Critical Elements Receives Positive Material Testing Results From Multiple Glass and Ceramic Manufacturers

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Aug. 14, 2014) - Critical Elements Corporation (TSX VENTURE:CRE)(OTCQX:CRECF)(FRANKFURT:F12) is pleased to announce that its low-iron lithium concentrate has been successfully tested by ceramic and glass manufacturers. Samples sent to multiple end-users for testing in May all tested positively.

As a result of the positive testing, the Company will be able to add a third revenue stream to its commercialization plans by diversifying its finished product output to de-risk the ramp-up of the operation. This positive addition to the business plan is based on last year's optimization program, which enabled the Company to change the product output sequence and generate finished material throughout the transformation process. The new flowsheet design has the flotation plant producing a tantalite concentrate from magnetic separation and a spodumene concentrate (lithium oxide concentrate) by flotation. Additionally, the low-iron portion of the concentrate will be suitable for sale to the glass and ceramic industry

The remainder of the spodumene concentrate (lithium oxide concentrate) would then be put through the transformation plant (carbonation plant) to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate as a secondary transformation.

As mentioned in our August 5^th press release, overall purity (calculated by subtracting the main impurities) was as high as 99.98%, exceeding the requirements for battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Critical Elements will thus diversify its material output with at least three different products:

1. Tantalum concentrate
   
2. Low-iron lithium concentrate
   
3. Battery-grade lithium carbonate
   

Also, the August 5^th press release noted that the Company will begin production testing of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) from the lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) with the aim of proving an integrated production system for the two lithium products and generating greater flexibility in terms of market opportunities.

A final component of the planned testing is the investigation of the potential for recovery of by-products such as alumina (in the form of alumina tri-hydrate -ATH), for which there is currently strong market demand, primarily for use as a fire retardant, and silica (as pure silicates). It is worth noting that in addition to generating more value for the project, recovery of these by-products will also significantly reduce the solid waste from the process, i.e., the project's environmental impact. These tests will be performed at XSTRATA's pyrometallurgical laboratory (XPS Consulting & Testwork Services) in Falconbridge, Ontario.