American Lithium Corp. announced results of on-going process work on TLC claystones aimed at continued improvement and optimization of all phases of the chemical process to produce lithium carbonate. Optimization work focused on leaching conditions and lithium recovery, minimizing lithium losses during neutralization and magnesium sulphate crystallization, and on increasing the LC purity in the precipitation stage.

Highlights: LC purity increased to 99.59% (up from 99.4%); Lower leach temperature of 50°C (down from 90°C), with continued high lithium extraction rates (95%); Significant potential for lower acid consumption; Potential for lower lithium losses during impurity removal; Further optimization work continues to refine flow-sheet for PFS; and Process improvements expected to enhance project returns. Sulfuric Acid Leaching and Lithium Carbonate Precipitation Test Work - Details: Optimization bench scale test work has been on-going on the TLC flowsheet at TECMMINE Laboratories in Lima, Peru over the past several months since the TLC Preliminary Economic Assessment (?PEA?) was published. This work has been conducted under the supervision of Chief Metallurgist, José Malqui, President of TECMMINE, with technical input on test conditions from DRA Pacific.

Leach conditions have been optimized using sulfuric acid leaching at 50°C achieving 95% lithium (?Li?) extraction in a 2-hour leach cycle with 495 kg/t acid consumption. This lowers the leaching temperature conditions from 90°C used in the PEA, with comparable extraction. These leach parameters resulted in lower acid consumption, which translates into lower limestone consumption during the pre-neutralization phase and a reduction in lime requirements during the neutralization stage.

Magnesium sulfate crystallization was improved resulting in 68% total magnesium recovery and minimizing lithium losses to 1.1% during this impurity removal phase.