KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced a strategic investment in Geolith, a Direct Lithium Extraction technology company, to support commercial deployment of Geolith's Li-Capt technology.

The investment builds on an exclusive alliance agreement the companies entered in 2024. KBR will combine Geolith's lithium extraction technology with its own PureLi refining and conversion technology to offer an integrated solution from lithium extraction to battery-grade production.

"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," said Jay Ibrahim, President of KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions.

Geolith's Li-Capt technology extracts lithium from brines and industrial waters. The France-based company's CEO Jean-Philippe Gibaud said the technology has been validated across multiple brine chemistries and is advancing toward commercial-scale deployment.

The companies are targeting projects involving traditional brine resources and produced water from the upstream energy industry. KBR employs approximately 36,000 people worldwide with operations in over 28 countries.

The collaboration aims to address increasing lithium demand while meeting environmental and operational standards, according to the companies' statement.