TIDMCTL
RNS Number : 7095S
CleanTech Lithium PLC
08 November 2023
8 November 2023
CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium" or "CTL" or the
"Company")
Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) Progress Update
CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF ), an
exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium
projects in Chile for the clean energy transition, provides a
progress update on Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) with the final
components for the DLE Pilot Plant arriving and being installed in
Copiapó, Chile.
The Company is progressing the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) at
its major Laguna Verde project which will incorporate the results
from extensive test work over six months using the lab scale
multivalve DLE system. In addition, the DLE Pilot Plant and
downstream process plant to produce battery grade lithium carbonate
will enable the Company to advance discussions with potential
strategic partners who can support the development and financing of
the Company's projects.
Highlights:
- Delivery of final components of the DLE Pilot Plant at CTL's
warehouse facilities in Copiapó means the pilot plant can be fully
assembled and testing starts.
- Technicians from Sunresin are scheduled to visit at the end of
November 2023 for the final testing and commissioning phase.
- The DLE Pilot Plant is designed to produce up to 1 tonne per
month of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in concentrated lithium
eluate which will be processed to battery grade lithium carbonate
at an existing third party facility.
- Samples of the product will be made available to potential
strategic partners and offtakers, such as major auto and battery
manufacturers, for testing and product qualification.
- Recently, a team from CTL's senior leadership visited several
DLE operations in China. The visit demonstrated how rapidly DLE
technology is advancing.
- CEO Aldo Boitano, Non-Executive Director, Maha Daoudi and DLE
Process Manager, Rodrigo Rivas, visited DLE operations and
manufacturers spanning the DLE supply chain to see first hand the
commercial application of the technology in China.
Aldo Boitano, Chief Executive Officer, CleanTech Lithium said:
"The recent visit to China has shown me the great opportunity DLE
offers to produce lithium with an ESG led approach. It is clear in
my mind that DLE is the way forward for lithium production if we
are to meet EV production targets.
The companies we visited in China are forging ahead with lithium
extraction from brine with no evaporation ponds and this has
provided further certainty in our projects as we progress with the
PFS for Laguna Verde. This important phase of CTL's growth will
help with the discussions we are planning to have with strategic
partners in 2024.
The next six months is going to be a busy period for CTL, with
the combination of the PFS and the analysis of results from the DLE
Pilot Plant making this an exciting period in the Company's
journey."
Maha Daoudi, Independent Non-Executive Director, CleanTech
Lithium said: "It has been fantastic to return to China and see the
pace of technological advancement. With the support of a local
specialist consultant with whom I have worked before for many
years, we have been able to meet the Chairmen and CEOs of some of
the world's leading DLE developers to discuss how we can apply
their technical expertise to CTL's projects. It has been overall a
very constructive visit and gives positive perspectives for the
development of CTL's projects. "
DLE Pilot Plant
The pilot plant is designed for process optimisation and to
produce a purified concentrated eluate that will feed the
downstream process to deliver 1 tonne per month of LCE for product
qualification by potential offtakers and strategic partners.
The US$2 million plant has been fabricated in Belgium by
Puritech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company's DLE partner,
Sunresin, who are the leading provider of operational DLE
facilities in the world.
The final shipment for the DLE Pilot Plant has arrived in Chile
and will be transported to CTL's warehouse facility in Copiapó
where it will be assembled. Technicians from Sunresin are scheduled
to visit at the end of November 2023 for the final testing and
commissioning phase.
The DLE pilot plant will process feed brine to produce an eluate
in which lithium has been selectively extracted and concentrated,
while other elements in the brine are greatly reduced (see figure
1). The eluate will then undergo several stages of concentration
and impurity removal before carbonation into battery grade
lithium.
