E3 Lithium Outlines Demonstration Program Objectives to Advance Lithium Production in Alberta
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Website: e3lithium.ca
E3 Lithium Outlines Demonstration Program Objectives to Advance
Lithium Production in Alberta
CALGARY, ALBERTA, October 31, 2024 – E3 LITHIUM LTD. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), “E3
Lithium” or the “Company,” a leader in Canadian lithium, outlines the main objectives of its Demonstration
Facility Project (the “Demo Project”), aimed at producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from E3 Lithium’s
brine and lithium minerals resource1, located in Alberta. The Demo Project is supported by Emissions
Reduction Alberta (“ERA”), providing $5M CAD to support this important advancement for Alberta’s lithium
industry. The facility and equipment will be completed over the winter and in operation in mid-2025.
Overview of the Demonstration Program
The Demo Project will encompass the full suite of process operations, from brine production, pretreatment
and lithium carbonate production. The overarching goal is to replicate the functionality of the E3 Lithium
commercial system at a smaller scale, to test the cohesiveness of each unit when operated simultaneously.
The project will be divided into six main systems, each designed to operate as close to a commercial
system as possible.
1. Brine Production: likely to occur in two stages, the brine will be sourced from the aquifer to feed the
production equipment to generate lithium carbonate. A second stage will increase brine production
volume to emulate a commercial production well, testing the reservoir properties at this scale.
2. Pre-DLE Brine Treatment: separate the entrained gas in the brine, this step will remove these gases
using conventional petroleum industry two-phase separation equipment, producing a brine that can
be fed directly into the DLE system.
3. Scaled-up DLE system: A larger scale, fully automated, DLE system will be deployed to mimic, as
closely as possible, the same process operations that will be deployed in the commercial facility.
This includes the numbers of vessels per module, how brine enters and exits the vessels and the
sequence of rinse and desorption steps. The sorbent will be sourced from a third-party vendor for
the DLE system in line with our Pre-Feasibility Study (“PFS”).
4. Post- DLE Treatment: This step further concentrates and refines the lithium chloride from the DLE
system, optimized to produce battery-grade lithium as the final step.
5. Carbonation equipment: Sodium carbonate, sourced from a commercial supplier, will be added to
the lithium chloride in a reactor to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. As outlined in E3
Lithium’s PFS, the byproduct of this step is sodium chloride (table salt), which can be added back
into the brine for disposal.
6. Water recovery: process water streams from the post-DLE treatment will be collected, where
appropriate, to be used as strip fluid for desorbing the lithium from the sorbent in the DLE step.
Suite 1520 – 300 5th Ave SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3C4
Tel: +1 (587) 324-2775
Email: [email protected]
Website: e3lithium.ca
As outlined, E3 Lithium is Commissioning the Carbonation Equipment in the laboratory in Calgary. The goal
is to operate the equipment at demonstration scale in the lab to build the necessary skill set and confirm
the operational parameters to enable the Company to produce consistent battery-grade lithium carbonate.
The remainder of the equipment is being sourced from manufacturers as per the E3 Lithium commercial
design specifications and requirements.
The Demo Project will be built and subsequently operated in defined phases:
1. The engineering and design of the equipment are well underway, with the focus on a design that
closely resembles a commercial operating unit.
2. Equipment manufacturing is set to begin in the new year, with an expected four to five months to
delivery on site.
3. Commissioning will occur on-site with brine that has already been produced, accelerating the
commissioning process.
4. Once the system is operating to the designed specifications, the live brine stream will be
connected, enabling end-to-end operations to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate.
The lithium carbonate can be further converted to lithium hydroxide with one of our partner equipment
vendors to define the process operations for that final step.
The success of our Demo Project, operated from our field location in Alberta, will achieve two essential
objectives:
Confirm the process to achieving battery-grade lithium carbonate under commercial conditions.
Provide consistent product to our potential customers over an extended period produced by E3
Lithium
Similar to the Field Pilot Project, further details on the specific operating objectives will be outlined for the
Demo Project closer to its operational start.
“The success of the demonstration project will provide critical data and validation to our processes, while
enabling our commercial initiatives,” said Chris Doornbos, President and CEO of E3 Lithium. “Completing
these milestones and reducing technical risks for the Clearwater Project—and the lithium industry in Alberta
as a whole—will strengthen our path to commercial operations and reinforces E3 Lithium’s long-term growth
strategy.”
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chris Doornbos, President & CEO
E3 Lithium Ltd.
E3 Lithium - Investor Relations
Suite 1520 – 300 5th Ave SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3C4
Tel: +1 (587) 324-2775
Email: [email protected]
Website: e3lithium.ca
Alexis de la Renaudiere
Investor Relations
587-324-2775
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. E3 Lithium’s goal is to produce high
purity, battery-grade lithium products to power the growing electrical revolution. With a significant lithium
resource and innovative technology solutions, E3 Lithium has the potential to deliver lithium to market from
one of the best jurisdictions in the world.
1: The Clearwater Project NI 43-101 Pre-Feasibility Study, effective June 20, 2024, is available on the E3
Lithium’s website (https://e3lithium.ca/our-assets/technical-reports/) and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
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 (e3lithium.ca/technical-
reports) and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
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 (e3lithium.ca/technical-reports)
and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
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
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Email: [email protected]
Website: e3lithium.ca
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
www.sedarplus.ca. 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.