CleanTech Lithium PLC Annoucnes DLE Pilot Plant First Stage Production & Results
CleanTech Lithium PLC (CTL), an exploration and development company, announced the completion of the first stage of production from its Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) pilot plant in Copiapó, Chile. The plant produced 88m3 of concentrated eluate, equivalent to around 1 tonne of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
The DLE process achieved a lithium recovery rate of 95%, and the eluate is being shipped to Conductive Energy in Chicago for conversion into battery-grade lithium carbonate, with initial results showing a 99.75% purity. This pilot production aims to provide large test samples to potential offtake partners.
The reserve report for the Laguna Verde project is scheduled for October 2024, following the completion of the re-injection well in September. CleanTech Lithium aims to be a key player in Chile's lithium industry, targeting the development of three to four new lithium projects by 2026.
CleanTech Lithium PLC (CTL), una società di esplorazione e sviluppo, ha annunciato il completamento della prima fase di produzione dalla sua pianta pilota di Estrazione Diretta di Litio (DLE) a Copiapó, in Cile. La pianta ha prodotto 88m3 di eluato concentrato, equivalente a circa 1 tonnellata di equivalente carbonato di litio (LCE).
Il processo DLE ha raggiunto un tasso di recupero del litio del 95%, e l'eluato è in fase di spedizione a Conductive Energy a Chicago per la conversione in carbonato di litio di grado batterie, con risultati iniziali che mostrano una purezza del 99,75%. Questa produzione pilota ha l'obiettivo di fornire campioni di grandi dimensioni a potenziali partner di acquisto.
Il rapporto sulle riserve per il progetto Laguna Verde è programmato per ottobre 2024, dopo il completamento del pozzo di reiniezione a settembre. CleanTech Lithium mira a diventare un attore chiave nell'industria del litio in Cile, puntando allo sviluppo di tre a quattro nuovi progetti di litio entro il 2026.
CleanTech Lithium PLC (CTL), una empresa de exploración y desarrollo, anunció la finalización de la primera etapa de producción de su planta piloto de Extracción Directa de Litio (DLE) en Copiapó, Chile. La planta produjo 88m3 de eluato concentrado, equivalente a alrededor de 1 tonelada de equivalente de carbonato de litio (LCE).
El proceso DLE logró una tasa de recuperación de litio del 95%, y el eluato está siendo enviado a Conductive Energy en Chicago para su conversión en carbonato de litio de grado batería, con resultados iniciales que muestran una pureza del 99.75%. Esta producción piloto tiene como objetivo proporcionar muestras grandes a posibles socios compradores.
Se espera que el informe de reservas para el proyecto Laguna Verde se complete en octubre de 2024, tras la finalización del pozo de reinyección en septiembre. CleanTech Lithium aspira a ser un actor clave en la industria del litio en Chile, con el objetivo de desarrollar de tres a cuatro nuevos proyectos de litio para 2026.
CleanTech Lithium PLC (CTL)는 탐사 및 개발 회사로, 칠레 코피아포에 위치한 직접 리튬 추출(DLE) 파일럿 플랜트의 첫 번째 생산 단계 완료를 발표했습니다. 이 플랜트는 약 1톤의 리튬 탄산염 등가물(LCE)에 해당하는 88m3의 농축 엘루엣을 생산했습니다.
DLE 프로세스는 95%의 리튬 회수율을 달성했으며, 엘루엣은 배터리 등급 리튬 탄산염으로 전환하기 위해 시카고의 Conductive Energy로 배송 중이며, 초기 결과는 99.75%의 순도를 보여주고 있습니다. 이 시험 생산은 잠재적인 구매 파트너에게 대규모 테스트 샘플을 제공하는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다.
라구나 베르데 프로젝트의 매장량 보고서는 9월의 재주입 우물 완료 이후 2024년 10월로 예정되어 있습니다. CleanTech Lithium은 2026년까지 3~4개의 새로운 리튬 프로젝트 개발을 목표로 하여 칠레 리튬 산업의 주요 플레이어가 되는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다.
