Innovating for a sustainable future
Since its exploration phase, the Centenario Project has relied on strong R&D. Everything started in France, at Eramet Ideas, where both French and Argentinian teams worked on the development of a new technology able to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. The focus was on reducing the environmental impact, improving efficiency, and driving technological advancements.
R&D still plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the company and the industry for the current plant and future industrial development.
Today, we are still working on R&D to continuously improve the technology and the energy efficiency, as well as to reduce impacts by saving, reusing, or recycling.
Optimizing the use of resources
Less carbon with a gas-fueled power plant and a photovoltaic plant
The gas motor produces the electricity at our Combined Heat and Power (CHP) with its 4 Genset of 7MW. The exhaust gases are used to co-generate steam and hot water that are used in the process.
This way, we make the best use of the energy content of the gas. The overall efficiency is very high: the power plant will reach 80% at full capacity (compared to 37% for a combustion engine).
Energy efficiency
We use the steam co-generated by our power plant (a Combine Heat and Power). The gas motor produces the electricity, and the exhaust gases are used to co-generate steam and hot water that goes to the process.
Water savings
Our R&D team is working hard to reduce the freshwater use. For its industrial needs, Eramine currently pumps water at 100m below ground in compliance with an authorization provided and monitored by the Water Resources Office of the province of Salta. This groundwater is non-drinkable for natural geological reasons and is not connected to the surface water, which flows from the mountains and is used by people, animals or plants.
Eramine takes only 20% of the yearly water recharge in Centenario-Ratones area.