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Lithium South Development Corporation. The Company is pleased to provide an update on process test work currently being conducted on a 12,500-liter bulk brine sample from the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project (HMN Li Project), located in Salta. Argentina. The purpose of the test work is to validate evaporation as a viable concentration method to produce battery grade lithium carbonate. The work is performed as part of the preparations for a potential on site pilot-plant aiming to validate the process for the Feasibility Study. The work is being performed by Eon Minerals a Delaware based company with laboratory facilities in Salta, Argentina. The work is being supervised by Alex Mezei, P. Eng., a Qualified Person under NI 43-101.
We are pleased to report lithium recoveries of 86% for the pre-concentration evaporation, 80% for liming and 97% for concentration evaporation. The cumulative lithium recovery after these front-end stages was 67%.
A sample of the resulting concentrated brine was subjected to preliminary laboratory testing by solvent extraction (SX). The results produced a raffinate containing about 12 mg/L at nearly 99% boron removal efficiency. The key chemical analyses were confirmed by duplicates performed at Alex Stewart and SGS laboratories, both ISO Certified and located in Argentina.
Based on these results, the bulk SX stage was initiated on 210 L of concentrated brine sample containing 14.4 g/L Li (1.25% wt. Li).
The sample produced by the current SX work will be further subjected to advanced test work aiming to produce a battery grade lithium carbonate sample. The interim stage involves a carbonation, bicarbonation and ion exchange.
Based on the metallurgical response of the sample during the pre-concentration, liming, concentration and SX stages, the results to date are indicative of a realistic possibility for achieving the purity requirements for the battery-grade lithium carbonate.
Company Director and Chief Operating Officer, Fernando Villarroel states, “We are very pleased with these results which demonstrate our team has the expertise to produce a clean brine ready to produce Lithium Carbonate battery grade.”
Lithium South’s resource expansion drill program is underway at the Alba Sabrina claim block on the world-renowned Hombre Muerto Salar. A second drill rig is being added to move the drill program forward and potentially expand the current Lithium Carbonate Resource. View the active drilling on our live stream at www.lithiumsouth.com/live-cam.
About Eon Minerals
Eon Minerals of Delaware has a fully capable laboratory in Salta Argentina, equipped for lithium test work. The company is well experienced in the lithium industry. Past and current clients include Ganfeng Lithium, Neolithium and Rincon Ltd. Eon staff includes Susana Martinez PhD in Chemistry with specialization in synthesis and nanomaterials, Ivan Machin PhD in Chemistry with specialization in thermodynamic and catalysis, Lorena Perez MSc with experience in R&D of technologies, and Gonzalo Chaparro, Process Engineer, who has participated to several projects in Argentina. The team has a joint experience of more than 50 years in process development, and more than 15 years with specific lithium experience. The Company is owned and operated by Fernando Villarroel, Vice President and a director of the Company.
About Lithium South
Lithium South is the 100% owner of the HMN Lithium Project located in Salta Province, Argentina. The HMN Li Project is at an advanced stage of evaluation, with a Preliminary Economic Assessment completed in April 2019. Currently a drill program is underway to potentially expand the current resource. Preliminary results support this expectation. Additional project work including permitting, environmental studies and process test work are ongoing.
The HMN Li Project is adjacent to a US$840 million lithium mine under development by the Korean multinational corporation POSCO, which acquired their holdings from Galaxy Resources Ltd. for US$280 million. Livent Corporation is producing lithium south of the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project and has operated there for over twenty-five years.
The Company is evaluating a conventional evaporation process method, and Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) as an alternative method. DLE test work on 2,000-liter brine samples is currently in progress by Chemphys Chengdu, in China, and Eon Minerals in Salta, Argentina.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Adrian F. C. Hobkirk
President and Chief Executive Officer
Investors / Shareholders call 855-415-8100 / website: www.lithiumsouth.com
