Century Lithium talks up REE recoveries at Angel Island

Executive Summary

• Century Lithium Corp. reported successful recovery of rare-earth elements (REEs) from its Angel Island lithium project in Nevada using its patent-pending chloride-based process combined with ion-exchange.
• The testwork demonstrated that REEs enter solution under the same conditions as lithium extraction, with high recovery rates, positioning REEs as a strategic byproduct and potential secondary revenue stream.
• The company highlighted the strategic significance of these findings for North America's critical mineral supply chain, noting that while economic evaluation is pending, the results support the project's value proposition.

Key Details

• Sample Source: Testwork conducted on material from a 500-tonne bulk sample collected from the Angel Island project; results are representative of the bulk sample but not necessarily the entire deposit.
• Assay Results:
  • Claystone assayed 1,101 ppm lithium.
  • Claystone assayed 239 ppm (0.024%) Total Rare-Earth Oxides (TREO).
  • REE distribution: ~75% light rare-earth elements (LREEs) and ~25% yttrium and heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs).
• Leaching Results:
  • Chloride leaching yielded solution concentrations of 210 mg/L lithium and 36 mg/L TREO.
  • Indicated that REEs enter solution under the same conditions used for lithium extraction.
• Recovery Results:
  • Two ion-exchange (IX) media were tested, both demonstrating high recovery of all REEs and yttrium.
  • Specific IX recovery data is referenced in an attached table (not provided in text).
• Laboratory Analysis:
  • Samples delivered to ALS Canada Ltd. in Reno, Nev.
  • Analyses performed at ALS’s accredited laboratory in Vancouver, B.C.
  • Methods used: ME-MS14 and ME-ICP-15 for liquids; ME-MS61L with REE add-on for solids.
  • Quality control included duplicates, standards, and blanks.
• Strategic Context:
  • Global ion-adsorption clay deposits (China/Southeast Asia) operate at 0.03–0.15% TREO.
  • US primary REE projects (Wyoming/Texas) are under development with grades between 0.05% and 0.20% TREO.
  • Angel Island is expected to process 2.75–5.5 million tonnes of claystone annually (Phase 1 & 2), generating 10–20 million tonnes of leach solution per year.
• Next Steps:
  • Century Lithium is not yet evaluating the economic contribution of REE recovery.
  • Further reserve definition and metallurgical testing are required.
  • Company remains committed to completing the updated feasibility study and advancing permitting.

Notable Quotes

• "We are very encouraged by these findings... Our ability to recover these elements efficiently from solution and in parallel with lithium is a significant accomplishment by our team. At the scale of our planned operations, these levels of REE would contribute meaningfully to North America's critical mineral supply chain and revenue streams from Angel Island." — Bill Willoughby, President and CEO