The Nevada North Lithium joint venture between Surge Battery Metals (TSX-V:NILI) and Evolution Mining (ASX:EVN) has produced 99.95% battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) from project ore in the US.
The product was refined as part of metallurgical work supporting a Prefeasibility Study for the Nevada North Lithium Project.
Kemetco Research produced crude Li2CO3 assaying 99% from the Nevada North master composite through beneficiation, sulphuric acid leaching, solution purification, and carbonate precipitation.
Calgary-based Chemshift Technologies refined a portion of that carbonate to the 99.95% battery-grade product.
Sulphuric acid leaching of beneficiated material achieved lithium extractions exceeding 93% at an acid addition of 475kg per tonne of beneficiated feed, increasing to about 98% at higher acid addition.
Leaching was complete within one hour of reaching the 90°C target temperature.
Mild attrition followed by screening recovered 98.9% of the lithium into the fine fraction while rejecting about 75% of the acid-consuming carbonate. The flowsheet runs from run-of-mine ore to refined product using conventional unit operations.
“We have now demonstrated the full chain — from sedimentary clay in the ground, through a conventional leach and purification circuit, to a refined product that meets battery-grade specifications,” CEO Greg Reimer says.
Surge’s focus now turns to pilot-scale work testing recovery, consistency, reagent consumption, and energy performance under continuous operating conditions.
Surge Battery Metals is a Canadian lithium exploration company, which also holds the San Emidio Lithium Project in Nevada, US.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Surge Battery Metals
