Upon addition of acid, CMS observed vigorous frothing. The filtered leachate was yellow versus the lime green seen with the sulfuric acid leach. Notable in test was that the slurry separated into solid and liquids portion in the span of several hours, to the extent leach solution was decanted from the mixing tank with no filtration, which could be an advantage over sulfuric acid leach. Leach slurry samples were shipped to Pocock in Salt Lake for testing on solid-liquid separation. These results will be important in determining if changes in the filtration and tailings handling portions of the plant design will be warranted.

If the chloride leaching is successful and is indicated to be economically justified, steps within the lithium concentration and recovery process will require additional equipment in the pilot program to evaluate. Clayton Valley is a world-class resource of lithium-bearing claystone located adjacent to the Albemarle’s Silver Peak mine, North America’s only lithium brine operation.