Testing to further validate PFS process design

Cleantech Lithium PLC (AIM: CTL, Frankfurt: T2N)an exploration and development company pursuing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, announces an update on two trials being conducted in North America and in Santiago, Chile, to produce battery grade lithium carbonate from the Laguna Verde project. The trials are focused on replicating and validating the process design that has been defined in the Laguna Verde Pre-Feasibility Study (“PFS”).

Main characteristics:

• In North America, phase two of downstream processing of eluate* (see footnote for definition), produced by our DLE pilot plant located in Chile, into battery grade lithium carbonate has begun.
• The first phase of this work was initiated by Conductive Energy and reported to the market in January 2025.
• Conductive Energy was acquired by Empower EIT during 2025. Empower established an advanced lithium processing facility in Dallas, USA.
• This second stage of eluate conversion will process >60 m³ Evaluation focused on the new feature.
• The nanofiltration stage of the process will use an advanced membrane developed by DuPont Water Solutions to remove impurities and maximize lithium recovery.
• Approximately 300 kg of battery grade lithium carbonate is expected to be produced in the second quarter of 2026 and made available to potential strategic partners for product qualification.
• Concurrently, a small-scale pilot program is underway using Lanshen Technology’s (“Lanshen”) pilot plant located in Santiago, Chile.
• This pilot plant replicates the process flowsheet developed with Lanshen for the Laguna Verde PFS and is intended to demonstrate the robustness of the process design and provide a high level of validation of the process parameters used in the PFS.
• volume of 24m³ Feed brine obtained from Laguna Verde is being processed into more than 5 kilograms of battery grade lithium carbonate.

Ignacio Mahech, Chief Executive Officer of Cleantech Lithium said: “We are conducting significant pilot scale process testing in North America and Chile to produce battery grade lithium carbonate from Laguna Verde brine. This work will provide strong technical support for the process flow sheet used in our PFS which we think is an important idea to connect with potential strategic investors.”

further details:

Eluate conversion began in North America

Total 88m in 2H 2024³ The concentrated eluate produced at the company’s DLE pilot plant in Copiapo, Chile was shipped to Conductive Energy’s facilities in Chicago, US for conversion to lithium carbonate. Total 27.5m³ The eluate from this first phase trial was processed, producing approximately 50 kg of lithium carbonate. Details were informed to the market on January 14, 2025 (Add). Conductive Energy entered an extended acquisition process in 2025, culminating in the acquisition by Empower EIT, a company that aims to become the leader in lithium processing in North America. With the installation of Empower’s new 1600 meter² Facility located in Dallas, Texas, phase two processing has begun on the remaining approximately 60 m³ Of focused evaluation. A nanofiltration step has been added to remove divalent ions from the eluate which should further reduce impurities in the battery grade lithium carbonate product.

Figure 1: Powering Lithium Processing Facility in Dallas, Texas

The conversion process is shown in Figure 2. For the nanofiltration (NF) stage, Empower and CleanTech will build on a previous collaboration with DuPont Water Solutions, a business unit of DuPont, which has developed a new NF membrane to remove impurities and maximize lithium recovery. The phase two trial aims to produce approximately 300 kg of battery grade lithium carbonate. The lithium carbonate product will be sent to a laboratory in North America to be verified as battery-grade (>99.5%) and meet Chinese standard GBT 23853-2022 Type 1 for minor impurities. Samples will be available for product qualification by potential strategic partners. Initial quantities of battery grade lithium are expected to be produced in the coming weeks, and a total volume of 60m will be processed³ The aim is to complete the work by the end of next month.

Figure 2: Downstream process for transformation conversion

Plant Program with Lanshen to Validate and Optimize PFS Process

Cleantech selected Lanshen’s technology for the DLE phase of the process design used in the Laguna Verde PFS, with the downstream conversion process design also developed with Lanshen. The Company will continue to evaluate optimal options for DLE and downstream process steps with all parties. For the purposes of validating the PFS process design, the Company has engaged Lanshen to complete a trial at Lanshen’s pilot plant in Santiago, Chile to produce battery grade lithium carbonate from the Laguna Verde feed brine. This test will test both the typical DLE adsorbent and flow-sheet used for the downstream conversion process in PFS. It will also evaluate key materials, reagents and equipment, and verify PFS assumptions for DLE module capacity and water consumption rates. The Company believes this pilot program will provide a powerful validation of the PFS process design.

volume of 24m³ The feed brine from Laguna Verde is being processed into over 5 kg of battery grade lithium carbonate and testing work is expected to be completed and results will be reported to the market in the current quarter.

Figure 3: Lanchen Pilot Plant Facilities in Santiago, Chile

*Explanation*

Pure, lithium-rich solution produced as an output of the direct lithium extraction (“DLE”) process. The evaluation is being processed by Empower The cleantech was produced by processing Laguna Verde brine through Lithium’s DLE pilot plant, which selectively removes lithium while rejecting over 99% of major impurities, including calcium, magnesium and sodium. The resulting lithium chloride eluate was further concentrated using reverse osmosis to be processed downstream to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate.

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notes

Cleantech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N) is an exploration and development company pursuing lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. CleanTech Lithium has two major lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and Viento Andino, and an exploration phase project in Arenas Blancas (Salar de Atacama), located in the Lithium Triangle, a major hub for battery grade lithium production. Cleantech Lithium and the Ministry of Mining in Chile have agreed to contract terms for an Exclusive Lithium Operating Contract (“CEOL”) for Laguna Verde, subject to final ratification.

Cleantech Lithium is committed to using Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) with re-injection of spent brine. Direct lithium extraction is a transformative technology that removes lithium from brines with high recovery, short development time frames and without extensive evaporation pond construction. For more information, please visit: www.ctlithium.com

Click here to join Cleantech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N) to receive the investor presentation.

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