REG - CleanTech Lithium - CEOL Application for Laguna Verde Submitted

Cleantech LithiumAnnouncement

05/01/2026 07:00

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RNS Number : 6201N  CleanTech Lithium PLC  05 January 2026

5 January 2026

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

CEOL Application for Laguna Verde Submitted

 

CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium" or "CleanTech" or the "Company")
(AIM: CTL, Frankfurt:T2N), an exploration and development company advancing
sustainable lithium projects in Chile, is pleased to announce it has submitted
its application (the "Application") for a Special Lithium Operating Contract
("CEOL") for Laguna Verde via its Chile-based subsidiary Atacama Salt Lakes
SpA ("ASL"). This submission to the Chilean Government to enter the
streamlined process is well ahead of the deadline of 30(th) January 2026. The
award of a CEOL will mean the recipient can commercially produce lithium from
the specified project for the duration of the economic life of the project.

Highlights:

·    ASL has submitted its Application in line with the Ministry of
Mining's criteria to enter the streamlined, direct negotiation process for the
Laguna Verde CEOL.

·    ASL's Application confirms that it holds well over 80% of the mining
concessions in the Chilean Government's defined CEOL polygon area and is
supported in the Application by a consortium partner which the Company
believes will enable CTL to comfortably meet the financial capability
criteria.

·    The Application was made well ahead of the submission deadline of
30(th) January 2026. The Ministry of Mining will now start the review process
of the Application and the Company will be in regular dialogue with the
Ministry during that time.

·    The Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") for Laguna Verde is being finalised
and if the Company is admitted into direct negotiations within the streamlined
process, the PFS will be published shortly afterwards.

·    The legal case related to certain Laguna Verde licences, announced on
1(st) December 2025, will not impact ASL's CEOL Application in any way.

·    CleanTech Lithium will host an investor webinar on Tuesday 6(th)
January at 17:00 GMT. Investors can sign up to Investor Meet Company for
free via:
https://www.investormeetcompany.com/cleantech-lithium-plc/register-investor
(https://www.investormeetcompany.com/cleantech-lithium-plc/register-investor)

Referencing the RNS published on 15(th) January 2025, the Chilean government
set out criteria for applicants to apply for a CEOL at selected salars,
including Laguna Verde, under the National Lithium Strategy. These criteria
include holding >80% of mining concessions for the proposed polygon area,
experience in the mining and lithium extraction industry and audited financial
accounts with a minimum accounting equity of USD$30 million held by the
applicant or as a consortium.

CTL holds >97% of the relevant mining concessions of the polygon area and
so the Company does not expect any applications from third parties for this
CEOL. ASL has also formed a consortium with a partner (the "Partner"), who
requested anonymity, to comfortably satisfy the financial requirements of the
Chilean Government. The Partner, who is an experienced minerals company, will
in addition to receiving an agreed fee, acquire, for a nominal amount, a
minority shareholding in ASL (significantly less than 0.01%) at the time of
the award of the Laguna Verde CEOL. CTL will have the exclusive right to
require the Partner to transfer that shareholding to another party of CTL's
choosing at any time for the same price as the acquisition. It is intended
that this transfer will involve a strategic partner or partners at some point
in 2026.  In the meantime, as part of the Application, the Partner has also
acted as a joint guarantor for the project's financial obligations for the
period that they hold that minority stake in ASL. CleanTech Lithium believes
confidently it meets the criteria to enter the CEOL streamlined process,
leading to the award of the CEOL, and is expecting to receive feedback on its
Application in February 2026.

Ignacio Mehech, Chief Executive Officer of CleanTech Lithium, commented: "We
believe we are the only applicant eligible to apply for the CEOL at Laguna
Verde under the Ministry's streamlined process. We hold well over the 80% of
the mining concessions in the CEOL polygon required by the Ministry, we have
formed a consortium with a financially strong partner, and we bring extensive
experience in the mining and lithium extraction industry, both in Chile and
globally. Our application has been submitted a month before the deadline, and
we can expect to the hear back from the Government in February 2026, if not
before. This is a pivotal moment in CleanTech Lithium's pathway to developing
a high-quality lithium project at Laguna Verde.

"By forming a consortium, ASL is supported in its CEOL application by the
Partner which will enable CTL to comfortably meet the financial capability
criteria set by the Ministry of Mining. We are very grateful for the support
of the Partner under commercial arrangements agreeable to both parties.

"The Company believes that the ongoing legal case relating to certain Laguna
Verde licences will have no impact on ASL's CEOL application given these
licences are held in a separate CTL subsidiary which is not part of ASL's CEOL
application. The licences are not required to enable CTL to meet the minimum
80% threshold for mining concessions in the proposed polygon area.

"Subject to being admitted into direct negotiations within the streamlined
process, CTL is preparing to publish the PFS for Laguna Verde. This is being
led by international recognised engineering firm Worley and will contain the
operational and economic factors to develop a high-quality lithium project at
Laguna Verde using low-impact extraction technologies. This will also enable
the Company to initiate more meaningful conversations with potential strategic
partners in the coming months and we will keep the market informed of progress
in due course."

 For further information contact:
 CleanTech Lithium PLC
 Ignacio Mehech/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter       Office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321

                                               Mobile: +44 (0) 7494 630 360

                                               Chile office: +562-32239222
 Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser)  +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

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

 Daniel Fox-Davies                             daniel@istar.capital
 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) is an exploration and development
company advancing lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and
Viento Andino, and exploration stage project in Arenas Blancas (Salar de
Atacama), located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade
lithium production.

 

CleanTech Lithium is committed to utilising Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE")
with reinjection of spent brine resulting in no aquifer depletion. Direct
Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from
brine with higher recoveries, short development lead times and no extensive
evaporation pond construction. For more information, please visit:
www.ctlithium.com (http://www.ctlithium.com)

 

**ENDS**

 

 

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