RCS - CleanTech Lithium - DLE Pilot Plant Update

Cleantech LithiumAnnouncement

19/09/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 7763E  CleanTech Lithium PLC  19 September 2024

19 Sept 2024

 

CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium" or the "Company")

Low cost technology to be trialed in DLE pilot plant conversion stage,

aiming to lower energy use and CO2 emissions

 

CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF), an exploration
and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile,
announces it has completed due diligence on the use of industrial forward
osmosis (iFO) as an alternative to using a standard thermal evaporator for
eluate concentration in it´s pilot plant conversion stage. iFO provides
several benefits to optimise the downstream process to produce battery-grade
lithium carbonate.

Highlights:

·    CTL has investigated utilising iFO for eluate concentration, the
first step in the downstream conversion process, with the method achieving
higher water recovery and up to 60% lower energy consumption and CO(2)
emissions compared to using conventional thermal evaporators

·    iFO also has high efficiency when utilising solar thermal for power
supply

·    An iFO demonstration unit, provided by Forward Water Technology based
in Canada, is preparing for shipment from Toronto to the facilities of
Conductive Energy in Chicago, USA

·    Conductive Energy will convert the eluate produced from our DLE pilot
plant in Copiapó, Chile, using feed brine from Laguna Verde, into battery
grade lithium carbonate

·    The Company is assessing both iFO and conventional thermal
evaporators for the concentration stage for the Laguna Verde PFS, which is
currently underway

·    An initial volume of 88m(3) of concentrated eluate, equal to
approximately one tonne of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), is at
Conductive Energy´s facility, with transport and commissioning of the iFO
unit expected to take approximately two weeks

·    This progress continues to make CleanTech Lithium a leader in
exploration and development of a DLE-based project in Chile and will provide
the ability to produce large test samples of lithium carbonate to potential
offtake partners seeking product qualification

 

Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO, of CleanTech Lithium PLC,
said:

"Our team has undertaken a tremendous amount of work on selecting and
optimising the DLE process for the Laguna Verde project, and this has extended
to the downstream conversion process where we are working with Conductive
Energy. Previous test-work confirmed that a downstream process has been
developed that will efficiently produce battery-grade lithium carbonate for
the Laguna Verde project at pilot scale, including use of Forward Osmosis
which we are investigating as an alternative for eluate concentration. This
has the potential to lower energy consumption, CO(2) emissions and both
capital and operating costs."

 

 

Further Information

CleanTech Lithium has engaged Conductive Energy for the conversion of lithium
chloride eluate, produced using feed brine from Laguna Verde at our DLE pilot
plant in Copiapó, Chile, into battery-grade lithium carbonate. Four
containers of eluate with a total volume of 88m(3) have been received by
Conductive Energy at its Chicago, USA, facility with conversion to begin in
October 2024. Conductive Energy´s conversion process is shown in Figure 1
which is based on standard industry process steps, other than the trialing of
Forward Osmosis in the eluate concentration stage as an alternative to using a
relatively more energy intensive thermal evaporator.

Figure 1: Conductive Energy Conversion Process

As due diligence in investigating alternative technologies capable of
improving process performance, iFO was trialed in process test-work on a 200L
sample of eluate undertaken at Conductive Energy´s facilities in Q2 2024. The
full results of this test-work, which produced a sample of battery grade
lithium with a purity of 99.75% lithium carbonate, was reported to the market
on July 22, 2024. Results of the iFO stage of the test work achieved very good
performance supporting the replacement of a thermal evaporator in
concentrating eluate, with the key parameters and results provided in Table 1:

 Parameter                    Unit  Concentrated Eluate  R/O Concentrate     iFO Concentrate
 Lithium (Li)                 mg/L  2,194                5,700               18,000
 Total Dissolve Solids (TDS)  mg/L  19,260               62,000              190,000
 Laboratory                         ALS Chile            Lambton.Scientific  Lambton.Scientific
 Volume                       L     215.5                66.3                13.9
 Reduction in Volume          %                          69.3%               94%

Table 1: Results from concentration of Laguna Verde eluate through R/O
followed by iFO

A concentration of 18,000mg/L Li was set as the target concentration during
iFO testing, representative of a typical lithium concentration used in the
carbonation conversion process. Based on the Laguna Verde eluate, iFO can
concentrate lithium up to 50,000 mg/L Li.  Total water recovery of 94% was
achieved during the eluate concentration, with the remaining 6% recycled or
returned in the process.  The DLE adsorbent used to produce the concentrated
eluate achieved very high impurity rejection rates, except for boron, as
previously reported (RNS July 22, 2024).

iFO testing was optimised for boron removal resulting in a 55% reduction based
on weight. The achieved boron reduction is significant enabling improved
process efficiency and product quality, while reducing energy consumption and
operating costs associated with removal of boron using Ion Exchange (IX),
which is the last process step prior to carbonation.  In the Laguna Verde PFS
currently underway, recovering this boron as a saleable by-product is being
investigated.

