Geo40’s History
Our Story
Geo40 initially began in 2010 as Environmetals Limited (EVM), founded by Mike O’Sullivan and Matt Sutcliffe in New Zealand. Mike, with extensive international experience in the resource industry, saw an opportunity to sustainably recover valuable minerals from geothermal fluids produced during power generation. Matt brought financial expertise to the table, supporting the team in structuring the company and early-stage projects.
Early Innovation (2011–2014)
The company initially focused on silica recovery, targeting the high silica concentration in the Wairakei geothermal power station fluid. A first pilot plant for the recovery of silica was commissioned at Wairakei, New Zealand, in 2014.
New Zealand Domestic and Japanese Silica Piloting (2015–2017)
Geo40 tested its technology at multiple New Zealand sites, including Mercury (Norske Skog), and a second Contact Energy site at Ohaaki. The company also deployed a pilot plant to Japan’s Kakkonda Geothermal Field, demonstrating that silica recovery could be applied globally, whilst also validating that the technology could potentially extend the life of geothermal reinjection wells by up to 500%.
In 2017, the company rebranded as Geo40, reflecting a key process step whereby brine is reduced to 40 degrees Celsius, part of the process where silica starts to precipitate out of suspension and form colloids. At the same time, a geothermal colloidal silica demonstration plant (800 tpa throughput) was then commissioned at Ohaaki, producing commercial-grade nanoparticle colloidal silica.
Scaling Up and Commercialising Colloidal Silica Recovery (2018–2021)
The Ohaaki Demonstration Plant proved that the technology could scale, producing low-carbon colloidal silica for a wide range of industrial markets. In late 2019, the company committed to building a 6700 tpa nameplate capacity, commercial silica plant (the Northern Plant), which was commissioned in 2021. At the same time in 2019, the company also committed to broadening horizons and developing a direct lithium extraction technology solution.
Building Geothermal Silica Markets and Early Development of DLE (2020–2023)
From 2021, the company commenced piloting its lithium technology. In 2022, the company commissioned its first sophisticated lithium pilot plant in New Zealand. A range of global lithium-bearing brines was imported to test the DLE process and further the technological advancements.
In conjunction with the lithium developments, with the commissioning of the Northern plant, the silica business progressed with the employment of a silica sales force, developing and achieving technical acceptance into a wide range of colloidal silica markets.
Improving Silica Profitability and Testing DLE Offshore (2023–2025)
The company continued to build valuable silica markets whilst optimising production capabilities. The silica assets achieved gross profitability in 2025, with consistent sales and demand for geothermally recovered colloidal silica.
Throughout this period, the company recognised the opportunity ahead to recover lithium from oil and gas produced waters and took to the road in North America with mobile piloting assets.
In parallel, the company constructed its first pre-commercial scale, semi-mobile lithium asset in New Zealand, intended for domestic testing followed by offshore deployment.
Looking Ahead
From its origins in New Zealand to a growing global presence, Geo40 has demonstrated that our technology can unlock valuable, sustainable resources from mineral-rich, subterranean brines. Today, the company actively produces low-carbon colloidal silica, is rapidly expanding into lithium recovery, and continues to innovate for a cleaner, resource-efficient future.
