Lake Resources Hazen to produce Battery-Quality Lithium Carbonate

Lake Resources NL has appointed Colorado-based independent assay laboratory Hazen Research Inc to produce larger samples of battery-quality lithium carbonate for supply to potential off-takers and other interested parties. This will be done using the efficient, disruptive clean technology developed by Lake's technology partner Lilac Solutions for brine from the company's flagship Kachi project in Argentina.

Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE) is a lithium exploration and development company dedicated to the development of three lithium-containing brine projects and one hard rock project that are 100% owned by the company in Argentina. The leases are in a prime location among the lithium sector's largest players within the Lithium Triangle, where half of the world's lithium is produced. Lake holds one of the largest lithium tenement packages in Argentina (~200,000Ha) secured in 2016 prior to a significant 'rush' by major companies. The large holdings provide the potential to provide consistent security of supply demanded by battery makers and electric vehicle manufacturers.

In cooperation with Lilac Solutions, a direct extraction method is being tested. The method has shown a recovery rate of 80-90%, and the lithium concentration of the lithium-containing brine exceeds 15000 mg/L. The results of the first phase of the engineering research show that the estimated operating cost of $2600/t LCE is in the lowest cost quartile. Lake Resources is planned to combine this process with traditional methods in the field for testing, in accordance with the resource statement, as part of the PFS. Through cooperation and recent company transactions, there are opportunities to discover great value.

Lilac Solution's lithium extraction pilot plant module has been successful in processing Kachi lithium brine with a high recovery rate. The lithium chloride produced can be made into battery-grade lithium carbonate using traditional carbonic acid processing methods. Lilac previously used this traditional lithium concentrate process to make lithium chloride into lithium concentrate with a purity of 99.9%.

Lilac processed the brine from Lake's Kachi lithium brine project into concentrated lithium chloride at the California lithium extraction pilot plant. Hazen Research's current task is to process the concentrated lithium chloride produced by Lilac into a large sample of lithium carbonate.

An initial batch of the concentrated lithium chloride is now being couriered to Hazen, and as advised, the first battery quality lithium carbonate samples are expected to be produced in approximately 5 weeks from their laboratories.

Lake Resources's General Manager Steve Promnitz said: "Hazen Research is a well-regarded, established and independent provider of quality hydrometallurgy and their production of high-quality lithium carbonate within a reliable timeframe means we can confidently supply the third party verified carbonate samples to interested parties. We continue to de-risk the new technology and will provide progress updates through to the first independent samples being reported."

The Olaroz-Cauchari and Paso brine projects are close to important world-class brine projects, which are located in the promising Jujuy province, or are being produced or being developed. The Olaroz-Cauchari project is located in the same basin as Orocobre’s Olaroz lithium mining area, adjacent to the Ganfeng Lithium/Lithium Americas Cauchari project. High-grade lithium (600 mg/L) was drilled in the high-velocity brine close to the mineral rights boundary.

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