Other benefits of iFO use include a 60% reduction in energy consumption
compared to conventional thermal evaporators, and up to 80% if operated using
a renewable energy source such as solar thermal as depicted in Figure 2
below.  iFO´s low energy use when compared to  thermal evaporation enables
CO(2) emission reduction by up to 60%, underscoring the sustainability
benefits of this innovative technology.

Figure 2: Depiction of commercial scale iFO plant with solar thermal power
supply

As a result of iFO performance during testing, CTL requested Conductive Energy
to replace the thermal evaporator with iFO during the downstream conversion
process for the next stage of conversion test-work, in which additional iFO
operating information can be obtained such as energy requirements. A iFO
demonstration unit with the capacity to process 35 m(3)/day of concentrated
eluate will be supplied by Forward Water Technologies, which is shown in
Figure 3 below, when final commissioning was underway.  The unit is now ready
for shipment from Toronto, Canada, and is expected to arrive at the Conductive
Energy facility in Chicago, USA, in approximately one week. A further one week
of on site commissioning is planned before the eluate conversion process will
commence.

 

 

Figure 3: iFO demonstration unit with capacity to process 35 m(3)/day of
eluate in final commissioning

Competent Persons

The following professional acts as qualified person, as defined in the AIM
Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies (June 2009) and JORC Code (2012):

Marcelo Bravo: Chemical Engineer (Universidad Católica del Norte), has a
Master's Degree in Engineering Sciences major in Mineral Processing,
Universidad de Antofagasta. He currently works as a Senior Process Consulting
Engineer at the Ad-Infinitum company. Mr Bravo has relevant experience in
researching and developing potassium, lithium carbonate, and solar
evapo-concentration design processes in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. Mr
Bravo, who has reviewed and approved the information contained in the chapters
relevant to his expertise contained in this announcement, is registered with
No. 412 in the public registry of Competent Persons in Mining Resources and
Reserves per the Law of Persons Competent and its Regulations in force in
Chile. Mr Bravo has sufficient experience relevant to the metallurgical tests
and the type of subsequent processing of the extracted brines under
consideration and to the activity being carried out to qualify as a competent
person, as defined in the JORC Code. Mr Bravo consents to the inclusion in the
press release of the matters based on his information in the form and context
in which it appears.

 

The information communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute
inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No
596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal)
Act 2018. Upon publication of this announcement, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain. The person who arranged for the
release of this announcement on behalf of the Company was Gordon Stein,
Director and CFO.

 

 

 

 For further information contact:
 CleanTech Lithium PLC
 Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter          Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321

                                                Chile office: +562-32239222
                                                Or via Celicourt
 Celicourt Communications                       +44 (0) 20 7770 6424

 Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis/Ali AlQahtani   cleantech@celicourt.uk (mailto:cleantech@celicourt.uk)
 Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser)   +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

 Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak
 Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker)      +44 (0) 20 3884 8450

 Daniel Fox-Davies                              daniel@fox-davies.com (mailto:daniel@fox-davies.com)
 Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker)               +44 (0) 20 7523 4680

 James Asensio

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated
Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's
responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a
responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under
the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed
solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and
will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections
afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to
the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter
referred to in it.

 

Notes

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 sustainable battery grade lithium products
using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy. The
Company plans to be a leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and
battery manufacturing market.

CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and
Viento Andino, and hold licences in Llamara and Salar de Atacama, located in
the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production.
The two major projects: Laguna Verde and Viento Andino 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 with reinjection of spent brine. Direct Lithium
Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine,
with higher recoveries than conventional extraction processes. The method
offers short development lead times with no extensive site construction or
evaporation pond development so there is minimal water depletion from the
aquifer. www.ctlithium.com (http://www.ctlithium.com/)

 

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