LithiumBank Resources (TSXV: LBNK; OTCQX: LBNKF) announced excellent results from the desorption component of its first direct lithium extraction (DLE) pilot plant tests in Calgary. A 3,100-mg/L lithium was produced in the eluate after rejection of over 99% of the impurities.
Multiple lithium-rich liquors (eluates) ranging from 2,600 mg/L lithium to 4,000 mg/L lithium were made and then blended to create a composite eluate. The eluate was then used as feedstock for refinery and downstream laboratory tests to produce a battery-grade lithium carbonate product of more than 99.95% purity.
LithiumBank has a portfolio of direct brine lithium projects, including Boardwalk and Park Place in west-central Alberta. In September, the company released news that brine from the Boardwalk salar was processed through the adsorption circuit of the pilot plant and achieved better than 98% lithium recovery. The sorbent was then manually processed to desorb the lithium from the sorbent using a dilute sulphuric acid solution, producing the high-grade eluate.
The company said the recent desorption tests were consistent with its goals to minimize the flow volume and reagent costs. The average lithium upgrade from the feed was a factor of 44 times. The low-cost sulphuric acid provided excellent rejection of impurities (calcium, strontium, and barium).
As an extension of the desorption campaign, preliminary purification of the eluate was undertaken at the Calgary facility. The process utilised low-cost, industrial-grade reagents and demonstrated the ability to further reduce the impurity load on the downstream refinery. This preliminary purification further increased the rejection of impurities.
A 5-litre sample of the composite eluate was further refined into battery grade lithium carbonate by Telescope Innovations using their proprietary ReCRFT recrystallisation process. The cDLE eluate was initially concentrated by evaporation, carbonated to form a crude lithium carbonate, and then processed into battery-grade lithium carbonate.
More information is available on www.LithiumBank.ca.
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