Frontier Lithium Enters Into Strategic Partnership to Pilot Lithium Hydroxide Technology
SUDBURY, ON, April 24, 2019 /CNW/ - Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX.V: FL) (the "Company" or "Frontier") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with XPS Expert Process Solutions ("XPS") a Glencore company, and Dr. Ahmad Ghahreman, a Queen's University Professor, to develop a process to refine spodumene concentrate into lithium hydroxide. The partnership reflects Frontier's commitment to lay the foundation for a regional, vertically integrated Battery Ecosystem energizing Ontario's drive to prosperity.
The joint project will be conducted in Canada and has commenced with a Phase I bench-scale study that includes single stage dense media separation (DMS), flotation, pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. Phase I is evaluating the potential purity and recovery of lithium from concentrates to ultimately improve commercial understanding and provide data for generation of a continuous pilot process. The test work is expected to take 6-8 months.
"Dr. Ghahreman and XPS are very pleased to be working together with our partner, Frontier Lithium, on this truly collaborative project. The initiative is well aligned with XPS's mandate to deliver practical, technical solutions and to assist our client partners to achieve their strategic objectives while growing our business". said XPS's Vice President, Dominic Fragomeni. "Preliminary results show promise for being able to produce lithium hydroxide at a higher purity and at a lower cost compared to the industry average." added Fragomeni.
"Leveraging expertise through partnerships echoes Frontier's approach to foster research and sustainable innovation." said Trevor Walker, President and CEO of Frontier Lithium. "This alliance will spearhead the production of high-quality battery grade lithium products in Northern Ontario and help establish our region as a significant Canadian contributor to clean energy technology."
About XPS
XPS Expert Process Solutions, a Glencore Company, located at the XPS Technology Centre in Falconbridge (Ontario) Canada is a team of world-class metallurgists, engineers, geoscientists, technicians and technologists with real world experience in process development/optimisation, asset integrity management and mine/process automation. XPS engages clients with focused, quality project plans that deliver sustainable value to the client's project or operation. XPS's strategy is to provide quality technical expertise for advanced exploration, mining projects and operational support. XPS employs industry best practices and advanced modeling and testing techniques to deliver practical and successful flowsheets and processing solutions – adding value and reducing risk for our clients and partners.
About Frontier Lithium
Frontier Lithium is a Canadian junior mining company and has the largest land position on the Electric Avenue, Ontario's emerging premium lithium-metal district. The Company is working towards becoming a near-term producer with the objective to ramp up to supply 30,000 tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), approximately 3% of the worlds' lithium demand by 2025. Frontier is implementing a phased methodology to development for becoming a rare producer of premium technical lithium concentrates required to produce high quality glass and ceramics as well as supplying chemical grade concentrates for the production of lithium chemicals required for the expanding lithium battery industry.
Additional information regarding Frontier Lithium is available on SEDAR at sedar.com under the Company's profile and on its website at frontierlithium.com, including various pictures of ongoing work at the project.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Frontier Lithium Inc.
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