Cypress Development solution from pilot plant for Canadian testing production

Cypress Development announced its Lithium Extraction Facility in Amargosa Valley, Nevada continues to operate successfully.

“About 4,000 liters of concentrated lithium chloride solution have been delivered from the pilot plant to two Canadian laboratories,” said Bill Willoughby, President and CEO, Cypress Development. “Each laboratory is now working to further treat the solutions, one to produce lithium carbonate, and the other, lithium hydroxide, as the final end product. These results will then be used to determine what additional steps are needed, if any, to attain battery-grade standards and evaluate the alternatives for producing these products in the ongoing Feasibility Study.”

Cypress’ Lithium Extraction Facility in Amargosa Valley, Nevada marked its sixth month of operation with the completion of 11 separate continuous tests conducted on a 24-hour per day basis, over periods ranging from three to 14 days. Processing conditions and equipment arrangements in the areas of leaching, filtration, impurity removal, and the direct lithium extraction system during the testing periods have been varied to determine the effect of changes.

Recoveries in the pilot plant remain as expected, with lithium extraction from claystone in the 80 to 85 per cent range. Tailings testing has preliminarily identified characteristics that will allow for dry stacking with minimal water entrainment. The pilot plant is also focused on minimizing water usage and has operated successfully with an emphasis on 100 per cent recycling of all process water streams within the facility.