Neo Lithium Corp V.NLC

RE:NLC Improves Quality of Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate

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Ochung230 wrote: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/neo-lithium-improves-quality-of-battery-grade-lithium-carbonate-to-99-797-purity-at-its-pilot-plant-839350754.html
 
Neo Lithium Improves Quality of Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate to 99.797% Purity at its Pilot Plant
 
Jan 19, 2021, 07:30 ET
 
• Significantly improved purity of Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate to 99.797% from 99.599%
   
• Quality and purity are already meeting worldwide premium specifications and very close to CATL's high standards of product quality
 
TORONTO, Jan. 19, 2021 /CNW/ - Neo Lithium Corp. ("Neo Lithium" or the "Company") (TSXV: NLC) (OTCQX: NTTHF) (FSE: NE2) is pleased to announce that following the COVID-19 pandemic closure of its lithium carbonate pilot plant in Fiambal (the "Plant"), work resumed in late Q4 2020, which has resulted in battery grade lithium carbonate being produced using concentrated brine from its wholly-owned Tres Quebradas lithium project ("3Q Project") in Catamarca Province, Argentina.
 
The Plant produced lithium carbonate with a purity of 99.797%, representing the highest purity level attained thus far while using the improved process (see press release dated March 11, 2020 for more detailed information). The improved process is expected to decrease operational and capital costs while minimizing reagent, water and power consumption.
 
The composition of impurities in the lithium carbonate are as follows*:
 

SO4	Cl	Mg	K	Ca	Si	Na	Insoluble	Humidity
%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
0.017	0.071	0.001	0.007	0.019	0.011	0.033	0.038	<0.10

*Other elements undetected.
 
"We continue optimizing the process in terms of quality and reagent consumption," stated Waldo Perez, President and CEO of Neo Lithium. "We are on path to deliver a high-quality product and complete our DFS on time and on budget with a new improved process"
 
The current lithium carbonate batch is the 13th batch since the Plant started operation in May 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has stored approximately 50 tonnes of concentrated brine ready to be processed at the Plant. The Company will continue to test batches to optimize the process for the Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") before turning the Plant into continuous mode in Q2/Q3 2021. On continuous mode, the Plant can produce up to 40 tonnes a year.
 
The Process
 
Brine with average grade of 1000 mg/l was extracted from the production wells located in the northern zone of the 3Q project and then evaporated at the Company's 9 stage industrial pilot ponds. No chemical reagents were added to the brine other than minor amounts of hydrochloric acid (HCl) for pH control at the final stage of evaporation. Total evaporation time was about 1 year and the brine concentration was around 3% lithium. The concentrated brine was then transported by truck to the pilot plant in Fiambal, which is located 160 km from the 3Q Project.  The concentrated brine was treated in the pilot plant with a solvent extraction phase (SX-B) for Boron removal, as well as an scrub and strip phase in order to regenerate the organic solution of  SX-B process. For magnesium removal was used liming addition which was produced in situ from the calcium removal at alkaline pH and carbonation phase to calcium polishing and any remaining Mg and heavy transition metals. The lithium carbonate process is then completed with 3 stages of soda ash carbonation, washing and drying.
 
Technical Information
 
The samples collected were delivered by Company personnel to Andesmar Transport Company ("Andesmar") in La Rioja, in the province of Rioja. Andesmar delivered the samples by truck to ASL, an ISO 9001-2008-certified laboratory in Mendoza, Argentina. ASL used the following analytical methodologies: ICP-OES (inductively-coupled plasma-optical (atomic) emission spectrometry) to quantify boron, barium, calcium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium; an argentometric method to assay for chloride; a gravimetric method to analyze for sulfate; a volumetric analysis (acid/base titration) for the evaluation of alkalinity (as CaCO3); a gravimetric method to determine density and total dissolved solids; and, a laboratory pH meter to determine pH. All analytical work is subject to a systematic and rigorous Quality Assurance-Quality Control. A reference ("standard") sample was inserted into the sample stream at a frequency of approximately 1 in 15 samples; a field blank was inserted at a frequency of approximately 1 in 15 samples; and a field duplicate sample was inserted at a frequency of approximately 1 in 15 samples.
 
Waldo Perez, Ph.D, P.Geo., the CEO and President of Neo Lithium Corp. is the Qualified Person who approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release.
 
About Neo Lithium Corp.
 
Neo Lithium Corp. has quickly become a prominent new name in lithium brine development by virtue of its high quality 3Q Project and experienced team. Neo Lithium is rapidly advancing its 100% owned 3Q Project - a unique high-grade lithium brine lake and salar complex in Latin America's "Lithium Triangle".
 
The 3Q Project is located in the Catamarca Province, the largest lithium producing area in Argentina covering approximately 35,000 ha including a salar complex of approximately 16,000 ha.
 
Additional information regarding Neo Lithium Corp. is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and at its website at www.neolithium.ca, including various pictures of ongoing work at the project.
 
SOURCE Neo Lithium Corp.
 
For further information: Neo Lithium Corp., Carlos Vicens, [e-mail]
 
Related Links
 
https://neolithium.ca/