DLE Process Test Work - Adsorbent Selection

CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) an exploration and development company advancing lithium projects in Chile, reports the results of recent completed Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) process test work. The positive results have informed the selection and ordering of the lithium adsorbent to be used in the Company´s pilot plant, which has finished construction at the Company´s R&D Centre in Copiapó and is in the process of being commissioned and tested.

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DLE Process Work Highlights:

• Extensive Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) work undertaken in 2023 to optimise the process
• Progress in the process work has now led to the selection of adsorbent from Xián Lanshen New Material Technology (Lanshen) as the preferred adsorbent for the Company´s pilot plant
• Recently completed multi-cycle tests on Laguna Verde brine produced very positive results for key DLE metrics: adsorbent capacity, lithium recovery rates, and eluate composition
• These results are achieved without pH adjustment in pre-treatment or heating of the brine or eluant, with distilled water used for desorption

Process Test	Result	Comment
Pre-treatment	Filtering only	No pH adjustment required
Adsorption recovery rate	>95%
Desorption recovery rate	>95%
Lithium Loading Capacity	3.5g Li per kg	Target is 4.6g Li per kg
Eluate Composition
Li Concentration Factor	>3X
Na	<100mg/l	Very low
TDS	<4,000mg/l	Very low

• The results indicate that brine from Laguna Verde has low contaminants and is conducive to DLE
• The Company´s dedicated DLE testing laboratory in Antofagasta, Chile, has played an important role in testing adsorbents
• Lanshen is a leader in DLE and has signed an agreement with Koch Technology Solutions (Koch), a subsidiary of Koch Industries (USA), to exclusively distribute Lanshen adsorbent for Koch´s DLE process in the North American and European markets

· The Company´s pilot plant has now been filled with Lanshen adsorbent and is in the latter stages of commissioning

Commenting, Aldo Boitano, Chief Executive Officer, of CleanTech Lithium PLC, said:

"The DLE sector is rapidly evolving, we are seeing developments from several companies all around the world to advance the production of lithium. Our trip to China towards the end of last year was enlightening, we were able to see on the ground the remarkable opportunity DLE provides for the lithium sector and the adoption of electric vehicles and clean energy storage solutions.

Informed by the results we have announced today, our DLE pilot plant has now been loaded with Lanshen's adsorbent, and plant commissioning is in process. This is a significant milestone for the Company as we aim to achieve process and product verification in 2024."

Process Work Progress Update

CleanTech Lithium´s process team is comprised of lithium process experts in Chile with additional expertise provided by DLE sector consultants Peter Ehren and Forward Water Technologies. DLE process trials have been completed with a multitude of adsorbent* suppliers, from emerging technologies to established petrochemical companies, both at supplier facilities and at the Company´s dedicated DLE testing laboratory in Antofagasta, Chile. Globally, China has a significant presence in the DLE sector with five or more commercial scale adsorbent suppliers, all of which were visited by CleanTech Lithium in October 2023.

At the Company´s laboratory, a series of tests were carried out starting with beaker tests, then single column tests and finally multi-cycle tests using a multi-valve carousal unit. The in-house testing has given CTL the ability to directly compare different adsorbents and to verify adsorbent performance data from trials conducted at supplier facilities. A laboratory scale trial on a Lanshen carousal unit in Santiago, Chile, is shown in Figure 1.

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This article includes content from CleanTech Lithium, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.

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