Figure 1: CleanTech Lithium's simplified DLE processing
flowsheet
China Visit by Senior Management
CEO, Aldo Boitano, Non-Executive Director Maha Daoudi and DLE
Processes Manager, Rodrigo Rivas, recently visited China where they
met with several DLE operators and developers. Ms Daoudi has
significant experience in China from her time at world leading
trading company, Trafigura, where she helped develop strategic
partnerships and significant offtake agreements over a number of
years. A key objective of the trip was to share learnings and
developments of CTL's projects, meet the leadership teams of DLE
companies and see the facilities of existing operators.
Figure 2: Sunresin's senior leadership team welcoming CleanTech
Lithium to their facilities
Figure 3: Lanshen's senior leadership team welcoming CleanTech
Lithium to their facilities
CTL visited Sunresin New Materials Co. Ltd. and Lanshen
Technology which included seeing facilities similar to the
Company's DLE pilot plant being assembled in Copiapó. This included
a trip to Geermu, Golmud to see a resin manufacturing process which
is used for their three operating DLE plants.
Figure 4: Lanshen's demonstration plant for extracting lithium
from brine with Minmetals Salt Lake Co. Ltd.
Source: Lanshen New Material Technology Co.Ltd.
Figure 5: Jiuwu's senior leadership team welcoming CleanTech
Lithium to discuss DLE development and attend a site visit
A further productive meeting was held with Jiangsu Jiuwu Hitech
Co.,Ltd, a leading specialist in membrane technologies, including a
visit to a working DLE pilot plant.
Figure 6: CEO, Aldo Boitano from CleanTech Lithium on a visit to
a DLE pilot plant
A meeting was held with Yongzheng, experts in the manufacturing
and exporting of lithium batteries. The Company is currently
constructing a 5,000 tpa battery-grade lithium hydroxide project
where it is using a technology that maximises lithium recovery
rates.
DLE, as demonstrated in China, is a proven method of producing
lithium from brines faster and with much higher recovery rates
compared to traditional production that require pre-treatment and
evaporation ponds. DLE is based on a commercially proven adsorption
technology and has been used in multiple industries over many
decades and is now being applied to brine-based lithium
projects.
**S** For further information contact:
=====================================
CleanTech Lithium PLC
Aldo Boitano/Gordon Stein Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668
321
Chile office: +562-32239222
Or via Celicourt
Celicourt Communications +44 (0) 20 7770 6424
Felicity Winkles/Philip cleantech@celicourt.uk
Dennis/Ali AlQahtani
Dr. Reuter Investor Relations +49 69 1532 5857
Dr. Eva Reuter
Harbor Access - North +1 475 477 9401
America
Jonathan Paterson/Lisa
Micali +569 95348744
Ernesto @publicoporternovelli.cl
Porter Novelli - Chile
Ernesto Escobar
+44 (0) 207 628 3396
Beaumont Cornish Limited
(Nominated Adviser)
Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak
Fox-Davies Capital Limited +44 (0) 20 3884 8450
(Joint Broker)
Daniel Fox-Davies daniel@fox-davies.com
Canaccord Genuity Limited +44 (0) 207 523 4680
(Joint Broker)
James Asensio
Notes
About CleanTech Lithium
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an
exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium
projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to
net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to produce material
quantities of battery grade using sustainable Direct Lithium
Extraction technology, powered by renewable energy, the Company
plan to be the leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and
battery manufacturing market.
CleanTech Lithium has four lithium projects - Laguna Verde,
Francisco Basin, Llamara and Salar de Atacama - located in the
lithium triangle, the world's centre for battery grade lithium
production. The two major projects: Laguna Verde and Francisco
Basin are situated within basins controlled by the Company, which
affords significant potential development and operational
advantages. All four projects have direct access to existing
infrastructure and renewable power.
CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for
processing and reducing the environmental impact of its lithium
production by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction. Direct Lithium
Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium
from brine, with higher recoveries and purities. The method offers
short development lead times, low upfront capex, with no extensive
site construction and no evaporation pond
development so there is no water depletion from the aquifer. www.ctlithium.com
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