Pure Energy Minerals’ Lithium Extraction Test Yields 99.5% Purity, 100% Recovery

Pure Energy Minerals (TSXV:PE) announced that its lithium extraction technology testing at Tenova Bateman Technologies’ research and development facility in Israel was successful. Two processes were tested: the LiP membrane-based process removed almost all of the alkali earth elements as well as sulfate, while lithium concentrations were unchanged; the LiSX solvent extraction process achieved and exceeded its target of 99.5% LiCl purity, and practically 100% recovery due to a below detection limit of Li concentration in the waste stream. A final report is anticipated to be completed this quarter and a complete evaluation of the LiP™ and LiSX™ performance is also planned.

As quoted in the press release:

The two primary objectives of the testing were;
1. to study the feasibility of utilizing TBT’s LiP™ membrane-based process for pretreatment of brine to eliminate calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) from the supplied raw brine feed solution; and,
2. to evaluate the feasibility of recovering lithium as LiCl from the pretreated feed solution using the TBT LiSX™ solvent extraction process with a target purity of 99.5%
Preliminary Results

LiP™
The LiP™ process removed almost all of the alkali earth elements (about 93% of Ca and practically all of the Mg and Sr) from the raw feed solution. In addition to alkali earth elements, sulfate was eliminated from the stream while lithium concentrations were practically unchanged.

LiSX™
The target purity of 99.5% LiCl was achieved and exceeded. The preliminary results indicate the LiSX™ process succeeded in producing a LiCl solution with a purity greater than 99.9%. The Li concentration in the waste stream (raffinate) was below the detection limit — indicating practically 100% Li recovery.

Robert Mintak, Pure Energy CEO commented “The draft report from Tenova Bateman is extremely encouraging, achieving virtually 100% Li recovery and exceeding our target purity of final product is a significant development. These preliminary results suggest that the combined Tenova Bateman LiP™ and LiSX™ process for extraction of Li can be applied successfully to a raw Clayton Valley brine provided from Pure Energy’s Project Site”

A final report is anticipated to be completed this quarter and a complete evaluation of the LiP™ and LiSX™ performance is also planned, including assessing the potential to produce high purity battery-grade lithium hydroxide from the LiCl solution.

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