Lithium Extraction And Recovery Meeting Expectations At Pilot Plant In Amargosa Valley

VANCOUVER - Cypress Development Corp. reported on its Lithium Extraction Pilot Plant in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. The interim test results were derived from the data acquired during the 3-, 7-, and 14-day continuous operation events, which utilized claystone from the Clayton Valley Lithium Project in Clayton Valley, Nevada. Results yielded a concentration of lithium into an intermediate solution product containing 2,700 parts per million (ppm) lithium with insignificant impurities (Intermediate Solution). This is in line with expectations and similar to the data used in the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS). This information will be incorporated in the  upcoming Feasibility Study currently under the direction of Wood PLC.

"All primary components of the Pilot Plant are operating to design. The lithium extraction and recovery areas are meeting our expectations and we are very pleased with the optimization changes completed so far, as we are now consistently producing an Intermediate Solution containing 2,700 ppm lithium with negligible impurities," said, Bill Willoughby, President, and CEO. "Our team is working on our Pilot Plant's evaporation process to allow us to take our Intermediate Solution to a high-grade concentrated lithium solution, which is essentially our final step on-site. We expect this process to be completed and be tested in the second quarter."

Results thus far have identified preliminary extraction rates of lithium within the washed tails are between 83% and 85%. Lithium extractions from the Lionex process are 98%. Impurity removal of magnesium, calcium, iron, and aluminum are all above 99%. Sodium and potassium removal in the lithium recovery area is 80% with less than 0.5% lithium entrainment. The remaining sodium and potassium are inconsequential to the final process.

Over the coming months, the Company will continue to run tests to further optimize its Pilot Plant and enhance its process flowsheet. The Pilot Plant is undergoing modifications on an ongoing basis to further improve throughput and efficiencies. These modifications include the flowsheet with the intention of simplifying the impurity removal steps prior to lithium recovery. The Company has received most of the remaining analyses of the 1,400 samples collected during continuous operating runs. These results are undergoing compilation and review with respect to flow rates and mass balances in the various areas of the Pilot Plant and will form the basis of further optimization studies. Within the lithium recovery area, the results exceed expectations, with separation efficiencies for lithium and major cations are exceeding 98% and have confirmed the successful performance, thus far, of the Chemionex's Lionex lithium recovery and concentration (direct lithium extraction or DLE) process.

Further, changes were made to the tailings handling. Based on the process, all recovered salt (NaCl), process solution, and water is recycled back into the system. No lithium recovery effects were noted with recycled solids and solutions. Changes to the tailing dewatering system has allowed lower moisture content the final tails to less than 40% moisture. Further changes are being made to allow washing additional lithium from the final tails.