CleanTech Lithium PLC (CTL), une entreprise d'exploration et de développement, a annoncé l'achèvement de la première étape de production de sa plante pilote d'Extraction Directe de Lithium (DLE) à Copiapó, au Chili. La plante a produit 88m3 d'éluate concentré, équivalent à environ 1 tonne d'équivalent carbonate de lithium (LCE).
Le processus DLE a atteint un taux de récupération du lithium de 95%, et l'éluate est en cours d'expédition vers Conductive Energy à Chicago pour être converti en carbonate de lithium de qualité batterie, avec des résultats initiaux montrant une pureté de 99,75%. Cette production pilote vise à fournir de grands échantillons d'essai à de potentiels partenaires d'achat.
Le rapport sur les réserves pour le projet Laguna Verde est prévu pour octobre 2024, suite à l'achèvement du puits de réinjection en septembre. CleanTech Lithium vise à devenir un acteur clé de l'industrie du lithium au Chili, visant au développement de trois à quatre nouveaux projets de lithium d'ici 2026.
CleanTech Lithium PLC (CTL), ein Explorations- und Entwicklungsunternehmen, hat den Abschluss der ersten Produktionsstufe seiner Pilotanlage zur direkten Lithium-Extraktion (DLE) in Copiapó, Chile, bekannt gegeben. Die Anlage produzierte 88m3 konzentrierten Eluat, was ungefähr 1 Tonne Lithiumcarbonat-Äquivalent (LCE) entspricht.
Der DLE-Prozess erzielte eine Lithium-Rückgewinnungsrate von 95%, und das Eluat wird nach Conductive Energy in Chicago verschifft, um in Batterie-Grad Lithiumcarbonat umgewandelt zu werden, wobei erste Ergebnisse eine Reinheit von 99,75% zeigen. Diese Pilotproduktion zielt darauf ab, große Testmuster für potenzielle Abnehmer bereitzustellen.
Der Reservenbericht für das Laguna Verde-Projekt ist für Oktober 2024 geplant, nach Abschluss des Reinjectiosbrunnens im September. CleanTech Lithium strebt an, ein wichtiger Akteur in Chiles Lithiumindustrie zu werden und plant die Entwicklung von drei bis vier neuen Lithiumprojekten bis 2026.
- First stage of DLE pilot plant production completed with 88m3 of concentrated eluate.
- Lithium recovery rate of 95%, with total recovery at 88%.
- Initial results show 99.75% purity in lithium carbonate.
- Production exceeded design capacity, achieving 1.085 tonnes of LCE.
- Significant test sample volumes for potential strategic partners.
- Lithium loss of 22% during boron ion exchange process, impacting overall recovery.
DLE Pilot Plant First Stage Production Completed, Downstream Process Optimised with Sample of Battery-Grade Lithium Produced
JERSEY, UK / ACCESSWIRE / July 22, 2024 / CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium", "CTL" or the "Company")(AIM:CTL)(Frankfurt:T2N)(OTCQX:CTLHF), an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, announces completion of the first stage of production from the Company´s DLE pilot plant operations and results from successful downstream process test work to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate by process partners in North America.
Highlights:
An initial volume of 88m3 of concentrated eluate, which is the lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) of approx. one tonne, has been produced from the Company´s DLE pilot plant in Copiapó, Chile over an operating period of 384 hours with 14 cycles completed
This completes the first stage of production from the DLE pilot plant
Results show the DLE adsorbent achieved a lithium recovery rate of approximately
95% from the brine, with total recovery (adsorption plus desorption) achieving approximately88% Impurity rejection rates were very high producing a low impurity eluate conducive to the downstream conversion process.
