Cornish Lithium founder Jeremy Wrathall
UK-based exploration and development company Cornish Lithium on Monday announced that it would accelerate the Trelavour hard rock lithium project near St Austell, in Cornwall, following the successful production of nominal battery-grade lithium hydroxide.
This was achieved using ASX-listed Lepidico technologies on lithium mica samples obtained during its maiden hard rock lithium drilling programme within an existing china clay openpit earlier this year.
Cornish Lithium said it had acquired a technology licence from Lepidico, which provided it with metallurgical processing solution for the Trelavour project.
The company would now proceed towards bulk metallurgical testing and the construction of a pilot plant using Lepidico’s proprietary L-Max and LOH-Max technologies.
The licence to technologies would allow development of the low-carbon extraction of lithium from zinnwaldite and polylithionite mica ores in the St Austell region.
Work so far has indicated the potential of this technology to produce battery-grade lithium in Cornwall without the need for further refining, thus offering a complete on-site solution.
“The next phase of work, which will shortly commence at Trelavour, will run in parallel with studies which continue to advance the company’s lithium in geothermal waters projects across Cornwall. In particular, the forthcoming construction of the lithium pilot plant at United Downs, will enable the company to trial direct lithium extraction technology at the United Downs Deep geothermal project together with partners Geothermal Engineering,” commented founder and CEO Jeremy Wrathall.