Cleantech Lithium Regulatory News (CTL)

26.04.2022

CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium" or the "Company")

MOU Signed with KMX Technologies to Optimise Sustainability of Lithium Processing

CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL), an exploration and development company, advancing the next generation of sustainable lithium projects in Chile, announces the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with KMX Technologies, LLC ("KMX"), a market leader in vacuum membrane distillation, to establish a commercial framework for utilising KMX´s proprietary technology, to concentrate lithium, while achieving higher water recovery and lower energy intensity, at CleanTech Lithium's Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin lithium projects in Chile.

Highlights:

· MOU in line with the Company's strategy to produce battery grade lithium by H2 2024, with near zero carbon emissions and lowest environmental impact

· MOU to establish a commercial framework for utilising KMX´s proprietary technology in a commercial scale lithium operation

· KMX´s technology complements CleanTech Lithium´s plan to utilise the direct lithium extraction ("DLE") process, further maximising water recovery and lowering energy use

· Laboratory scale DLE work that aims to produce 1Kg of battery grade lithium from the Laguna Verde project, expected to be completed by the end of April, with pilot plant construction to commence thereafter

Commenting, Aldo Boitano, Chief Executive Officer, of Cleantech Lithium PLC, said:

"This MOU is another important step in our mission to produce sustainable battery grade lithium for the EV industry with the lowest environmental impact and CO2 footprint. By utilising a best-in-class technology which concentrates lithium in a single stage process with higher water recovery and lower energy usage and compliments our commitment to use 100% renewable energy and Direct Lithium Extraction process, we believe, once in production, we will be one of the greenest lithium producers globally."

Further Information

MOU to Strive for ´Best in Class´ Lithium Processing

CleanTech Lithium and KMX today announce the execution of a MOU to establish a commercial framework for utilising KMX´s proprietary technology at CleanTech Lithium's Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin lithium projects in Chile in line with the Company's strategy of developing the projects into commercial scale production by H2 2024.

KMX is the market leader in vacuum membrane distillation, a technology which can be utilised to concentrate lithium with higher water recovery and lower energy intensity. For the first stages of processing the brine pumped from sub-surface aquifers, CleanTech Lithium plans to utilise DLE, an environmentally green process, which replaces evaporation ponds in conventional lithium brine operations. Once DLE has been applied, the lithium in the brine is concentrated to up to 10% lithium. Further concentration to battery grade lithium is required and the conventional method, which CleanTech Lithium will also be trialling, relies on large evaporator and crystalliser units. KMX´s membrane distillation technology has the potential to replace these units in a single stage process with significantly lower energy usage, and by using a membrane instead of an evaporator, water recovery is much higher.

Additionally, the Company is expecting laboratory scale DLE work that aims to produce 1Kg of battery grade Lithium from its Laguna Verde project to be completed by the end of April. Following this, the focus of process test work will be the construction of a pilot plant that aims to produce 10 tonnes of battery grade Lithium per month. Under this MOU, a portion of the concentrated brine produced by the DLE extraction plant will be delivered to KMX and processed in KMX´s demonstration unit. Pending successful technology trials and feasibility studies, CleanTech Lithium views the use of KMX´s technology in a commercial scale lithium operation as an important step in optimising the sustainability of the entire process from brine to battery grade lithium.

Notes

CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL) is an exploration and development company, advancing the next generation of sustainable lithium projects in Chile. The Company's mission is to produce commercial quantities of battery grade lithium by H2 2024, with near zero carbon emissions and low environmental impact, offering the EU EV market a green lithium supply solution.

CleanTech Lithium has two prospective lithium projects - Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin projects located in the lithium triangle, the world's centre for battery grade lithium production. They are situated within basins entirely controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. The projects have direct access to excellent infrastructure and renewable power.

CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for processing and reducing the environmental impact of its lithium production by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which only removes lithium from brine, with higher recoveries and purities. The method offers short development lead times, with no evaporation pond development so there is no water depletion from the aquifer or harm to the local environment.

About KMX Technologies:

KMX Technologies is solving the most critical environmental and energy challenges of the 21st century. Through its proprietary membrane distillation technology, the company is accelerating energy storage with its direct lithium recovery enhancement processes, sustainably sources critical minerals necessary for next generation supply chains and infrastructure, and is advancing wastewater treatment.

**ENDS**