CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt: T2N, OTCQX: CTLHF), an exploration and improvement firm advancing lithium initiatives in Chile, pronounces that the operation of the Firm´s pilot plant has commenced and is producing lithium chloride eluate from the Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) course of.
Pilot Plant Highlights:
- Commissioning part of DLE pilot plant accomplished and operation underway
- Brine from the Laguna Verde challenge is being fed into DLE columns the place lithium chloride is extracted onto the adsorbent, earlier than desorption with water to create a purified lithium chloride eluate
- First manufacturing of eluate was accomplished up to now week
- A reverse osmosis unit on the pilot plant can be used to pay attention the eluate
- The pilot plant has a design capability of 1 tonne monthly lithium carbonate equal (LCE) as concentrated eluate
- The concentrated eluate can be shipped in batches to North America for conversion into battery-grade lithium carbonate
- The Firm will decide the suitable quantity of every batch primarily based on finish consumer necessities and conversion value concerns
- The Firm has engaged Conductive Vitality for the conversion, utilising customary business processing steps
- The pilot plant can be used for course of optimisation and product verification and can present necessary enter into the Pre-feasibility research (PFS) presently underway for the challenge
- Operation of the pilot plant will place CTL amongst a small variety of firms within the lithium exploration sector to provide significant portions of battery grade product at pilot scale
- Samples of the product can be made obtainable to potential strategic companions reminiscent of main auto and battery producers, in preparation for off-take agreements
Commenting, Aldo Boitano, Chief Govt Officer, of CleanTech Lithium PLC, mentioned:
“I’m more than happy to tell the market that our pilot plant has commenced operation with the primary quantity of lithium chloride eluate produced. Batches of concentrated eluate can be shipped to North America to be transformed into battery grade lithium carbonate by a third-party processor. This pilot plant plans to provide vital portions of battery grade product for analysis by potential strategic companions, making CTL one of many few firms within the sector to provide pilot scale volumes of battery grade product. The pilot plant positions CTL as a pacesetter within the sector and in Chile, with first eluate manufacturing representing a big milestone for the Firm.”
Additional Info
The Firm´s pilot plant, which is positioned on the Firm´s R&D Centre in Copiapó, some 250km from Laguna Verde, underwent an prolonged commissioning part which is now accomplished. Washing and adsorbent activation protocols had been accomplished, and filtering gear and a reverse osmosis (RO) unit put in. Brine from the Laguna Verde challenge is saved in a big 243,000 litre vessel exterior the pilot plant, which is fed into an indoor tank having handed via filtration to take away suspended solids. It’s then fed into the DLE columns proven in Determine 1, that are stuffed with adsorbent designed to be selective for lithium molecules. Lithium, as lithium chloride, is adsorbed from the brine, earlier than desorption with water to create a lithium chloride eluate. DLE acts as a purification stage recovering lithium chloride from the brine while rejecting greater than 99% of different impurities. First manufacturing of lithium chloride eluate was accomplished up to now week.
A RO unit on the plant can be used to pay attention the eluate, with the concentrated eluate to be shipped to North America for the downstream standard processing levels and conversion into battery-grade lithium carbonate.
Determine 1: Pilot Plant Multi-Valve Feeding Brine to DLE Columns (approx. 2.5 metres excessive)
Downstream Processing into Battery-Grade LithiumCarbonate
For the conversion of the concentrated lithium chloride eluate into battery-grade lithium carbonate, CTL has engaged Conductive Vitality primarily based in Alberta, Canada, which has a conversion facility in Chicago, USA. Concentrated eluate can be shipped in batches on a month-to-month foundation to this facility (see Determine 2). Step one can be to additional focus the eluate utilizing Ahead Osmosis (FO), with an FO unit offered by Ahead Water Expertise, one other Canadian firm primarily based in Ontario. FO achieves a excessive focus issue with low power use.
Determine 2: Conductive Vitality – Milling and Refining Gear, Constantly Stirred Tank Reactor, and Lithium Carbonate product in Chicago, USA (photos left to proper)
Following FO, the conversion course of levels undertaken by Conductive Vitality, contain sprucing to take away hint impurities, carbonation to precipitate lithium carbonate, stable/liquid separation and drying. These customary business processes for lithium carbonate manufacturing are reflective of the conversion course of CTL plans to make use of at a industrial scale for the Laguna Verde challenge. Samples of the lithium carbonate product can be analysed by Conductive Vitality and a third-party impartial laboratory to verify the benchmark of 99.5% Li2CO3 is achieved for battery-grade lithium carbonate. The product can be packaged for transport to potential strategic companions and off-takers for product verification within the coming months.
**ENDS**
Notes:
The knowledge communicated inside this announcement is deemed to represent inside info as stipulated underneath the Market Abuse Laws (EU) No 596/2014 which is a part of UK regulation by advantage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon publication of this announcement, this inside info is now thought of to be within the public area. The one who organized for the discharge of this announcement on behalf of the Firm was Gordon Stein, Director and CFO.
For additional info contact: |
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CleanTech Lithium PLC |
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Aldo Boitano/Gordon Stein |
Jersey workplace: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 Chile workplace: +562-32239222 |
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Or through Celicourt |
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Celicourt Communications |
+44 (0) 20 7770 6424 |
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Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis/Ali AlQahtani |
cleantech@celicourt.uk |
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Harbor Entry – North America Jonathan Paterson/Lisa Micali |
+1 475 477 9401 |
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Porter Novelli – Chile Ernesto Escobar |
+569 95348744 Ernesto@publicoporternovelli.cl |
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Beaumont Cornish Restricted (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak |
+44 (0) 207 628 3396 |
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Canaccord Genuity (Joint Dealer) James Asensio |
+44 (0) 207 523 4680 |
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Fox-Davies Capital Restricted (Joint Dealer) |
+44 20 3884 8450 |
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Daniel Fox-Davies |
daniel@fox-davies.com |
Beaumont Cornish Restricted (“Beaumont Cornish”) is the Firm’s Nominated Adviser and is authorised and controlled by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish’s tasks because the Firm’s Nominated Adviser, together with a duty to advise and information the Firm on its tasks underneath the AIM Guidelines for Corporations and AIM Guidelines for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Inventory Change. Beaumont Cornish isn’t performing for and won’t be accountable to another individuals for offering protections afforded to clients of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed preparations described on this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
About CleanTech Lithium
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and improvement firm advancing sustainable lithium initiatives in Chile for the clear power transition. Dedicated to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium’s mission is to provide materials portions of sustainable battery grade lithium merchandise utilizing Direct Lithium Extraction expertise powered by renewable power. The Firm plans to be a number one provider of ‘inexperienced’ lithium to the EV and battery manufacturing market.
CleanTech Lithium has 4 lithium initiatives – Laguna Verde, Francisco Basin, Llamara and Salar de Atacama – positioned within the lithium triangle, a number one centre for battery grade lithium manufacturing. The 2 main initiatives: Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin are located inside basins managed by the Firm, which affords vital potential improvement and operational benefits. All 4 initiatives have direct entry to present infrastructure and renewable energy.
CleanTech Lithium is dedicated to utilizing renewable energy for processing and decreasing the environmental affect of its lithium manufacturing by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative expertise which removes lithium from brine, with increased recoveries than standard processes. The strategy gives brief improvement lead instances with no intensive website building or evaporation pond improvement so there’s minimal water depletion from the aquifer. www.ctlithium.com
Click on right here to attach with CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, OTCQX:CTLHF, Frankfurt:T2N), to obtain an Investor Presentation