Galan’s HMW Project Phase 1 & 2 Unaffected by Provincial Court Ruling

Galan Lithium Limited (ASX:GLN) (Galan or the Company) wishes to provide a response to speculation about any impact of the recent court ruling at its 100% owned Hombre Muerto West (HMW) lithium brine project, with lithium chloride production expected in H1 2025. Galan continues its steady progress in advancing its low cost, high grade HMW project to production in a timely manner.

• A recent court ruling by the Court of Justice in the Province of Catamarca has temporarily halted the issuance of new environmental permits and authorizations for the Los Patos River area until the provincial government completes an environmental impact assessment that takes into consideration the cumulative impact of all projects in the area.
  
• The resolution relates to the use of fresh water in the south-east part of the Hombre Muerto Salar, where the Los Patos River runs. The ruling has no impact on Galan’s existing and granted Phase 1 HMW permits and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). Phase 1 construction continues.
• The resolution is also not expected to have any impact on Galan’s HMW Phase 2 development plans or permitting process, as Galan is not planning to source water from the Los Patos River. Galan is confident that the Phase 2 permitting application process remains on track with continued strong support from both local communities and government.
• Galan’s proposed HMW production process to produce a high grade lithium chloride concentrate (6% Li or 32% LCE) uses very little fresh water and considerably less water than the subsequent conversion to lithium carbonate or hydroxide, underpinning the low environmental impact of Galan’s chloride strategy. Furthermore, water for the HMW Project is to be sourced directly from in situ dedicated non-potable water wells.

As previously announced, the HMW project was separated into four production phases. The initial Phase 1 Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) focused on the production of 5.4ktpa LCE of a lithium chloride concentrate by H1 2025, as governed by the approved production permits. The Phase 2 DFS targets 21ktpa LCE of a lithium chloride concentrate in 2026, followed by Phase 3 production of 40ktpa LCE by 2028 and finally a Phase 4 production target of 60ktpa LCE by 2030. Phase 4 will include lithium brine sourced from both HMW and Galan’s other 100% owned project in Argentina, Candelas. The very positive Phase 2 DFS results were announced on 3 October 2023 (https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/GLN/02720109.pdf).

Galan’s Managing Director, Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, stated:

“We wish to confirm that a recent ruling by the Court of Justice in the Province of Catamarca, Argentina will have no impact on Galan's Phase 1 project and no expected impact on our Phase 2 development plans at Hombre Muerto West. We are not located in the area under dispute and there is no river running close by to Hombre Muerto West, that could be affected by similar rulings in the future. We are confident that this is a localised issue which may potentially impact some other projects operating on the Hombre Muerto Salar but has no impact on Galan.”

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