Metallurgical Test Results Indicate Cost Saving Potential for Georgia Lake
Rock Tech Lithium Inc.
600-777 Hornby Street | Vancouver | British Columbia | Canada | V6Z 1S4
P. +1.778.358.5200 | F. +1.604.670.0033
www.rocktechlithium.com | [email protected]
TSXV: RCK | Frankfurt: RJIB
Metallurgical Test Results Indicate Cost Saving Potential for Georgia Lake
Vancouver, BC, Canada – September 22, 2020 – Rock Tech Lithium Inc. (the "Company" or
“Rock Tech”) (TSX-V: RCK; Frankfurt: RJIB) is pleased to announce the results from its
recently completed metallurgical program on the Company’s 100%-owned Georgia Lake lithium
project in Ontario, Canada.
Highlights from the program include:
• 60% of the spodumene can be recovered using gravitational techniques,
• Over 80% flotation recovery achieved on low-grade ore, exceeding PEA assumptions,
• Potential to reduce the project’s CapEx and OpEx.
The Company engaged Wave International (“Wave”) to assist in developing the metallurgical
program that will facilitate a clear pathway to upcoming feasibility work.
Improved Sample Representativity
Samples for the gravity testwork were composited from a representative core selection across the
project’s Main Zone which will provide most of the plant feed in the first years of production.
A visual core inspection was carried out and two domains were defined: the more slowly cooled
coarse-grained centre of the pegmatite, referred to as ‘coarse’ and the more quickly chilled fine-
grained margin of the pegmatite, referred to as ‘transition’. The ‘coarse’ ore fraction represents
around 60% of the Main Zone North orebody and the ‘transition’ zone the remaining 40%. The
testwork program was carried out separately for both domains and the results combined
according to their weighting.
Gravitational Testwork
Under the supervision of Wave, Nagrom, a laboratory based in Kelmscott, Western Australia,
conducted Heavy Liquid Separation (“HLS”) bench-scale testwork to determine the viability of a
potential Dense Media Separation (“DMS”) processing route for Georgia Lake. The primary
objective of this testwork was to study the potential for reducing the size of any necessary
flotation circuit and associated capital and operating expenses as laid out in the PEA.
The program produced a 6.0% Li2O spodumene concentrate at 60.9% recovery which compares
favorably to other lithium projects relying exclusively on gravitational processing.
“Many operating spodumene mines achieve substantially lower recoveries with their DMS
circuits in comparison to what our test results have shown. Since gravity separation is much less
CapEx- and OpEx-intensive, we see cost savings potential,” said Simon Bodensteiner, Rock
Tech’s Chief Executive Officer.
Rock Tech Lithium Inc.
600-777 Hornby Street | Vancouver | British Columbia | Canada | V6Z 1S4
P. +1.778.358.5200 | F. +1.604.670.0033
www.rocktechlithium.com | [email protected]
TSXV: RCK | Frankfurt: RJIB
Flotation Testwork
In addition to the gravitational testwork, Rock Tech engaged SGS Canada Inc. (“SGS”) to carry
out flotation tests on a low-grade sample with 0.88% Li2O to confirm the suitability of the
flotation flowsheet used in the PEA at feed grades below the current undiluted resource estimate.
The tests produced marketable grade spodumene concentrates above 5.9% Li2O whilst constantly
achieving recoveries in excess of 80% (PEA: 78%).
“This confirms that the flotation flowsheet produces marketable concentrates even at feed grades
below the average resource grade. It was not the objective of the program to match the PEA’s
concentrate grade (6.2% Li2O) but to rather maximize resource recovery, generating more feed
for an integrated downstream lithium hydroxide operation. We will continue further tests and
optimizations related to future feasibility work and will assess the potential of eliminating the
complete flotation circuit through an ultra-fines DMS process,” said Simon Bodensteiner.
About Wave International
Wave International is a resource development consultancy with nearly 20 years of global
experience in engineering, project delivery, project management and asset management –
providing project strategies and solutions in the battery minerals sector for more than a decade.
Wave and its key personnel have delivered upstream and downstream projects from resource
definition through study, design, commissioning, delivery, ramp up and operations.
About Nagrom
Located in Kelmscott Western Australia, Nagrom's treatment plant offers extensive capabilities
in all aspects of mineral separation and concentrates preparation. Nagrom’s team of dedicated
employees has the capability to handle contract mineral processing as well as both small- and
large-scale metallurgical test programs and they are the ideal partner from project start up to an
established mining operation.
About SGS Canada Inc.
With over 70 years of experience and a truly global presence, SGS has earned a reputation as the
leading supplier of proven, technologically advanced metallurgical services. SGS provides
optimal, environmentally sustainable flowsheets and has demonstrated success in metallurgical
and process design providing the processing industry with innovative approaches to
geometallurgy, process modeling, production forecasting and advanced control systems.
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Alexander
Pleson, who is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists Ontario and is a
Rock Tech Lithium Inc.
600-777 Hornby Street | Vancouver | British Columbia | Canada | V6Z 1S4
P. +1.778.358.5200 | F. +1.604.670.0033
www.rocktechlithium.com | [email protected]
TSXV: RCK | Frankfurt: RJIB
Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
"Simon Bodensteiner"
Simon Bodensteiner
Director, Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Brad Barnett
Chief Financial Officer
Rock Tech Lithium Inc.
777 Hornby Street, Suite 600
Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 1S4
Telephone: (778) 358-5200
Facsimile: (604) 670-0033
Email: [email protected]
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not
historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identif ied as, "forward‐looking statements". Forward‐looking statements
may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. T he
Company cautions readers that forward ‐looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future
operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those indicated in the forward‐looking statements.