Patriot Battery Metals Inc. is pleased to announce that it has successfully produced a marketable and on-specification battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate sample using spodumene concentrate from the CV5 Pegmatite. The CV5 Pegmatite, wholly-owned by the Company as part of its Shaakichiuwaanaan Property, is located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec and forms the large majority of a consolidated Mineral Resource Estimate2 of 80.1 Mt at 1.44% Li2O indicated and 62.5 Mt at 1.31% Li2O inferred.

The CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite is accessible year-round by all-season road and is situated approximately 14 km from a major hydro-electric powerline corridor. The objective of the test program was to demonstrate a "proof-of-concept" for the entire flowsheet using representative spodumene concentrate produced from whole rock pegmatite (CV5). The program was highly successful and converted the spodumene concentrate to a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product at battery-grade specifications. The result of this program also affirms prior testwork undertaken by other independent parties.

The spodumene concentrate was produced using a simple DMS-only (+ magnetic separation) flowsheet which was fed by a master-composite of drill core material, representing anticipated early mine-life (Figure 2). This master composite included 15% non-pegmatite host-rock dilution to better represent a conservative (in terms of dilution content) commercial mining operation scenario.

The lithium sulphate solution was then subjected to secondary impurity removal stage which precipitated most of the calcium and magnesium by selective precipitation with sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate.

The purified lithium sulphate solution was first concentrated by evaporation (this step would be removed in a commercial plant as water-leach parameters are optimized). The lithium sulphate in solution was transformed into lithium hydroxide by the addition of sodium hydroxide (causticization step). The sodium sulphate ions in solution were then removed by a traditional crystallization of sodium sulphate as Glauber's salt.

Additionally, the purity of the lithium solution from the earlier process step is a strong indication that an on-spec, battery-grade lithium carbonate product may also be directly produced from CV5 as an additional product option. Collectively, the result of the test program highlights the benefits to downstream processing when using a clean and low-iron spodumene concentrate such as that produced from the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite.

The representative lithium hydroxide sample produced from the CV5 Pegmatite will be used to further advance and strengthen the Company's engagement with potential strategic partners, end-users, and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). The ability to demonstrate with definitive data that high-quality, low-iron spodumene concentrates from CV5 are amenable to standard downstream processing methods resulting in on-spec battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate, is significant.

The Company has recently completed a significant core sampling program to provide additional representative material for the next phase of mineral processing testwork in support of the ongoing Feasibility Study on the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite. This program will provide significant quantities of representative spodumene concentrate for any future downstream test programs.

About Patriot Battery Metals Inc.

Patriot Battery Metals Inc. is a hard-rock lithium exploration company focused on advancing its district-scale 100%-owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property (formerly known as Corvette) located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada, which is accessible year-round by all-season road and is proximal to regional powerline infrastructure.

A Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") was announced for the CV5 Pegmatite August 21, 2024, and highlights it as a potential North American Lithium Raw Materials Powerhouse.
 

Source: prnewswire.com

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