Nevada Sunrise gold Corporation has recently announced that they have provided samples from their Clayton Valley lithium Project in Nevada for testing in a Super Critical Carbon Dioxide (SCCo2) extraction process. The samples from the Gemini lithium Project were collected by the geological team working in this area and demonstrate the potential for the extraction of lithium from the mineralized clays.
The current testing is aimed at assessing the processability of the project’s near surface lithium bearing minerals in clay form. The SCCo2 extraction process is a metallurgical process used to extract valuable commodities, in this case lithium, from industrial minerals. It is considered a cost-effective and efficient method for the recovery of metals from many mineral ores and is used in numerous industrial settings.
SCCo2 extraction works by exposing a solution containing sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or sodium chloride to a highly pressurized stream of carbon dioxide. The pressure creates supercritical fluid that can solubilize and extract the minerals while leaving behind the non-soluble components of the ore material.
The benefits of SCCo2 extraction include lower capital and operational costs as well as improved environmental performance. The process requires minimal water, energy and reagent usage, thereby minimizing waste generation and air emissions. It also produces a higher lithium recovery rate with a lower dependence on hazardous chemicals.
The Gemini lithium Project is located in an area of north-central Nevada with a highly concentrated outcrop of brine-filled, lithium-bearing clays. By using the SCCo2 extraction process, it is hoped that Nevada Sunrise gold Corporation will be able to realize a higher recovery rate of lithium from these mineralized clays, allowing them to increase their operations in this area. This testing is yet another example of how Nevada Sunrise gold Corporation is striving to be a leader in the lithium industry and a responsible miner of this important commodity.