EMP Metals (CSE: EMPS; OTCQB: EMPPF)has begun commissioning its direct lithium extraction (DLE) pilot plant in Estevan, Sask. This is the first Koch Technology Solutions DLE pilot skid in Canada.
EMP owns 75% of and operates the Viewfield lithium brine project in the Duperow formation. The project will produce 12,175 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) per year over an estimated life of 23 years. ROK Resources owns 25%.
"The commencement, commissioning, and continuous run time at the pilot facility is a substantial milestone for EMP Metals and ROK Resources,” said EMP COO Paul Schuh. “The data set we will collect over the next few months is expected to add significant value to our detailed engineering work for the initial stage 1 commercial facility located in southern Saskatchewan."
The operation of the pilot plant has been designed to closely resemble field operation conditions. The plant features pre-filtration and heater circuits designed by Saltworks Technologies to deliver brine at 60°C to the plant. The pilot plant will operate 24/7 over the next few months. Performance data will be collected and used to advance detailed engineering work on the stage 1 commercial facility.
EMP says the plant will treat brine averaging 185 mg/L at a rate of 4,500 L/d. This rate is lower than the planned commercial rate because the feed is of higher grade than it will be over the long-term. Combined, the total project contains approximately 338,843 tonnes of elemental lithium in-situ or 1.8 million tonnes of LCE.
Additional information is posted on www.EMPMetals.com.
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