LONDON (ShareCast) - (ShareCast News) - European Metals Holdings announced the successful manufacture of more than 99.5% pure lithium carbonate using an industry proven, sodium sulphate roast-based flow-sheet from mica-concentrate from the Cinovec Project on Tuesday.
The AIM-traded firm owns 100% of Cinovec in the Czech Republic, which contains the largest lithium resource in Europe and one of the largest undeveloped tin resources in the world.

It said the roasting flow-sheet reflects a simplified version of the proven technology that converts spodumene concentrate to lithium carbonate, with numerous lithium carbonate plants currently employing the technology internationally.

The firm said high roast recoveries of 87% were also achieved, and process costs were reduced by the recycling of the key reagent.

There was minimal leaching of unwanted impurities, resulting in simpler precipitation of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Offtaker and end user testing and production of lithium carbonate samples was now underway.

"This is a major milestone in the development of the Cinovec project and we are delighted with the results," said managing director Keith Coughlan.

"We have now produced battery grade lithium carbonate via a second process route.

"This follows the successful production of battery grade material via acid leach during the scoping study last year."

Coughlan said the results followed the previous success of the project team in developing a robust, simplified flowsheet for the beneficiation of the run-of-mine ore to produce a lithium mica concentrate using high intensity wet magnetics.

"Having proven the processing circuit, the team is now focused on delivering the pre-feasibility study by the end of March 2017.

"Part of this process includes further optimising the roasting and hydrometallurgical circuits to produce market samples for off taker and end user testing."

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