Can Digital Twins Speed Up Lithium Extraction?

A Siemens and Lithium Harvest modeling project shows how digital twins may support emerging DLE technologies

12 Dec 2025

South America’s lithium producers are beginning to explore virtual tools that could reshape how the region develops new extraction technologies. For now, production still relies on sprawling evaporation ponds, but a recent collaboration between Lithium Harvest and Siemens suggests that shift may be coming.

The two companies are using Siemens’ gPROMS software to create a digital twin of Lithium Harvest’s Direct Lithium Extraction system. Unlike a physical pilot, this project runs entirely in simulation. Engineers can test reactions, tweak design parameters, and predict how systems might behave in real-world conditions, all without touching a valve or pipe.

Digital twins have long supported industries like energy and chemicals, but their use in lithium extraction is still new. For developers trying to move from lab research to commercial readiness, the ability to model processes in detail could help flag problems earlier and shorten the costly trial-and-error phase.

Direct Lithium Extraction, or DLE, promises faster production with lower land and water demands, but its technical maturity remains uneven. Virtual modeling doesn’t replace on-the-ground testing, yet it offers a safer space to experiment and communicate results with partners and investors.

Industry analysts say data-driven design is becoming more common across resource sectors as companies seek predictable outcomes and cleaner project pipelines. In lithium, that shift could ultimately bring more transparency to supply chains and environmental assessments.

For now, the Siemens and Lithium Harvest effort remains a pilot, not a production breakthrough. Still, it hints at a future where digital replicas help drive the next leap in lithium innovation across South America.