Water and Lithium Join Forces in DLE’s Next Leap

Kurita’s Evove deal marks a turning point for direct lithium extraction, shifting from pilot success to scalable systems

20 Jan 2026

A strategic alliance announced in October 2025 signals a shift in the lithium industry from experimental projects towards commercial-scale deployment of direct lithium extraction, a technology long touted but rarely proven at scale.

Kurita Water Industries has taken a significant ownership stake in Evove, a specialist in advanced lithium extraction systems, through a convertible preferred share issue. The transaction makes Kurita Evove’s largest shareholder and grants it exclusive global rights to the company’s direct lithium extraction, or DLE, technology.

The deal places industrial water expertise at the centre of efforts to commercialise DLE, as lithium producers face mounting pressure to deliver supply that is faster to market and less intensive in water and land use.

DLE is widely promoted as an alternative to traditional evaporation ponds, promising shorter production timelines and lower environmental impact. However, many projects have struggled to move beyond pilot plants, exposing a persistent gap between laboratory performance and operational reliability.

Kurita’s investment is intended to address that gap. Rather than securing lithium resources itself, the Japanese group is positioning its engineering and operating capabilities as enabling infrastructure for producers. By combining Evove’s extraction technology with Kurita’s experience in designing and running complex water treatment systems, the partners aim to offer a more standardised approach to lithium production.

The model is already being tested through Evove’s work with Northern Lithium, where DLE has progressed from pilot trials towards commercial development. Kurita now plans to replicate this approach across multiple projects, moving away from bespoke demonstrations towards repeatable systems.

Both companies have said the focus is on deployment, with technologies that are easier to permit, finance and operate over long project lifecycles. For Evove, the partnership brings manufacturing capacity and operational discipline, as well as greater credibility with regulators and investors.

Analysts see the transaction as part of a broader shift in the lithium sector, as rising demand for battery materials encourages producers to favour integrated platforms that reduce execution risk.

Significant challenges remain. Brine chemistry varies widely, and no single extraction process is suitable for all deposits. Some developers may also be cautious about dependence on a single technology provider. Even so, the industry’s emphasis is moving away from experimentation and towards collaboration, a trend that may shape the next phase of lithium supply.