Standard Lithium Successfully Produces >99.985% Purity Battery Quality Lithium Carbonate Using Oem Technology and Commences Lithium Hydroxide Conversion Program
STANDARD LITHIUM SUCCESSFULLY PRODUCES >99.985% PURITY BATTERY
QUALITY LITHIUM CARBONATE USING OEM TECHNOLOGY AND
COMMENCES LITHIUM HYDROXIDE CONVERSION PROGRAM
HIGHLIGHTS
>99.985% purity lithium carbonate produced using ‘off-the-shelf’ OEM
technology
Now successfully demonstrated two different flowsheets for producing
battery-quality carbonate
Launch of work converting Arkansas-produced LiCl into battery
quality lithium hydroxide
Vancouver, BC – 1st March, 2021 – Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the
“Company”) (TSXV: SLL) (OTCQX: STLHF) (FRA: S5L), an innovative technology and
lithium project development company today announced that it has successfully completed the
conversion of its Arkansas-produced lithium chloride into 99.985% pure lithium carbonate using
OEM technology. The work was completed by Veolia Water Technologies (Veolia) at their
facility in Plainfield, Illinois, and demonstrates that the lithium chloride intermediate product
produced by Standard Lithium’s industrial scale LiSTR Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) plant
in Arkansas can be converted into better-than battery quality lithium carbonate using established
OEM carbonation technology.
Dual Track Program for Lithium Carbonate Conversion
As part of a continuous process of derisking the Arkansas Lithium Project, Standard Lithium
opted to evaluate two different processes to convert the LiCl solution made by the Arkansas DLE
plant into a battery-quality material. The first was using the Company’s own patent-pending
SiFT technology as previously reported (see news release dated December 03 rd 2020) . The
second, as reported here, was via conventional technology, widely used within the industry and
performed by Veolia. Concentrated lithium chloride solution produced by Standard Lithium was
sent to Veolia and was then converted to lithium carbonate using a conventional flowsheet. This
involves additional concentration; chemical softening/purification; initial conversion to solid
lithium carbonate; redissolution to a bicarbonate solution and final crystallisation, washing and
drying of battery quality lithium carbonate. The material produced was of exceptionally high
purity, as shown in Table 1 below where the composition is compared to typical specifications
for battery-grade lithium carbonate compiled from a variety of commercial sources and
producers’ specifications
Table 1: Analysis of Lithium Carbonate
Specification Standard Lithium
Element Target Li2CO3 Sample
ppm ppm
Chloride <100 <50
Sulphur <50 <10
Aluminium <10 <3
Barium <1 <1
Calcium <160 <10
Chromium <10 <1
Copper <10 <1
Iron <5 <1
Lead <10 <1
Magnesium <70 <10
Manganese <10 <1
Nickel <6 <1
Zinc <5 <1
Sodium <500 14
Potassium <10 <10
Boron <30 <1
Silicon <40 26
Total Impurities <142
The total impurities of <142 ppm implies an overall purity of >99.985%.
The Company has now successfully demonstrated two separate crystallisation flowsheets that
can take lithium chloride produced from the Smackover Formation brine and convert it into high
purity battery-quality lithium carbonate. As the Company continues to move towards
commercialisation, successful demonstration of alternative technologies in key areas of the
flowsheet allows it to reduce project execution risk and offers greater flexibility regarding the
final flowsheet that will be deployed at commercial scale.
Lithium Hydroxide Conversion Program
Standard Lithium continues to innovate and optimise its flowsheet, and with a view to expanding
product offerings from the Smackover resource, it has commenced work to assess the feasibility
of directly converting LiCl produced by the LiSTR DLE plant in Arkansas into battery quality
lithium hydroxide. This work is ongoing, and the Company will provide results as they become
available.
Dr. Andy Robinson, President and COO of Standard Lithium commented “ We’ve now
demonstrated that we can convert to battery quality lithium carbonate using the Company’s SiFT
technology; that we can get to the same end-product using established technology developed and
sold by global OEMs; and now we’re looking to add battery quality lithium hydroxide to the
product offering. In the background, we continue to rapidly advance both project and corporate
development work. We’re excited about reaching the various milestones ahead of us and, if
we’re successful, taking this globally important project into commercialisation.”
Quality Assurance
Dr. Ron Molnar, Professional Metallurgical Engineer (Ontario P.E.# 100111288), is a qualified
person as defined by NI 43-101, is independent of the Company, and has reviewed and approved
the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release.
About Standard Lithium Ltd.
Standard Lithium (TSXV: SLL) is an innovative technology and lithium development company.
The company’s flagship project is located in southern Arkansas, where it is engaged in the
testing and proving of the commercial viability of lithium extraction from over 150,000 acres of
permitted brine operations. The Company has commissioned its first-of-a-kind industrial scale
Direct Lithium Extraction Demonstration Plant at LANXESS’ South Plant facility in southern
Arkansas. The Demonstration Plant utilizes the Company’s proprietary LiSTR technology to
selectively extract lithium from LANXESS’ tailbrine. The Demonstration Plant is being used for
proof-of-concept and commercial feasibility studies. The scalable, environmentally-friendly
process eliminates the use of evaporation ponds, reduces processing time from months to hours
and greatly increases the effective recovery of lithium. The company is also pursuing the
resource development of over 30,000 acres of separate brine leases located in southwestern
Arkansas and approximately 45,000 acres of mineral leases located in the Mojave Desert in San
Bernardino County, California.
Standard Lithium is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “SLL”;
quoted on the OTC - Nasdaq Intl Designation under the symbol “STLHF”; and on the Frankfurt
Stock Exchange under the symbol “S5L”. Please visit the Company’s website at
www.standardlithium.com
On behalf of the Board of Standard Lithium Ltd.
Robert Mintak, CEO & Director. For further information, contact Anthony Alvaro at (604) 240
4793
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may
contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words
“anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “schedule” and other similar
words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or
information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity,
reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party
information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its
derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other
factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and
are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the
Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks,
contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or
achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation,
to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in
circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable
laws, rules and regulations.