REG - CleanTech Lithium - Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) Progress Update

Cleantech LithiumAnnouncement

08/11/2023 07:00

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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.

 

 

 **ENDS**

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 Dennis/Ali AlQahtani  cleantech@celicourt.uk

 Dr. Reuter Investor Relations                 +49 69 1532 5857

 Dr. Eva Reuter

 Harbor Access - North America                 +1 475 477 9401

 Jonathan Paterson/Lisa Micali

 Porter Novelli - Chile                        +569 95348744

 Ernesto Escobar                               Ernesto@publicoporternovelli.cl

 Beaumont Cornish Limited

 (Nominated Adviser)                           +44 (0) 207 628 3396

 Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak

 Fox-Davies Capital Limited                    +44 (0) 20 3884 8450

 (Joint Broker)

 Daniel Fox-Davies                             daniel@fox-davies.com (mailto:daniel@fox-davies.com)

 Canaccord Genuity Limited                     +44 (0) 207 523 4680

 (Joint Broker)

 James Asensio

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 Dennis/Ali AlQahtani

cleantech@celicourt.uk

 

 

Dr. Reuter Investor Relations

Dr. Eva Reuter

 

Harbor Access - North America

Jonathan Paterson/Lisa Micali

 

Porter Novelli - Chile

Ernesto Escobar

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited

(Nominated Adviser)

Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak

 

+49 69 1532 5857

 

 

+1 475 477 9401

 

 

+569 95348744

Ernesto@publicoporternovelli.cl

 

 

+44 (0) 207 628 3396

 

 

Fox-Davies Capital Limited

(Joint Broker)

Daniel Fox-Davies

Canaccord Genuity Limited

(Joint Broker)

James Asensio

 

+44 (0) 20 3884 8450

 

daniel@fox-davies.com (mailto:daniel@fox-davies.com)

+44 (0) 207 523 4680

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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
(http://www.ctlithium.com/)

 

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