Lithium South Developing High-Value Alternatives in Lithium Production.
Lithium South Development Corporation (the “Company” or “Lithium South”) (TSX-V: LIS) (OTCQB: LISMF) (Frankfurt: OGPQ) is pleased to announce the successful completion of a series of advanced test work aimed at exploring alternative lithium production methods, to potentially enhance the value of its Hombre Muerto Norte project (“HMN Li Project”) in Argentina.
Approximately 20,000 liters of representative brine samples from the Tramo well underwent evaporation and liming testwork at the Hombre Muerto North site. Further detailed laboratory-scale test work was conducted at Eon Minerals LLC’s (“Eon”) Laboratory in Salta, Argentina. Chemical analyses were completed by Eon and verified by SGS Argentina S.A., SGS Canada Inc., and Alex Stewart Laboratories, all I.S.O. Certified Laboratories. All test work was conducted under the supervision of Alex Mezei, P. Eng. and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
The company explored two innovative process options, combining on-site evaporation with laboratory-scale tests using the Tramo claim brine. The first option yielded a super-concentrated Lithium Chloride (LiCl) brine containing 6% lithium content by mass, demonstrating a cumulative lithium recovery of 67% after pre-concentration and concentration evaporation stages.
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In the second option, Lithium South successfully produced a bulk lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) product, showing potential for purification to battery grade quality. This route, integrating boron solvent extraction, achieved an overall lithium extraction efficiency of 60%. Subsequent purification tests conducted by SGS Canada Inc. indicated that the bulk lithium carbonate product achieved purity levels ranging from 99.4% to 99.5%, approaching the desired battery grade specification. The lithium carbonate purity reported herein is defined based on the difference versus both the ‘Sum of impurities’ and ‘Loss of ignition at 550°C’.
While the primary plan remains to produce Li2CO3 technical grade with a 70% efficiency, using the industry proven evaporation technique, these test results demonstrate Lithium South’s capability to adapt and potentially shift towards higher value products. The company is excited about the flexibility these alternatives offer, which could significantly enhance the project’s value without altering the current production strategy.
Adrian F. C. Hobkirk, Founder and CEO of Lithium South, said:
Exploring these innovative production methods allows us to future-proof our project and potentially tap into more lucrative markets.
“We are thrilled by these test results, which affirm our capability to produce high-purity lithium compounds efficiently. While we remain focused on our primary production target, these successful tests provide us with valuable flexibility and a potential edge in the market.”
Lithium South Development remains committed to advancing its HMN Li Project, leveraging both traditional and innovative methods to ensure sustainable, efficient, and high-quality lithium production.
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Lithium South Developing High-Value Alternatives in Lithium Production. source
