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 ("LC"). 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.

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.

The final lithium recovery through the entire hydrometallurgical process achieved in this single test is 84.8% with the highest lithium carbonate ("LC") purity achieved to date from TLC claystone processing test work. A final calculated LC purity of 99.59% LCE was attained through the new optimized leach process. Test conditions were as follows: 2 hour agitated atmospheric leaching using sulfuric acid at 50°C followed by filtration and residue washing achieved 95.0% lithium extraction.

Leach solution was neutralized with limestone and lime to remove iron and aluminum, followed by precipitate washing to recover entrained solution; completed with 98.9% recovery of lithium to filtrate and rinse solutions. Sulfate crystallization by evaporation and cooling followed by treatment with lime to remove remaining magnesium, with 91.2% lithium recovery. This step is critical and will be further optimized to minimize Li losses.

Calcium removal and lithium carbonate production by reaction with sodium carbonate. All products (precipitates and solutions) from these steps would be recycled in a commercial process, so no losses are expected, or considered from these steps. Global lithium recovery of 84.8%, LC product was sent to CIMM Laboratories in Lima for ICP-MS/ICP-OES multi-element analysis.

A calculated purity of 99.59% LC was achieved. All processing steps were simulated by batch testing in open-cycle. Recycling of products was not simulated.

These results will be verified by continuous and/or pilot testing with appropriate solution recycling. Lithium contained in products that would be recycled during commercial processing was considered recovered.