Critical Elements complete Positive Engineering Study for a Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate Plant

MONTRÉAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V:CRE) (OTCQX:CRECF) (FSE:F12) ("Critical Elements" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce completion of an Engineering Study for a Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate plant. Consistent with the Corporation's conservative, phased approach, the study is based on a standalone conversion plant and does not constitute a "mineral project" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Furthermore, the plant does not form part of the Corporation's Rose Lithium-Tantalum project which consists solely of a mine to produce spodumene and tantalum concentrates (for more details, see press release dated June 13, 2022, announcing the results of a new positive feasibility study on the Rose Lithium project). As at the date hereof, notwithstanding today's announcement, the Corporation is not in a position to confirm that a Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate plant will ever be implemented.

This strategic milestone could enable Critical Elements to become an important player in the North American Lithium market. Generating separate, standalone engineering studies for (i) the Rose Lithium-Tantalum project and (ii) the Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate plant may optimize the outcome of discussions with potential strategic investors and end-users.

The Engineering Study for a Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate plant is based on a yearly production of 30,670 tonnes of high-quality battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate from 220,587 tonnes of spodumene concentrate purchased solely on the world market on long term contract basis. The study does not rely on or is not based on any purchases of spodumene concentrate from the Corporation's Rose Lithium-Tantalum project. The operating parameters for the Engineering Study were taken from the joint Metso Outotec and Critical Elements Lithium Corporation piloting programs.

Lithium Hydroxide Plant

The lithium hydroxide plant design and technology was developed by Metso Outotec. It consists of four main areas; calcination, hydrometallurgy, reagent preparation, and final product packaging. The site infrastructure was designed to enable operation of the Process plant.

The Calcination Area consists of the conversion of the spodumene into a leachable concentrate. This step is required prior to the hydrometallurgical process.

The calcination area includes drying and pre-heating the feed material in a preheating stage, calcination in a fluidized-bed calciner and product cooling in a cooling step and fluidized-bed cooler, respectively. The calciner would be fired with natural gas.