Latest news with #DLE
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Northern Lithium successfully concludes 60-day long term pump tests and demonstration scale Direct Lithium Extraction trials
Detailed design engineering now underway for construction of first production boreholes and commercial scale DLE plant, underpinned by strong response to fundraising *** Key Points *** Successful completion of 60-day long term pump tests and in-field demonstration scale Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) trials Further confirmation of consistent, economically viable concentrations of lithium in brines at relatively shallow drilling depths with strong flow rates and significant long-term yield potential 1:15 scale DLE plant designed, constructed, installed and operated at Ludwell Farm, Co. Durham by Evove and RSE >300 hours of stable operation in production mode and 3.5 million litres of Northern Lithium live brines processed Strong DLE trial results with 92% end-to-end lithium recovery rates achievable and 96.5% purity of lithium chloride/sulfate product produced Detailed design engineering for first operational production unit now underway to meet target date of first commercial lithium supply from end of 2027. Discussions underway with potential off-take and industry partners Excellent fundraising progress, with GBP3.45 million first tranche closed above expectations Marketing for a second tranche of up to a further GBP2.5 million to start shortly DURHAM, England, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Lithium Ltd. ("Northern Lithium or the Company") is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its recent programme of long term 60-day pump tests and Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") trials, which sought to further prove the commercial viability of lithium extraction from brines under the Northern Pennine Orefield in Co. Durham, Northeast of England. Nick Pople, Northern Lithium Managing Director, said, "The results of these recent trials are a great step forward for our unique partnership established to deliver a secure, sustainable supply of lithium for the UK using Northern Lithium's UK lithium brines, Evove's UK developed advanced DLE technology and RSE's UK process engineering expertise." Detailed analysis and interpretation of data collected over the 60-day pump testing period has confirmed and strengthened the results achieved during initial 30-day tests in 2024. In particular, the tests have provided: (i) further confirmation of consistent, economically viable concentrations of lithium in the brines abstracted throughout the test period, underpinning the input assumptions used in the Company's current project economic model, and (ii) confirmed the commercial suitability of the sub-surface hydrogeological formation, through a sustained programme of simultaneous abstraction and reinjection of brines at higher flow rates and for a longer period than previously tested. In a UK first, the demonstration scale trials of Evove Ltd's ("Evove") unique next-generation advanced Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology was a resounding success, proving the plant design and meeting critical production KPIs, including lithium recovery rates and product purity levels. The project is believed to be one of only a handful that have been concluded at this scale world-wide outside China. Trial data was collected by Evove to inform the design of several process efficiency innovations, most notably the cascade operation of ultra selective nanofiltration membranes which are at the heart of this next-generation DLE system. The membranes' proven capability to remove nearly all impurities (especially calcium and magnesium) at the start of the DLE process creates significant efficiencies that translate to superior economics and a viable business case for decentralised production. Evove's modelling, derived from 78 million data points gathered through the processing of 3.5 million litres of Northen Lithium brines, indicates a commercial end-to-end lithium recovery rate of up to 92% from raw brine to final battery-grade product, surpassing the initial project target modelled at 80%, and a purity of lithium chloride/sulfate product produced of up to 96.5%. This exceptional purity simplifies the midstream conversion process to lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide products used in electrical batteries, proving the suitability of Northern Lithium brines and Evove's DLE process, using combined membrane filtration and ion exchange stages, to meet domestic lithium demand and, critically, indicating lower capex and processing costs. Nick Pople said, "We have made considerable progress over the past year and are pleased that our recent long term pump tests and demo scale DLE trials have provided further proof of concept on our targeted path to first commercial production of lithium by the end of 2027. In the current geopolitical climate, it is encouraging that the UK government is recognising that the UK has an urgent need to secure its own domestic lithium supply. The results of our recent tests and trials have confirmed that Northern Lithium now has the opportunity and potential to scale up supply, within the next decade, to significantly more than our current base case target of 10,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium delivered per year from a series of production sites across the Northern Pennine Orefield." Chris Wyres, CEO of DLE technology firm Evove, said, "We are delighted that Evove's advanced filtration technology is helping bring the Northern Lithium project to commercial reality. From the first brine processing at industrial scale in our DLE Test Centre in Widnes in 2023 to delivering fully operational demonstration scale in-field DLE trials this year is a remarkable testament to the unique partnership between Northern Lithium, engineering firm RSE and Evove." Northern Lithium and Evove will now proceed with