CleanTech Lithium achieves pilot-scale lithium carbonate production milestone

CleanTech Lithium is a leader in Chile in producing lithium carbonate using direct lithium extraction (DLE) at the pilot scale, marking a major milestone for the company. The samples will be sent to a laboratory to confirm the grade and impurity profile, which is expected to be battery-grade and prepared for strategic partner qualification.

The company shipped four tanks with a total of 88 m3 of concentrated eluate from its DLE pilot plant in Copiapó, Chile, to the facilities of Conductive Energy in Chicago, US, for conversion into lithium carbonate. The first tank with 20 m3 of eluate is currently being processed and the first 50 kg of lithium carbonate on 19 November. The full tank will be processed over the next week and is expected to produce approximately 150 kg of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO, CleanTech Lithium PLC, said, “ CleanTech Lithium has reached an important milestone by commencing pilot-scale lithium carbonate production using a sustainable and innovative DLE-based process. As a leader in the DLE sector in Chile with a focus on efficiency and sustainability, this accomplishment marks a significant step forward. Years of hard work have led to this important milestone, and it sets the stage for future development with a commitment to supporting the transition to electric vehicles and clean energy. Thank you to the partners involved and we look forward to enter the next phase of development.