Century Lithium Reconfirms Production Of Battery Grade Purity Lithium Carbonate And Provides Update On Feasibility Study
May 25, 2023 – Vancouver, Canada – Century Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LCE) (OTCQX: CYDVF) (Frankfurt: C1Z) (Century Lithium or the Company) is pleased to report it has repeated the production of a high-purity lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) grading 99.87% with lithium-bearing claystone from the Company’s 100%-owned Clayton Valley Lithium Project (Project) in Nevada, USA. Several kilograms of the high purity Li2CO3were made from the intermediate lithium solutions generated in January at the Company’s Lithium Extraction Facility (Pilot Plant) in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Following leaching and direct lithium extraction (DLE) at the Pilot Plant, solutions were shipped to Saltworks Technologies Inc. (Saltworks) where the final processing was completed.
“These results are in line with those we reported in September 2022, when we achieved a significant milestone in making lithium carbonate grading 99.94%” stated Bill Willoughby, President and CEO of Century Lithium. “The latest results confirm our ability to obtain a high purity lithium product with a low level of impurities from our claystone process.”
Century Lithium has now successfully repeated steps from test mining through to the manufacture of battery-grade Li2CO3. The table below is a comparison of the latest results with those from September 2022. Also shown, are the constituent levels for battery grade lithium carbonate as published by two major producers. The results for the Company’s lithium carbonate material assays were finalized by Saltworks and SGS Canada Inc.
Century Li2CO3
May 2023 |
Century Li2CO3
September 2022 |
Reference
Source 1 |
Reference
Source 2 |
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Li2CO3 | wt% | 99.875 | 99.94 | >99.5 | >99.5 |
H2O | wt% | 0.03 | 0.01 | <0.2 | <0.5 |
Na | wt% | 0.047 | 0.02 | <0.03 | <0.05 |
Ca | wt% | 0.009 | 0.02 | <0.01 | <0.04 |
Fe | Wppm | 3 | 15 | 10 | <5 |
Al | Wppm | <2 | 6 | 10 | <10 |
Cu | Wppm | <4 | <4 | 10 | <5 |
Ni | Wppm | <5 | <5 | 10 | <6 |
Cl | wt% | 0.008% | 0.008% | <0.01% | <0.01% |
Notes: wt% (weight percent), wppm (weight parts per million), calculated Li2CO3 purity based on sum of impurities measured above detection limit
Source 1 & 2: public company’s published composition of battery grade Li2CO3 ,
Feasibility Study Update
A Feasibility Study on the Project (Study) began in February 2022, with the engagement of Wood PLC as independent lead author. The Study has progressed well, with contributions from Global Resource Engineers, WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure Inc., and thyssenkrupp nucera, and with the support of Century Lithium’s personnel and consultants.
Major areas of the Study are completed and estimates for capital and operating cost estimates received, including those for the chlor-alkali plant portion of the Project. Wood is in the process of consolidating the estimates and reviewing them with Century, along with evaluating further optimization and opportunities for cost reductions. This optimization work will extend beyond the previously estimated mid-year completion date for the Study. The Company continues to focus on the Study and will provide updates in due course.
At the Pilot Plant, the collaboration of Century Lithium and Koch Technology Solutions (KTS) is underway testing the KTS Li-Pro™ process for DLE. Century Lithium personnel are working closely with KTS in the testing program, which has now completed its third 7-day cycle of operation. Thus far, the KTS process equipment has operated exceptionally well, using feed solution from the Pilot Plant, and the Company is very pleased with its performance.
Qualified Person
Todd Fayram, MMSA-QP and Daniel Kalmbach, CPG, are the qualified persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and have approved the technical information in this release.
About Century Lithium Corp.
Century Lithium Corp. (formerly Cypress Development Corp.) is an advanced stage lithium company, focused on developing its 100%-owned Clayton Valley Lithium Project in west-central Nevada, USA. Century Lithium is currently in the pilot stage of testing on material from its lithium-bearing claystone deposit at its Lithium Extraction Facility in Amargosa Valley, Nevada and progressing towards completing a Feasibility Study and permitting, with the goal of becoming a domestic producer of lithium for the growing electric vehicle and battery storage market.
ON BEHALF OF CENTURY LITHIUM CORP.
WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY, PhD., PE
President & Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Spiros Cacos | Vice President, Investor Relations
Direct: +1 604 764 1851
Toll Free: 1 800 567 8181
scacos@centurylithium.com
centurylithium.com
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “scheduled,” and other similar words. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration, and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.