detailed design engineering for the first fully functioning commercial scale DLE production unit, with operation targeted for end of 2027. In parallel, samples of lithium product produced from the recent trials will be used in discussions with potential off-take partners. Sam Rushworth, MP for Bishop Auckland, said, "Northern Lithium's continued progress towards commercial production and delivery of a domestic supply of lithium at scale, is good news for economic growth and creating jobs in an area that has suffered from de-industrialisation. Beyond the jobs created on site, this opens new economic opportunities in County Durham and the North East and is important to the government's forthcoming Industrial and Critical Minerals Strategy which aims to create a secure and sustainable supply of critical minerals for the UK." FUNDRAISING In September 2024, the Company set out to raise up to GBP6 million to fund its operations and next stage development programme through to the end of Q1 2026, aiming to raise an initial tranche ("Tranche 1") of up to GBP2.0 million to fund activities in H1 2025. Tranche 1 was closed at GBP3.45 million in Q1 2025, ahead of the 60-day pump tests and demo scale DLE trials. Marketing for a second tranche of funding ("Tranche 2"), of up to GBP2.5 million, will commence shortly. Nick Pople added, "The success of our fundraising to date reflects not just confidence in the progress we are making at Northern Lithium, but also a growing acceptance that the UK needs to develop its own secure and sustainable domestic lithium supply. We are confident that Northern Lithium is well placed to play a key part in meeting the UK's fast-rising demand for lithium, across everything from EVs and low carbon infrastructure to key elements of defence equipment." Tranche 2 will be deployed through the rest of 2025 and beginning of 2026 to cover an additional drilling programme along with the preparation and submission of full planning and permitting applications in readiness for next phase of commercial development work in 2026 and 2027. The Company will be assessing fundraising requirements for 2026 and beyond later this year. NOTES TO EDITORS UK demand for lithium It is forecast that the UK will need up to 80,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) per year by 2030 and as much as 135,000 tonnes per year by 2040. The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK said in its Q3 2024 Quarterly Automotive Demand Forecast (January 2025) that Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) production in the UK is expected to top 1.1 million per annum by 2035 creating a demand for over 93 GWh of automotive batteries, from just 13 GWhs of demand in 2024. In 2024 381,970 new fully electric cars were sold in the UK, a 20% market share of all new cars registered that year. More fully electric cars were sold in 2024 than any other and 21% more than 2023. The first quarter of 2025 closed with 21% of all new cars being fully electric, signifying a steady rise in the market share. Battery requirements for grid scale energy storage are also increasing exponentially, adding to the supply chain pressure for lithium. Forecasts suggest global demand for lithium-ion batteries for grid scale energy storage could overtake EVs by 2050. The National Grid ESO, the electricity system operator for Great Britain, is forecasting that the UK will need nearly 200GWh of energy storage by 2050 against 5 GWh of operational grid-scale battery energy storage capacity at the end of 2024. According to the International Lithium Association's report "Lithium 2040" (May 2025), global lithium demand is expected to grow from 1.3Mt LCE today to between 3.6Mt and 5.2Mt LCE by 2040. About Northern Lithium Established in 2017, Northern Lithium is a privately-owned innovative critical minerals development company, based in County Durham, Northeast of England, focused on delivering a secure domestic supply of lithium from the North East for UK gigafactories and the UK's electric vehicle and power storage industries, using sustainable extraction and production techniques. Northern Lithium has up to 45 years' exclusive development, appraisal and production rights covering mineral rights owned by the Church Commissioners for England across circa. 240 sq kms (60,000 acres), of the North Pennine Orefield. The Company is at the forefront of delivering a secure, sustainable domestic supply of lithium at scale for the UK, using its own UK sourced lithium brines, UK developed advanced DLE (Direct Lithium Extraction) technology and UK process engineering expertise. About Evove Evove deploys advanced technology to reduce the cost and environmental impact of the filtration and separation of fluids in lithium, data centres and food & beverage production, as well as in desalination and the treatment of industrial water. For more information please contact: Northern Lithium Nick Pople, Managing Directore: nickpople@ +44 7788 665754 Richard Barton, RB Advisorse: richard@ +41 79 922 78 92 Evove Andrew Walkere: +44 7450 583660 Logo - View original content to download multimedia:
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
E3 Lithium Provides Progress Update for the Demonstration Facility
CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 2, 2025-- E3 LITHIUM LTD. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), 'E3', 'E3 Lithium' or the 'Company,' a leader in Canadian lithium, is pleased to provide a progress update on its Demonstration Facility ('Demo Facility'). The Demo Facility is planned to be brought on stream in three phases through the second half of 2025 and into 2026. The lithium extraction equipment comprising of the 30-column Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) system (the '30-Column System'), as well as the purification and concentration equipment is now fully fabricated and undergoing final checks. The heart of the lithium production equipment is comprised of five separate skids, each containing a specific operation: Skids one and two host the 30-columns and the value control for the DLE system, skids 3 and 4 host the filtration and purification equipment and skid 5 houses the control center. The skids are expected to arrive and be assembled on site in the Clearwater Project area over the next six to eight weeks. E3 Lithium has also received the sorbent for the DLE columns and completed the majority of the payments for this equipment. Following arrival on site, the equipment will be assembled and undergo operational and safety checks, followed by final leak checks. Phase 1 will use brine hosted on site for the commissioning and operation of the 30-column system equipment to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. It is expected that shortly after the drilling of the wells in Phase 2, the production well will be tied directly into the 30-column equipment and operate using a 'live' brine feed. Operation of a fully integrated system will enable E3 Lithium to optimize the process for factors such as recovery and flow rates and will provide important data for use in the design and costing of the commercial facility. The lithium carbonate produced will be used for customer interrogation and to potentially begin pre-qualification. Each phase of the Demo Facility is an important step towards validating the process technology and E3 Lithium's ability to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from Leduc Brines at scale. The key objective of the Demo Facility is to de-risk the project design for E3 Lithium's full commercial scale Clearwater Project as the Company progresses towards completion of the Feasibility Study and securing of project financing. 'The team is very excited to see the equipment arrive on site,' commented E3 Lithium's CEO, Chris Doornbos. 'The Demo Facility will be one of the few systems of this kind globally to operate at this scale. It is a significant achievement for E3 Lithium to turn this design into a reality, and a major step forward to see it operate in the very near future.' Preparation for Phase 3 will increase as the first phase begins field operations and is expected to be installed in early 2026. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Doornbos, President & CEO E3 Lithium Ltd. About E3 Lithium E3 Lithium is a development company with a total of 16.2 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Measured and Indicated 1 as well as 0.9 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources 2 in Alberta and 2.5 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources 3 in Saskatchewan. The Clearwater Pre-Feasibility Study outlined a 1.13 Mt LCE proven and probable mineral reserve with a pre-tax NPV8% of USD 5.2 Billion with a 29.2% IRR and an after-tax NPV8% of USD 3.7 Billion with a 24.6% IRR 1. 1: The Clearwater Project NI 43-101 Pre-Feasibility Study, effective June 20, 2024, is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( ) and SEDAR+ ( ). 2: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the North Rocky Property, effective October 27, 2017, identified 0.9 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( ) and SEDAR+ ( ). 3: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Estevan Lithium District, effective May 23, 2024, identified 2.5 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( ) and SEDAR+ ( ). Unless otherwise indicated, Kevin Carroll, P. Eng., Chief Development Officer and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information contained on this news release. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as 'believe', 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'intend', 'project', 'potential', 'possible' and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions, expectations, estimates and assumptions of management in light of its experience, perception of historical trends, and results of the PFS, but such statements are not guarantees of future performance. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information relating to: the estimated mineral resources and mineral resources at the Clearwater Project; expectations regarding the PFS, including statements regarding the results of the PFS and interpretations thereof; expectations concerning the Clearwater Project, including extraction, production, pretreatment, purification, volume reduction and conversion process and features and the expected outcomes thereof; the expected economic performance of the Clearwater Project, including capital costs, operating costs, water usage, land use and carbon emissions; statements regarding the Company's strategy for minimizing environmental impact and liquid waste and maximizing water reuse, with no planned tailings or waste piles; the potential for a secondary revenue stream should the Company be able to sell the calcium carbonate generated during the production of lithium hydroxide; plans and objectives of management for the Company's operations and the Clearwater Project; and the inherent hazards associated with mineral exploration and mining operations. In preparing the forward-looking information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that any additional financing needed will be available on reasonable terms; the exchange rates for the U.S. and Canadian currencies will be consistent with the Company's expectations; that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Clearwater Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that the current price and demand for lithium will be sustained or will improve; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner and that all necessary governmental approvals for the planned activities on the Clearwater Project will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; the continuity of the price of lithium. All forward-looking information (including future-orientated financial information) is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the effectiveness and feasibility of