The concentrated eluate is being shipped in four batches to the facilities of Conductive Energy in Chicago, USA, for conversion into battery grade lithium carbonate
Shipment | Eluate Volume | Eluate Li Grade | LCE (kg) | Shipment Status |
1 | 24m3 | 2008 mg/L | 257 | Arrived process facility |
2 | 24m3 | 2360 mg/L | 301 | In Shipment |
3 | 24m3 | 2325 mg/L | 297 | In shipment |
4 | 17.5m3 | 2464 mg/L | 230 | At departure port |
Targeted | 90m3 | 2000 mg/L | 1022 |
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Total Achieved | 88m3 | 2289 mg/L | 1085 |
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Table 1: Status of concentrated eluate from pilot plant first stage production
Conductive Energy completed test-work on a 200L sample of concentrated eluate shipped in May 2024 to optimise the downstream process before receiving the larger volume shipments
The conversion test-work produced multiple samples of lithium carbonate with
99.75% lithium carbonate purity demonstrating that the process achieves targets and is repeatableThe result is a first confirmation that a process has been developed that will efficiently produce battery-grade lithium for the Laguna Verde project from pilot scale DLE eluate
CleanTech Lithium continues to be a leader in exploration and development of DLE based projects in Chile and this pilot scale production will provide large test samples of lithium carbonate to potential offtake partners seeking product qualification.
Subject to the completion of the re-injection well in September, the reserve report for Laguna Verde is scheduled to be completed by Montgomery and Associates in October 2024.
Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO, of CleanTech Lithium PLC, said:
"We are very pleased by these results as it shows we can produce battery-grade lithium with low impurities from our Laguna Verde brine project. Working with our partners on the downstream process, Forward Water and Conductive Energy, we can now demonstrate the entire DLE process from brine to final lithium product.
"The optimised downstream process will now be applied to the initial volume of 88m3 of concentrated eluate, or approximately 1 tonne of LCE, produced from the first stage of production from our DLE pilot plant. This will produce significant test sample volumes of battery-grade lithium carbonate for commencement of testing with potential strategic partners. This is important whilst the Chilean government is reviewing the feasibility of lithium projects to identify the most advanced companies in Chile and if they are to reach their target of having three to four new lithium projects in development by 2026."
Further Information
Pilot Plant in Copiapó First Stage Production Completed
The Company´s DLE pilot plant is in Copiapó, Chile, approximately 275km from Laguna Verde. The plant finished commissioning in late March 2024 and up until mid-June a total volume of 1196m3 of brine from the Laguna Verde project was processed in the plant with a total of 14 cycles completed. Each cycle represents a volume of brine being fed first through filtration to remove suspended solids, then into DLE columns which are filled with adsorbent designed to be selective for lithium molecules. Lithium, as lithium chloride, is adsorbed from the brine, before desorption with water to create a purified lithium chloride eluate. A reverse osmosis (RO) unit at the DLE pilot plant then concentrates the eluate by extracting approximately
Averaged across the 14 cycles, the recovery rate achieved by adsorption of lithium by the adsorbent was
Figure 1: Pilot Plant Total Recovery Rate
The eluate production rate was relatively stable after the initial ramp up period achieving an average of 2.8 kg LCE per hour. The design of the plant is 1 tonne per month of LCE based on designed monthly operating schedule of 360 hours. Due to budget and volume considerations, the plant was run for 384 hours for the first stage of planned operation producing a total of 1.085 tonnes of LCE as eluate. Based on the hourly production rate this met and exceeded the design capacity of the plant.
Figure 2: Pilot Plant Production Rate (Kg LCE/hr in Eluate)
Selectivity of the adsorbent is another key performance parameter for a DLE operation. DLE primarily acts as a purification stage, recovering lithium chloride from the brine whilst rejecting other impurities. For all the major ions in the brine, apart from boron, the rejection rate was very high as shown in Fig. 3 below. More cycles will further validate this performance. The quality of the eluate was consistent over the first stage of production with the low level of impurities facilitating downstream conversion.
Figure 3: DLE Performance - Rejection of Major Impurities
After completion of the DLE stage, the eluate is concentrated using a reverse osmosis (RO) unit at the pilot plant. On completion of both stages the lithium grade in the purified lithium chloride eluate is over ten times higher than the feed brine. The concentrated eluate was then loaded into a flexitank in a standard shipping container and transported to the port of Caldera for shipment to North America.
