Stria Lithium (CVE:SRA) says that metallurgical tests have confirmed that spodumene from its Pontax lithium project in northeastern Quebec is viable to use as feedstock for its pilot plant operations planned for early next year.
In April of this year, the company conducted a surface sampling program at the property to collect 100kg of spodumene mineralization, with the aim of proving it was of sufficient quality to be used with conventional processing techniques to feed the proposed pilot plant.
Stria said that once gravity separation tests were completed, dense media separation and magnetic separation were conducted to improve the grade and recovery of the spodumene.
According to the results, conventional heavy liquid separation processes indicate the Pontax mineralization can generate initial spodumene concentrate recovery of 53.9 percent lithium, rading 6.03%. With fine portions added, the concentrate is capable of achieving 94.9% lithium purity, the company said.
More work to improve overall recoveries and lithium purity continues, it added.
"We are very pleased with these metallurgical test results," said Stria president and chief operating officer Julien Davy. "They confirm our Pontax spodumene mineralization is a viable feedstock for a planned 2015 pilot plant.
The company's proposed pilot plant will be based on a new process to get lithium chloride from hard rock ore that it says is more efficient and environmentally sustainable. The lithium process uses fewer chemicals and controls as well as reduced energy, meaning it will cost less money to recover lithium.
"Our next milestone will be to demonstrate our proprietary technologies - as we designed them - are capable of producing high grade Li-metal, Li-carbonate or Li-hydroxide products with significant economies realized within a low chemical consumption environment," said Davy.
"The greatest cost in producing lithium compounds and products are attached to processing and purification. Stria's business model holds a 'technology-first' bias aimed at building a disruptive, competitive advantage into both our spodumene and brine operations."
Stria, which has two lithium properties, is focused on building a competitive advantage in an established global market. The goal is to signficantly cut down the amount of time for processing lithium all while using an environmentally sustainable process, with almost no waste coming out of Stria's closed loop process.
The eventual aim is to come to market with an affordable lithium metal product, of higher quality. Currently, the company is using lithium from its Pontax project in James Bay area, Quebec as a source for its proprietary process development, and also has a second project in Arizona, known as the Willcox lithium brine property.
Both assets are exploration stage, contain no compliant resources, and are being used to test and validate its processing technologies.
By 2025, it is estimated that global consumption from the battery manufacturing sectors for lithium will account for some 65% of total global consumption. Lithium is used, in greater quantities, in batteries for electric vehicles, with an anticipated uptick in demand for plug-in hybrid electric and all-electric cars expected to increase the call for lithium significantly.
Shares of Stria were steady at 13 cents in Toronto on Monday.