emerging lithium extraction technologies which have not yet been tested or proven on a commercial scale or on the Company's brine, risks related to the availability of financing on commercially reasonable terms and the expected use of proceeds; operations and contractual obligations; changes in estimated mineral reserves or mineral resources; future prices of lithium and other metals; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; the Company's lack of operating revenues; currency fluctuations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. View source version on CONTACT: E3 Lithium - Investor Relations Alexis de la Renaudiere Investor Relations [email protected] 587-324-2775E3 Lithium - Media Inquiries Kati Dolyniuk External Relations [email protected] 587-324-2775 KEYWORD: NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: NATURAL RESOURCES OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES MINING/MINERALS SOURCE: E3 Lithium Ltd. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/02/2025 03:15 AM/DISC: 06/02/2025 03:13 AM
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
E3 Lithium Provides Progress Update for the Demonstration Facility
CALGARY, Alberta, June 02, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--E3 LITHIUM LTD. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), "E3", "E3 Lithium" or the "Company," a leader in Canadian lithium, is pleased to provide a progress update on its Demonstration Facility ("Demo Facility"). The Demo Facility is planned to be brought on stream in three phases through the second half of 2025 and into 2026. The lithium extraction equipment comprising of the 30-column Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) system (the "30-Column System"), as well as the purification and concentration equipment is now fully fabricated and undergoing final checks. The heart of the lithium production equipment is comprised of five separate skids, each containing a specific operation: Skids one and two host the 30-columns and the value control for the DLE system, skids 3 and 4 host the filtration and purification equipment and skid 5 houses the control center. The skids are expected to arrive and be assembled on site in the Clearwater Project area over the next six to eight weeks. E3 Lithium has also received the sorbent for the DLE columns and completed the majority of the payments for this equipment. Following arrival on site, the equipment will be assembled and undergo operational and safety checks, followed by final leak checks. Phase 1 will use brine hosted on site for the commissioning and operation of the 30-column system equipment to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. It is expected that shortly after the drilling of the wells in Phase 2, the production well will be tied directly into the 30-column equipment and operate using a "live" brine feed. Operation of a fully integrated system will enable E3 Lithium to optimize the process for factors such as recovery and flow rates and will provide important data for use in the design and costing of the commercial facility. The lithium carbonate produced will be used for customer interrogation and to potentially begin pre-qualification. Each phase of the Demo Facility is an important step towards validating the process technology and E3 Lithium's ability to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from Leduc Brines at scale. The key objective of the Demo Facility is to de-risk the project design for E3 Lithium's full commercial scale Clearwater Project as the Company progresses towards completion of the Feasibility Study and securing of project financing. "The team is very excited to see the equipment arrive on site," commented E3 Lithium's CEO, Chris Doornbos. "The Demo Facility will be one of the few systems of this kind globally to operate at this scale. It is a significant achievement for E3 Lithium to turn this design into a reality, and a major step forward to see it operate in the very near future." Preparation for Phase 3 will increase as the first phase begins field operations and is expected to be installed in early 2026. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Doornbos, President & CEOE3 Lithium Ltd. About E3 Lithium E3 Lithium is a development company with a total of 16.2 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Measured and Indicated 1 as well as 0.9 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources2 in Alberta and 2.5 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources3 in Saskatchewan. The Clearwater Pre-Feasibility Study outlined a 1.13 Mt LCE proven and probable mineral reserve with a pre-tax NPV8% of USD 5.2 Billion with a 29.2% IRR and an after-tax NPV8% of USD 3.7 Billion with a 24.6% IRR1. 1: The Clearwater Project NI 43-101 Pre-Feasibility Study, effective June 20, 2024, is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( and SEDAR+ ( 2: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the North Rocky Property, effective October 27, 2017, identified 0.9 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( and SEDAR+ ( 3: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Estevan Lithium District, effective May 23, 2024, identified 2.5 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( and SEDAR+ ( Unless otherwise indicated, Kevin Carroll, P. Eng., Chief Development Officer and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information contained on this news release. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "believe", "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "project", "potential", "possible" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions, expectations, estimates and assumptions of management in light of its experience, perception of historical trends, and results of the PFS, but such statements are not guarantees of future performance. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information relating to: the estimated mineral resources and mineral resources at the Clearwater Project; expectations regarding the PFS, including statements regarding the results of the PFS and interpretations thereof; expectations concerning the Clearwater Project, including extraction, production, pretreatment, purification, volume reduction and conversion process and features and the expected outcomes thereof; the expected economic performance of the Clearwater Project, including capital costs, operating costs, water usage, land use and carbon emissions; statements regarding the Company's strategy for minimizing environmental impact and liquid waste and maximizing water reuse, with no planned tailings or waste piles; the potential for a secondary revenue stream should the Company be able to sell the calcium carbonate generated during the production of lithium hydroxide; plans and objectives of management for the Company's operations and the Clearwater Project; and the inherent hazards associated with mineral exploration and mining operations. In preparing the forward-looking information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that any additional financing needed will be available on reasonable terms; the exchange rates for the U.S. and Canadian currencies will be consistent with the Company's expectations; that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Clearwater Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that the current price and demand for lithium will be sustained or will improve; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner and that all necessary governmental approvals for the planned activities on the Clearwater Project will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; the continuity of the price of lithium. All forward-looking information (including future-orientated financial information) is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the effectiveness and feasibility of emerging lithium extraction technologies which have not yet been tested or proven on a commercial scale or on the Company's brine, risks related to the availability of financing on commercially reasonable terms and the expected use of proceeds; operations and contractual obligations; changes in estimated mineral reserves or mineral resources; future prices of lithium and other metals; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; the Company's lack of operating revenues; currency fluctuations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. View source version on Contacts E3 Lithium - Investor Relations Alexis de la RenaudiereInvestor Relationsinvestor@ 587-324-2775 E3 Lithium - Media Inquiries Kati DolyniukExternal Relationscommunications@ 587-324-2775 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
E3 Lithium Provides Progress Update for the Demonstration Facility
CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--E3 LITHIUM LTD. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), 'E3', 'E3 Lithium' or the 'Company,' a leader in Canadian lithium, is pleased to provide a progress update on its Demonstration Facility ('Demo Facility'). The Demo Facility is planned to be brought on stream in three phases through the second half of 2025 and into 2026. The lithium extraction equipment comprising of the 30-column Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) system (the '30-Column System'), as well as the purification and concentration equipment is now fully fabricated and undergoing final checks. The heart of the lithium production equipment is comprised of five separate skids, each containing a specific operation: Skids one and two host the 30-columns and the value control for the DLE system, skids 3 and 4 host the filtration and purification equipment and skid 5 houses the control center. The skids are expected to arrive and be assembled on site in the Clearwater Project area over the next six to eight weeks. E3 Lithium has also received the sorbent for the DLE columns and completed the majority of the payments for this equipment. Following arrival on site, the equipment will be assembled and undergo operational and safety checks, followed by final leak checks. Phase 1 will use brine hosted on site for the commissioning and operation of the 30-column system equipment to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. It is expected that shortly after the drilling of the wells in Phase 2, the production well will be tied directly into the 30-column equipment and operate using a 'live' brine feed. Operation of a fully integrated system will enable E3 Lithium to optimize the process for factors such as recovery and flow rates and will provide important data for use in the design and costing of the commercial facility. The lithium carbonate produced will be used for customer interrogation and to potentially begin pre-qualification. Each phase of the Demo Facility is an important step towards validating the process technology and E3 Lithium's ability to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from Leduc Brines at scale. The key objective of the Demo Facility is to de-risk the project design for E3 Lithium's full commercial scale Clearwater Project as the Company progresses towards completion of the Feasibility Study and securing of project financing. 'The team is very excited to see the equipment arrive on site,' commented E3 Lithium's CEO, Chris Doornbos. 'The Demo Facility will be one of the few systems of this kind globally to operate at this scale. It is a significant achievement for E3 Lithium to turn this design into a reality, and a major step forward to see it operate in the very near future.' Preparation for Phase 3 will increase as the first phase begins field operations and is expected to be installed in early 2026. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Doornbos, President & CEO E3 Lithium Ltd. About E3 Lithium E3 Lithium is a development company with a total of 16.2 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Measured and Indicated 1 as well as 0.9 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources 2 in Alberta and 2.5 million tonnes LCE Inferred mineral resources 3 in Saskatchewan. The Clearwater Pre-Feasibility Study outlined a 1.13 Mt LCE proven and probable mineral reserve with a pre-tax NPV8% of USD 5.2 Billion with a 29.2% IRR and an after-tax NPV8% of USD 3.7 Billion with a 24.6% IRR 1. 1: The Clearwater Project NI 43-101 Pre-Feasibility Study, effective June 20, 2024, is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( and SEDAR+ ( 2: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the North Rocky Property, effective October 27, 2017, identified 0.9 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( and SEDAR+ ( 3: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Estevan Lithium District, effective May 23, 2024, identified 2.5 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium's website ( and SEDAR+ ( Unless otherwise indicated, Kevin Carroll, P. Eng., Chief Development Officer and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information contained on this news release. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as 'believe', 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'intend', 'project', 'potential', 'possible' and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions, expectations, estimates and assumptions of management in light of its experience, perception of historical trends, and results of the PFS, but such statements are not guarantees of future performance. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information relating to: the estimated mineral resources and mineral resources at the Clearwater Project; expectations regarding the PFS, including statements regarding the results of the PFS and interpretations thereof; expectations concerning the Clearwater Project, including extraction, production, pretreatment, purification, volume reduction and conversion process and features and the expected outcomes thereof; the expected economic performance of the Clearwater Project, including capital costs, operating costs, water usage, land use and carbon emissions; statements regarding the Company's strategy for minimizing environmental impact and liquid waste and maximizing water reuse, with no planned tailings or waste piles; the potential for a secondary revenue stream should the Company be able to sell the calcium carbonate generated during the production of lithium hydroxide; plans and objectives of management for the Company's operations and the Clearwater Project; and the inherent hazards associated with mineral exploration and mining operations. In preparing the forward-looking information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that any additional financing needed will be available on reasonable terms; the exchange rates for the U.S. and Canadian currencies will be consistent with the Company's expectations; that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Clearwater Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that the current price and demand for lithium will be sustained or will improve; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner and that all necessary governmental approvals for the planned activities on the Clearwater Project will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; the continuity of the price of lithium. All forward-looking information (including future-orientated financial information) is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the effectiveness and feasibility of emerging lithium extraction technologies which have not yet been tested or proven on a commercial scale or on the Company's brine, risks related to the availability of financing on commercially reasonable terms and the expected use of proceeds; operations and contractual obligations; changes in estimated mineral reserves or mineral resources; future prices of lithium and other metals; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; the Company's lack of operating revenues; currency fluctuations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Chile's ENAMI says lithium venture with Rio Tinto to start production in 2032
SANTIAGO, May 23 (Reuters) - Chile's state-run mining firm ENAMI aims for its new Rio Tinto lithium partnership at Altoandinos to begin production in 2032 with 35,000 metric tons of the battery metal per year, and ramp up over three years to 75,000 tons, ENAMI company chief Ivan Mlynarz said on Friday. The Altoandinos project, as well as the Maricunga project that Rio Tinto (RIO.L), opens new tab, ( opens new tab was tapped this week to spearhead alongside state-run copper producer Codelco, will give the global miner a critical role in Chile's lithium industry alongside long-established players SQM ( opens new tab and Albemarle (ALB.N), opens new tab. Rio Tinto will initially put forward $425 million to the project, which ENAMI said will require a total investment of $3 billion. ENAMI previously estimated the Altoandinos project capacity to be 60,000 tons a year, before new studies showed more resources than expected, particularly at the La Isla salt flat. Mlynarz said ENAMI plans for the project to start with direct lithium extraction (DLE), an innovative method that has yet to be used in Chile, and that Rio Tinto is testing at its Rincon project in Argentina. ENAMI has begun testing DLE options from various companies, and Mlynarz said early results from Rio Tinto's technology look promising, paving the way for its potential use on the project. "The results have been encouraging with Rio Tinto, and it has the advantage of having the operator use their own technology," Mlynarz said. He added that the partnership needed approval from international regulatory agencies, but that ENAMI in the meantime would continue exploration studies, with the hope that Rio Tinto will take the lead in 2026. "We need to keep working in the salt flat because both ENAMI and Rio Tinto know that timing is key," Mlynarz said.
