Volt Lithium Corp. (TSXV: VLT | OTCQB: VLTLF)
("
Volt" or the "
Company") is
pleased to announce the achievement of another pivotal milestone on
the path to commercializing its proprietary and proven
next-generation Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) technology for
processing oilfield brines. The Company has scaled-up its U.S.
field operations to process over 2,500 barrels per day (“bbls/d”)
(equivalent to 480,000 litres per day) from the Permian Basin in
Texas. Additionally, Volt has completed over 200 operational runs
in the field since commencing operations and achieving first
lithium production in September 2024.
“The Permian Basin is globally significant,
currently producing approximately 19 million barrels of
lithium-infused brine per day, making it one of the largest
potential sources of lithium in the United States,” commented Alex
Wylie, President & CEO of Volt. “With the scaling-up of our
field operations, we continue to accelerate the Company’s
trajectory for growth to becoming a significant North American
lithium producer.”
“The experience gained in the field through
Volt’s first 200 operational runs has been invaluable,” added John
McEwen, CTO of Volt. “The Volt engineering and operational teams
have leveraged the technical data acquired from field operations to
significantly optimize Volt’s next generation system (“Generation
5”) that will produce up to 10,000 barrels of oilfield brine per
day.”
Permian Basin Field Operations Update:
Continued Field Unit Optimization
Volt’s U.S. Field Unit (“Field Unit”) is
modular, providing the flexibility for continued optimization.
Since commencing field operations in September 2024, Volt has
focused on accumulating technical data to continuously optimize its
Field Unit. The operations team has completed over 200 runs of the
Generation 3 and 4 Field Units at our Strategic Partner’s site in
the Permian Basin in Texas to date. The Generation 5 Field Unit
will be commissioned in late January 2025 to process up to 10,000
bbls/d (1.9 million litres per day).
The technical and operational data and
improvements have been critical building blocks to Volt’s scale-up
process in the field. The system modifications made by the
operations team have been incorporated into the Generation 5 Field
Unit system, include the following:
- DLE
System Optimization: Design modifications to Volt's DLE
system to enhance drainage, allowing for increased daily processing
capacity; and
- Acid
Recovery Refinement: Modifications to the acid recovery
phase have successfully increased the concentration of lithium in
the lithium chloride eluate, while also decreasing cycle times.
Volt's technical team is dedicated to further refining the acid
recovery process to maximize lithium concentration and extraction
efficiency. This ongoing optimization is expected to enhance the
overall economic performance of Volt's Generation 5 Field
Unit.
Through the scale-up of Volt’s production
capacity, the technical standards of achieving up to 98% lithium
extraction have been maintained and verified by an independent
third-party.
Since October 2024, Volt’s proprietary DLE
process has successfully built up an inventory of high-quality
eluate that is being converted into a 99.5% pure battery-grade
lithium carbonate. Samples of lithium carbonate have been created
and verified via third-party testing for review for potential
offtake partners. Volt will continue to produce lithium chloride
concentrate, as well as technical-grade and battery-grade lithium
carbonate in the field.
Permian Basin Brine
Production
The brine production from the Permian Basin
today is approximately 19 million bbls/d, representing an estimated
potential of 325,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate
production. Assuming average economics from lithium extraction,
sensitivities are as follows at potential production levels and
lithium concentrations 1,2.
Brine Production per day (bbls) |
Lithium Carbonate Production per annum (tonnes) (31
mg/L) |
Operating Cash Flow3 per
annum (31 mg/L) ($US) |
Lithium Carbonate Production per annum (tonnes) (55
mg/L) |
Operating Cash Flow3 per
annum (55 mg/L) ($US) |
100,000 |
900 |
$14,500,000 |
1,600 |
$27,600,000 |
500,000 |
4,500 |
$72,300,000 |
8,000 |
$137,800,000 |
1,000,000 |
9,000 |
$145,000,000 |
16,000 |
$275,700,000 |
2,000,000 |
18,000 |
$289,000,000 |
32,000 |
$551,400,000 |
North Dakota Field Unit
Update
Volt has utilized the funding from the State of
North Dakota to purchase the equipment for the North Dakota field
unit. The field unit is fully funded and the Company expects to
deploy the North Dakota field unit during the first half of 2025.
Volt and Wellspring will apply for an additional US$2.0 million of
funding for the field study from the State of North Dakota in early
2025. Volt will not require any new financing for the field unit in
North Dakota.
Qualified Person’s
Statement
Scientific and technical information contained
in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Doug
Ashton, P.Eng, and Meghan Klein, P.Eng of Sproule Associates
Limited, each of whom are qualified persons within the meaning of
National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects (“NI 43-101”). Mr. Ashton and Ms. Klein consent to the
inclusion of the data in the form and context in which it
appears.
About Volt
Volt is a lithium development and technology
company aiming to be one of North America’s first commercial
producers of lithium from oilfield brine. Our strategy is to
generate value for shareholders by leveraging management’s
hydrocarbon experience and existing infrastructure to extract
lithium deposits from existing wells, thereby reducing capital
costs, lowering risks and supporting the world’s clean energy
transition. With four differentiating pillars, and a proprietary
Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) technology and
process, Volt’s innovative approach to development is focused on
allowing the highest lithium recoveries with lowest costs,
positioning us well for future commercialization. We are committed
to operating efficiently and with transparency across all areas of
the business staying sharply focused on creating long-term,
sustainable shareholder value. Investors and/or other interested
parties may sign up for updates about the Company’s continued
progress on its website: https://voltlithium.com/.
Contact Information
For Investor Relations inquiries or further
information, please contact:
Alex Wylie, President & CEOT:
+1.403.830.5811
Or
Greg Foofat, Vice President, Investor
RelationsT: +1.587.888.5213E: info@voltlithium.com
Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes certain
“forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information”
within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. When
used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”,
“estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “will”,
“would”, “could”, “schedule” and similar words or expressions,
identify forward-looking statements or information. Statements,
other than statements of historical fact, may constitute
forward-looking information and include, without limitation,
information with respect to the terms of the operational milestone,
Volume Scale-up. Extraction Time Improvements and Continuous
Processing vs Batch Processing, the deployment of the Field Unit in
the Permian Basin, the production of battery grade lithium by the
Field Unit, and the commercial production of lithium from oilfield
brine. With respect to the forward-looking information contained in
this press release, the Company has made numerous assumptions.
While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable,
these assumptions are inherently subject to significant
uncertainties and contingencies and may prove to be incorrect.
Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could
cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to
be materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information contained herein including those known risk factors
outlined in the Company’s annual information form for the year
ended June 30, 2024 and (final) short form base shelf prospectus
dated July 20, 2023. All forward-looking information herein is
qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the
Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such
forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of
any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained
herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as
required by law.
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 press release.
1 Assumes pricing of US$20,000/tonne lithium carbonate.2 Based
upon Volt’s preliminary estimates processing brine at lithium
concentrations from the Permian Basin.3 Operating cash flow is
calculated as revenue less operating costs and does not include
taxes or royalties.
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