Cypress Development Corp (TSX-V:CYP, OTCQB:CYDVF). has reported the successful completion of a 14-day operating test at its lithium extraction pilot plant in Nevada.
During this period, the company said the pilot plant operated continuously, treating lithium-bearing claystone from its Clayton Valley lithium assets.
“The progress so far is substantial, and we are very pleased with the initial results,” president and CEO Bill Willoughby said in a statement.
“We have now completed three, seven and 14-day tests, achieving improvements in the operation and gaining important knowledge as we develop our unique lithium extraction process.”
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Reporting on the performance, Cypress Development said the pilot plant operated for 24 hours per day in a continuous test, with 97% utilization throughout the plant, including leaching, filtration, and lithium extraction areas.
A change in filtration equipment resulted in lower moisture content in final tails, while reagent consumptions were in line with projected recoveries of 80% to 85%, the company added.
More than 700 samples were collected for analysis and sent to an external certified laboratory.
Due to turn-around time from the laboratory, it said analyses from earlier tests are only now beginning to be received and the company’s on-site laboratory continues to be used to generate internal assays and guide operations.
In the final step of the process, Cypress Development noted that an equipment failure limited the amount of product solution targeted for shipment for offsite treatment. That item of equipment is currently being addressed.
“The pilot plant continues to operate to generate the required amount of product solution, and to test an alternate configuration and operating conditions in leaching and filtration,” the company said.
Cypress Development is a Canadian-based advanced-stage lithium exploration company, focused on developing its 100%-owned Clayton Valley project, which it is advancing towards the production of high-purity lithium hydroxide suitable for tier-one battery usage.
Also, work completed by the company led to the discovery of a world-class resource of lithium-bearing claystone adjacent to the Albemarle Silver Peak mine, North America's only lithium brine operation.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com