Standard Lithium Signs LOI for Development of Continuously-Operating Demonstration Pilot Plant

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd. ("Standard Lithium" or the "Company") (TSXV:SLL) (OTCQX:STLHF) (FRA:S5L) is pleased to announce that the Company has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with a non-affiliated NYSE-listed company whereby, subject to the execution of a definitive agreement on terms acceptable to both parties (the "Definitive Agreement") and obtaining necessary consents and permits, the Company will design, build and operate a continuous demonstration scale pilot plant (the "Pilot Plant"), adjacent to certain existing chemical production facilities located in southern Arkansas. 

The Letter of Intent provides for a ninety-day period within which the Company and the other party will negotiate a Definitive Agreement in respect of the proposed Pilot Plant.  Under the proposed Definitive Agreement, Standard Lithium would be permitted to build an in-place, continuously operating, pilot plant to explore and demonstrate a modern, selective extraction and purification process to produce battery-grade lithium products from a variety of brine streams, including tail brines from the Smackover Formation, which is one of the world's largest brine deposits,. 

In addition, Standard Lithium seeks to expand its lithium brine footprint through the evaluation of opportunities to obtain additional brine leases or sources located in southern Arkansas, which may allow for the transport and testing of multiple sources of Smackover brine in the Company's proposed Pilot Plant.

Standard Lithium's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Robert Mintak commented, "The  facilities in southern Arkansas where we may build the Pilot Plant are fed by a network of brine production wells in southern Arkansas that access underground brine from the Smackover Formation and transport it via an extensive system of pipelines and related infrastructure.  Our relationship with this other party is expected to provide Standard Lithium with access to 'tail' brines to test for the viability of lithium extraction.  In signing this letter of intent and negotiating quickly an agreement for pilot scale testing, Standard Lithium expects to de-risk and expedite the initial phases of resource assessment and project development while realizing significant reductions in both the capital and time associated with permitting and drilling test wells."