Press Releases April 30, 2026 06:00 AM

KBR Announces Strategic Investment in Geolith to Accelerate Commercial Deployment of Direct Lithium Extraction

KBR invests strategically in Geolith to fast-track global Direct Lithium Extraction technology deployment and strengthen lithium supply chain.

By Derek Hwang
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KBR has made a strategic investment in Geolith, a leader in Direct Lithium Extraction technology, to accelerate commercial deployment of Geolith's Li-Capt technology. This move enhances KBR's capabilities to offer integrated lithium extraction and battery-grade production solutions using their PureLi refining technology. The collaboration supports global lithium supply growth with a focus on sustainability and environmental standards, targeting traditional and novel sources like produced water from the energy sector.

KBR Announces Strategic Investment in Geolith to Accelerate Commercial Deployment of Direct Lithium Extraction
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Key Points

  • KBR's strategic investment in Geolith advances commercial deployment of innovative lithium extraction technology, enhancing its position in the battery materials sector.
  • The alliance combines Geolith's selective DLE Li-Capt technology with KBR's refining and project delivery expertise, offering end-to-end lithium production solutions.
  • Focus on sustainable lithium sourcing from brines and produced water aligns with growing demand in battery and energy storage markets, impacting the clean energy and mining sectors.

HOUSTON, April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) has made a strategic investment in Geolith, a global leader in Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE). This investment will support the global commercial deployment of Geolith’s DLE Li-Capt® technology.

In 2024, KBR and GeoLith entered into an exclusive alliance agreement and this investment further advances a shared strategy to bring scalable, cost-efficient and low-impact lithium production pathways to battery and energy storage markets. By offering Geolith’s highly selective and efficient DLE Li-Capt technology with KBR’s PureLi® refining and conversion technology, KBR delivers a fully integrated, end-to-end solution from lithium extraction to battery-grade lithium production.

KBR also brings to clients its global engineering, procurement and project delivery expertise, along with a proven track record of delivering complex projects across the energy sector and is well positioned to de-risk projects and accelerate time to market.

“Building on our strong alliance of collaboration and innovation, we are very excited to take this next step together with Geolith,” said Jay Ibrahim, President, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. “This investment reflects confidence in both the technology and its pathway to deployment and positions us to accelerate the next phase of growth in support of global lithium supply.”

“This is a step-change moment for Geolith. Our Li-Capt technology has been validated across multiple brine chemistries and is now advancing toward commercial-scale deployment,” said Jean-Philippe Gibaud, CEO, Geolith. “With KBR, we now have the capability to deliver the technology globally, with the speed and rigor the market requires.”

The strengthened collaboration is already supported by a growing pipeline of global projects targeting both traditional brine resources and new opportunities such as produced water from the upstream energy industry, unlocking lithium supply with a significantly lower environmental footprint.  
  
Together, KBR and Geolith will continue to develop and deploy integrated solutions that enable clients to meet increasing demand while adhering to environmental and operational standards.

About KBR
We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 36,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 85 countries and operations in over 28 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com 

About Geolith
Geolith is a France-based technology company specializing in Direct Lithium Extraction through its proprietary Li-Capt® process, enabling efficient and sustainable lithium recovery from brines and industrial waters.

Forward Looking Statements
The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding KBR’s investment in Geolith, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond the company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which discuss some of the important risks, uncertainties and assumptions that the company has identified that may affect its business, results of operations and financial condition. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

For further information, please contact:

Investors
Rachael Goldwait
Vice President, Investor Relations
713-753-5082
Investors@kbr.com

Media
Philip Ivy
Vice President, Global Communications and Marketing
713-753-3800
MediaRelations@kbr.com


Risks

  • Commercial-scale deployment of new lithium extraction technologies carries execution and scalability risks, possibly impacting timelines and project costs.
  • Market adoption of DLE technology depends on regulatory approvals and environmental compliance, which may evolve and affect project viability.
  • Global lithium supply dynamics and competitive technologies could influence the economic returns of this investment and partnership.

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