Downstream Processing into Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate: Test-work Completed
For the conversion of the concentrated lithium chloride eluate into battery grade lithium carbonate, CleanTech Lithium has engaged a leading lithium processing company, Conductive Energy, based in Alberta, Canada, which has facilities in Chicago, USA, with key downstream processing units shown in Figure 4 below. The status of the concentrated eluate shipment is shown in Table 1 with processing to commence in August 2024.
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Figure 4: Conductive Energy Carbonation Reactor Tank and Equipment for Washing, Filtering & Drying
In May 2024 CTL air-freighted a 200L sample of concentrated eluate from the pilot plant to Conductive Energy to undertake test-work to optimise the conversion process. The process steps are shown in Figure 5, involving a further stage of RO, before using Forward Osmosis (FO) to achieve a very high level of concentration. Ion exchange (IX) is used to remove calcium, magnesium, and boron. The final steps are carbonation and then washing, filtration and drying to produce a battery grade product. Conductive Energy´s approach is to simplify the process that achieves maximum yield by minimizing process steps and, where losses occur, produce fluids that are easily recycled to further maximize yield.
Figure 5: Conductive Energy Conversion Process
Reverse Osmosis and Forward Osmosis
The increase in eluate and lithium concentration in the R/O and F/O stages are shown in Table 2 below. R/O is effective for concentration until Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) reach the level of approximately 60,000 - 70,000 TDS, after which it is increasingly energy intensive and costly. F/O is highly effective in further concentration to the required lithium grade for carbonation, in this case 18,000mg Li/L (or
Parameter | Unit | Concentrated Eluate | R/O Concentrate | F/O Concentrate |
Lithium (Li) | mg/L | 2,194 | 5,700 | 18,000 |
Chloride (Cl) | mg/L | 11,039 | 37,000 | 110,000 |
Boron (B) | mg/L | 411 | 850 | 1,700 |
Calcium (Ca) | mg/L | 7 | 29 | 85 |
Magnesium (Mg) | mg/L | 14 | 50 | 150 |
Sodium (Na) | mg/L | 134 | 400 | 1,400 |
Sulphate (SO4) | mg/L | 103 | 120 | 330 |
Total Dissolve Solids (TDS) | mg/L | 19,260 | 62,000 | 190,000 |
Volume | L | 215.5 | 66.3 | 13.9 |
Reduction in Volume | % |
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Laboratory |
| ALS Chile | Lambton.Scientific | Lambton.Scientific |
Table 2: Results from concentration of Laguna Verde eluate through R/O followed by F/O
Ion Exchange to Remove Impurities
Ion exchange (IX) was used for removal of calcium and magnesium, which achieved
Conductive then applied its optimised IX for removal of boron. This was highly effective achieving >
Carbonation and Battery Grade Lithium Sample
The carbonation test-work achieved an exceptional yield of
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Table 3: Process test-work lithium carbonate sample purity Fig. 6: Test-work sample
Additional Operations
Laguna Verde Reserve Report Update
The next stage of resource evaluation at the Laguna Verde project is to produce an updated JORC compliant resource and a reserve report based on converting a portion of resources into reserves. The management of the resource evaluation programme and reserve report is led by Montgomery and Associates, a leading hydrogeology consultant with extensive experience in resource evaluation of lithium brine projects in Chile and Argentina. Reserve estimation will feed directly into the Pre-Feasibility Study which is targeted for later this year.
The reserve calculation requires the completion of pumping tests and a re-injection well at the project which is scheduled for September 2024, when drilling equipment can be re-mobilised after the current winter break in operations. Subject to the completion of the re-injection well in September, the reserve report is scheduled to be completed by Montgomery and Associates in October 2024.
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: |
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CleanTech Lithium PLC |
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Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter | Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 Chile office: +562-32239222 |
| Or via Celicourt |
Celicourt Communications Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis/Ali AlQahtani | +44 (0) 20 7770 6424 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak | +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker) Daniel Fox-Davies | +44 (0) 20 3884 8450 |
Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker) James Asensio | +44 (0) 20 7523 4680 |
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
**ENDS**
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SOURCE: CleanTech Lithium plc
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FAQ
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