry, expanding the country's resource base for battery material production and introducing circular economy principles.

The technology is also expected to support more efficient use of mineral resources by turning industrial waste into reusable materials.