HIGHLIGHTS
- Optimisations introduced to the production process of LPI’s Maricunga lithium project exceed industry standards, with 99.92% purity battery grade lithium carbonate being produced from samples of concentrated brine.
- Technical certification by IBZ-Salzchemie GmbH & Co, under international standards, was conducted under the supervision of GEA Messo in Germany and LPI’s experts in Chile.
- Samples will now be sent to potential lithium buyers for analysis as part of LPI’s financing plans for mine construction at Maricunga.
SYDNEY, Australia, Nov. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lithium Power International Limited (ASX: LPI) (“LPI” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide the results from the latest optimisations introduced to the Maricunga lithium production process in January 2022 in the project’s updated Definitive Feasibility Study.
Lithium Carbonate with a 99.92%1 purity was produced from original, concentrated brine from LPI’s test evaporations ponds at Maricunga. This significantly exceeds the industry standard specifications for battery grade lithium carbonate of 99.5%.
A relevant test to measure the Loss of Ignition (“LOI”) was also conducted for 30 minutes at 500 °C, showing an LOI of 0.2%. As a result, the purity after LOI was 99.72%.
As announced in the March 2022 Quarterly Report released to ASX on 29 April 2022, concentrated brine had been sent to LPI’s technological partner GEA Messo to further test production processes.
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1 Purity after Loss of Ignition – LOI for 30 minutes at 500 °C – of 99.72%.
This work was executed by the independent certified laboratory, IBZ-Salzchemie GmbH & Co KG in Germany. This was done under the supervision of GEA, with the objective of producing up to 10kg of battery grade Li2CO3.
The chemical analysis and detailed composition of impurities was as follows:
| Chemical Analysis: Compound | Method | Unit | Sample |
| Li2CO3 | % | 99.92 | |
| Li2CO3 with LOI | % | 99.72 | |
| Al | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | < 1 |
| B | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | < 1 |
| Ca | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 57 |
| Cr | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | < 1 |
| Cu | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | < 1 |
| Fe | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 4 |
| K | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | < 10 |
| Mg | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 9.3 |
| Na | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 500 |
| Ni | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | < 1 |
| Pb | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 0.83 |
| Sr | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 2 |
| Zn | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 1 |
| Cl | DIN 38405 Part 1 | mg/kg | 125 |
| Br | DIN EN ISO 10304-1 2009-07 | mg/kg | < LoQ |
| SO4 | DIN EN ISO 10304-1 2009-07 | mg/kg | 100 |
| Si | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 12.6 |
| Li | DIN EN ISO 11885 E22 2009-09 | mg/kg | 187’739 |
| C | EN ISO 15350 2010-08 | mg/kg | 160’000 |
| LOI | 30 minutes at 500 °C | % | 0.2 |
| Source: IBZ-Salzchemie GmbH & Co. KG |
Samples will now be sent to potential off-takers for due diligence as part of the ongoing Maricunga finance process.
Appendix 1 (Please click here to access the full ASX release with Appendix) is the formal Analysis Certificate and a visual description of the sample Lithium Carbonate provided by IBZ-Salzchemie GmbH & Co. KG. This report has been verified internally by LPI’s Chilean team.
Lithium Power International’s Chief Executive Officer, Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro, commented:
“We are very pleased with these positive results from our latest testing activities. Not only do they confirm the high quality and consistency of our product, but also the sustainability of our process. We are confident that those results will be welcomed by potential off-takers participating in the financing process of the Maricunga project.”
For further information, please contact:
Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro – CEO; or Andrew Phillips – CFO Lithium Power International
E: info@lithiumpowerinternational.com Ph: +612 9276 1245
www.lithiumpowerinternational.com
@LithiumPowerLPI
Jane Morgan – Investor and Media Relations
+ 61 (0) 405 555 618
jm@janemorganmanagement.com.au
For U.S. and other international investor relations enquiries:
Arrowhead Business and Investment Decisions, LLC
Thomas Renaud | Managing Director 42 Broadway, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10004 Office: +1 212 619-6889
enquire@arrowheadbid.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbc5b484-5295-409a-a87f-5b91d53b03fc
