Cypress Development Corp (TSX-V:CYP, OTCQB:CYDVF) has marked another development in the advancement of its Clayton Valley lithium asset in Nevada, saying that testing of lithium-bearing claystone from the project had begun at the pilot plant.
The process uses chloride-based leaching combined with the Chemionex—Lionex process for Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE).
"The pilot plant is operating as designed. Leaching is now underway on lithium clay," noted Bill Willoughby, CEO of Cypress, in a statement.
"I would like to thank the team for doing an excellent job in bringing the pilot plant to this point, and we look forward to obtaining the test results from the program."
In October this year, the company reported that it had now finished assembling the key pilot plant for the Clayton Valley lithium project.
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The new plant is inside a metallurgical facility around 100 miles south of the project and includes four main sections - a leaching area, a tailings handling area, a pregnant leach solution (PLS) treatment area, and a Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) process (in this case, the Lionex process) area.
The pilot plant is operated by del Sol Refining Inc and the test program is intended to confirm and optimize the extraction of lithium from Cypress' Project, following the recommendations outlined in the pre-feasibility study.
Operations are under the direction of Continental Metallurgical Services, Llc., with support from del Sol Refining, Inc., and Chemionix Inc.
The wholly-owned Clayton Valley Lithium project is the site of a world-class resource of lithium-bearing claystone adjacent to the Albemarle Silver Peak mine - North America's only lithium brine operation.
A positive pre-feasibility study for the property was announced by the company in August 2020.
Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com