Imperial Oil and E3 Lithium accomplice on lithium pilot venture, redeveloping historic oil area

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Imperial Oil Restricted—Canada’s largest petroleum refiner, a significant producer of crude oil, a key petrochemical producer and a number one fuels marketer—and E3 Lithium are collaborating to advance a direct-lithium-extraction pilot in Alberta, exploring the redevelopment of an historic oil area into a possible new main supply of lithium for Canada’s rising essential minerals trade.

The pilot will help E3 Lithium’s Clearwater venture, which can draw lithium from below the Leduc oil area, Imperial’s historic discovery that first launched main oil and fuel improvement in Western Canada. E3 Lithium’s proprietary direct lithium extraction (DLE) expertise is designed to extract the essential mineral from the lithium-rich brine, with potential for business improvement of battery-grade merchandise.

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This thrilling collaboration brings collectively Imperial’s long-standing dedication to analysis and expertise to assist check and scale E3’s lithium-recovery expertise. We proceed to advance the innovation and applied sciences wanted to help the power transition, working in collaboration with governments and trade to progress new alternatives from present belongings and sector experience.

—Jason Iwanika, director of business enterprise improvement at Imperial

Leduc No.1, Imperial’s first nicely into this reservoir, was considered one of Imperial’s most prolific oil discoveries in Alberta and reworked the provincial and Canadian economies, very like lithium has the potential to do. Having Imperial now working with E3 Lithium in exploring the redevelopment of Leduc right into a world-class supply of lithium is an thrilling new chapter in Alberta and Canada’s story.

—Chris Doornbos, CEO of E3 Lithium

The pilot venture consists of drilling Alberta’s first lithium analysis wells, deliberate to be accomplished by the top of the third quarter of this 12 months. Work can even deal with scaling up E3 Lithium’s proprietary expertise, which brings the brine liquid to the floor the place the lithium is eliminated and concentrated. This liquid is instantly returned underground as a part of a closed-loop system.

E3 Lithium’s PEA estimates the primary part of improvement might produce roughly 20,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per 12 months.

Beneath the settlement, E3 Lithium will proceed to function the Clearwater venture and retain its IP, with technical and improvement help from Imperial in areas resembling water and reservoir administration. The settlement additionally consists of entry for E3 Lithium to freehold lands within the space, that are operated by Imperial.

As a part of the settlement, Imperial has agreed to take a position CAD $6.35 million into E3 at a pre-paid worth of CAD $1.86/warrant and the issuance of three,413,979 warrants. Every warrant supplies the holder the choice to train the warrant for one widespread share of E3. The warrants are instantly exercisable, non-transferrable, expire in 24 months and are non-refundable.

E3 Lithium’s DLE expertise. E3’s DLE ion-exchange expertise makes use of a proprietary sorbent designed to be extremely selective in the direction of lithium ions. It reduces giant volumes of low-grade brine right into a high-grade lithium focus in a single step, concurrently eradicating almost all impurities. This produces a really clear product for the event of high-purity battery-grade lithium compounds.

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Lab outcomes reveal greater than 90% lithium restoration; greater than 99% impurity elimination (eg. calcium, magnesium, sodium); and a 20x-100x lithium focus issue.

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