Lake Resources demonstrates production of ‘clean’ lithium chloride at a larger scale

Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) (OTCMKTS:LLKKF) has demonstrated the production of lithium chloride at a larger scale from the newly upgraded facility of technology partner Lilac Solutions in California. The samples produced from Lake’s Kachi Lithium Brine Project in Argentina have shown high lithium concentrations from Lilac’s direct lithium extraction pilot plant module as previously demonstrated at lab scale. Producing responsibly sourced lithium This represents another key step from the clean lithium developer’s strategy to deliver high purity, responsibly sourced 'clean' lithium with the pilot plant samples produced to be analysed by external laboratories next week. Lake’s managing director Steve Promnitz said: “Production of larger size lithium chloride samples has now been demonstrated at a much larger scale with similar results to the initial, smaller samples reported. “The next step is producing lithium carbonate samples that can meet product quality requirements of large off-takers. “We eagerly await the release of these first samples and ramping up our negotiations with potential off-takers.” Targeting potential off-takers Processing continues of 20,000 litres of brine from Kachi at Lilac’s facility and Lake is targeting the production of one lithium chloride sample per week. This will later be converted into lithium carbonate and then dispatched to potential off-takers. Lake’s recent Kachi PFS along with recently published research demonstrates the disruptive, cost-competitive, sustainable and scalable nature of the Lilac direct lithium extraction process which will be employed at Kachi. This process has the ability to produce a premium, battery-grade product sought by battery and cathode manufacturers globally. Growing electrification momentum The company’s progress with its clean lithium strategy is in line with growing momentum towards the electrification of global transport as seen by new lithium-ion battery mega-factories. This includes the UK government’s commitment of 1 billion British pounds of funding towards building a lithium-ion battery mega-factory. According to analysts Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, there are 142 battery mega-factories being built worldwide with the market size having quadrupled since 2015 on the back of the EV revolution. Lake’s strategy incorporates delivering a premium product with environmental, social and governance (ESG) benefits to an electric vehicle market increasingly conscious of sustainable lithium supply chains.