4 September 2023

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

Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") Pilot Plant 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 an update on the commissioning of the DLE Pilot Plant. 

Highlights:

·    The Company ordered the US$2 million DLE Pilot Plant from Sunresin in Q1 2023.

·    The 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 lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) for product qualification by potential offtakers and strategic partners.

·    The first of two parts of the plant the DLE columns, and rotary valve, arrived recently at the Company's facility in Copiapó and are being installed.

·    The second shipment, which will comprise an electrical cabinet, pumps and auxiliary equipment, is due to arrive in the coming weeks following recent completion of final testing in the manufacturers' facilities.

·    Commissioning of the plant is expected to be finalised in Q4 2023.

·    Operational, community and stakeholder liaison office in Copiapó has opened recently.

Aldo Boitano, Chief Executive Officer, CleanTech Lithium said: "It is an exciting milestone for the Company to see the DLE Pilot Plant equipment arrive in Copiapó. Once operational, our aim is to produce up to 1 tonne per month of lithium carbonate using Direct Lithium Extraction, which, we believe, will be the future of lithium production in Chile.  DLE is now moving into the mainstream as it offers a cleaner way of supplying battery grade lithium with higher purities and shorter production timelines versus other methods such as evaporation ponds. We are working towards having the DLE Pilot Plant in operation in Q4 2023.

The Pilot Plant is being installed at our facility in Copiapó where we now have our main operational base and hub for community and stakeholder engagement, which is critical to the success of our business.

We will be updating the market shortly on other activities including the Scoping Study for Francisco Basin."

Fig 1: DLE pilot plant columns installed in Copiapó

Further Details:

First of the two parts of the DLE Pilot Plant has arrived in Chile where the Company plans to produce purified concentrated eluate that will allow production of up to 1 tonne per month of LCE. 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 plant is being shipped in two stages, with the columns which are the vessels for the DLE resin, and the rotary valve having now arrived at CTL's Copiapó facility. Once up and running, 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. The eluate will then undergo several stages of concentration and impurity removal, before carbonation into battery grade lithium. Arrangements are being made to have this downstream processing undertaken.

Fig. 2: Rotary valve undergoing final testing in Belgium

The DLE Pilot Plant will provide process design data that will be an important input into the Pre-Feasibility Study phases for both Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin. Bulk samples of brine have been collected from the more advanced Laguna Verde project in preparation for testing.

The Pilot Plant has been designed to deliver concentrated eluate that will allow production of up to 1 tonne per month of battery grade lithium carbonate for product qualification by potential customers, such as battery manufacturers and automakers. CTL has a dedicated facility in Copiapó that is suitable for both the lab scale demo unit and the DLE Pilot Plant. It is expected that the Plant will be operational for many years, allowing the Company to optimise its processes from its various projects on an ongoing basis.

Copiapó Operations and Community Liaison Office

CTL has now completed the refurbishment of the operations office in Copiapó which will act as the main hub for the Company to communicate directly with local stakeholders and visiting companies and personnel. The office is located in the centre of Copiapó, near the regional Government offices.  Operations management and staff are already working from this location and information on the Company's projects, training opportunities and consultations with various stakeholders will take place at the office.

Notes

About CleanTech Lithium

CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing next-generation sustainable lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Proudly sustainable, committed to net-zero, our mission is to produce material quantities of battery grade, carbon-neutral lithium using sustainable Direct Lithium Extraction technology, powered by clean energy, we plan to be the greenest lithium supplier to the EV market.

CleanTech Lithium has three prospective lithium projects - Laguna Verde, Francisco Basin and Llamara - located in the lithium triangle, the world's centre for battery grade lithium production. The Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin projects are situated within basins entirely controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. Llamara is the Company's latest greenfield project, which offers material potential upside at a low initial cost. All three projects have direct access to excellent 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 or harm to the local environment.