- Start of tenure comes on heels of IBAT commencing operations of
world's first commercial modular Direct Lithium Extract (DLE) plant
and first commercial DLE Plant in North
America
- CEO to accelerate global expansion of commercial DLE
operations
- Jancik brings large-scale water infrastructure expertise
VANCOUVER, BC and HOUSTON, Aug. 20,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- International Battery Metals
Ltd. (CSE: IBAT), announced its new CEO, Iris Jancik, has taken the helm of the company,
effective today, following her June 3
appointment. Jancik will be focused on expanding commercial
deployment of IBAT's patented modular direct lithium
extraction (DLE) plants and engaging with potential partners and
buyers.
Now that IBAT has achieved its first commercial operations, she
will advance ongoing discussions the company has held with large
industrial companies, including automakers, as well as oil and gas
majors and brine-resource owners, and seek additional prospects and
potential stakeholders. Jancik succeeds Garry Flowers as CEO. Flowers joined IBAT for a
two-year period, starting as president in July 2022 and then named CEO in December 2022.
IBAT established a global lithium industry milestone in July
when it announced it achieved first lithium from the only modular
DLE operation in the world and the first commercial DLE operation
in North America at a facility
outside Salt Lake City, Utah. The
landmark plant is co-located at the operations of US Magnesium LLC
and is successfully extracting lithium from a complex byproduct
magnesium chloride/ lithium chloride resource derived from historic
magnesium production.
"The timing of IBAT's breakthrough technology is ideal given
soaring demand for lithium batteries to power EVs and energy
storage. I look forward to accelerating our growth as we expand
commercially to meeting this demand with an unmatched lithium
extraction technology that can be cost-effectively and quickly
deployed, sustainably operated to respect water resources, and
easily scalable in a variety of brine resources," Jancik said. "I
can think of no one better to partner with on this journey than our
chief technology officer, founder and DLE pioneer, John Burba."
Prior to joining IBAT, Jancik served as CEO of IDE Americas, a
subsidiary of IDE Technologies, a global desalination
and water treatment solutions company, where she was
responsible for the development and operations of major
infrastructure projects, including San Diego County Water
Authority's Carlsbad Desalination Plant in Carlsbad, Calif., as well as other municipal
and industrial water treatment plants. An engineer with extensive
global contracting and management experience, she holds an M.B.A.
in international business from Texas A&M
University.
Poised for growth
"Given her track record of business growth and infrastructure
development, Iris is the right person at the right time to lead
IBAT and marshal expansion in the right places," said Burba. "With
Iris' leadership, we are well positioned to realize our vision of
mass production of cost-effective and sustainable lithium required
for the energy transition."
Jancik, based in Texas, will
immediately engage with colleagues, partners and potential partners
in the U.S. and abroad. Her initial schedule includes travel to
Europe, followed by a speaking
engagement at the Financial Times Live Mining Summit in
London, September 26-27.
More sustainable lithium extraction
IBAT's DLE technology selectively extracts lithium ions via
absorption with a proprietary crystal structure, resulting in a
lithium-chloride solution with the requisite feedstock purity to
produce battery-grade lithium. The technology has been
independently verified by SLR and Mehos Consulting to extract more
than 97% of available lithium from Smackover brine.
IBAT's proprietary absorbent does not require chemicals in the
extraction process. The technology extracts lithium from brine
sources and returns the lithium-depleted brine back to its source.
Due to the plant's advanced water recovery rate of up to 98% of
water recycled, IBAT's technology is highly protective of sensitive
water resources, based on Smackover brine testing by SLR and
Mehos.
The modular system's small footprint can be installed at a
variety of lithium brine resources around the world, including
formations with active or inactive oil and gas operations. The
system is easily scalable by adding modules for expansion.
About International Battery Metals Ltd.
IBAT is an advanced technology company focused on the
development of environmentally responsible methods of extracting
lithium compounds from brine. IBAT has developed a patented modular
direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant which allows for rapid
deployment to a resource holders production site. IBAT is
working with resource holders of oilfield brines, brine aquifers,
and industrial customers with brine by-products. IBAT believes the
modular design of its DLE plant provides significant initial costs
savings to customers and the proprietary DLE technology lowers
operating costs by selectively extracting lithium from the brine
while efficiently removing contaminants.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Iris Jancik, CEO
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other
forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such
forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties
and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's
control that may cause actual results or performance to differ
materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.
Forward‐looking and cautionary
statements
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or
the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there
be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referred to
herein have not been and will not be registered under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be
offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption from
registration requirements. This release may contain statements
within the meaning of safe harbour provisions as defined under
securities laws and regulations.
This release may contain certain forward-looking statements
with respect to certain of the plans and objectives of the Company,
including statements with respect to the expected timing for
commencement of production, and the production capacity of IBAT's
initial DLE plant deployment with US Mag, expectations about the
future operations of IBAT, and statements relating to anticipated
future global lithium demand. The use of any of the words "will",
"expected", "view", "believes" and similar expressions and
statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are
intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on
the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and
timing of such future events. Actual results and developments may
differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking
information as a result of numerous known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the
control of the Company. Additional information regarding risks and
uncertainties of the Company's business are contained in the
Company's public filings which are available under the Company's
profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The
statement made in this press release are made as of the date
hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except
as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws.
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