American Lithium Corp. (TSX-V:LI) (OTCQB:LIACF) (Frankfurt:5LA1) is pleased to announce the highest lithium extraction results to date, achieving 97.4% extraction utilizing warm sulfuric acid leach on Tonopah Lithium Claims claystone mineralization.

Highlights:

• Latest TLC test work run by TECMMINE in Lima, Peru has achieved 97.4% lithium extraction using warm sulfuric acid leach, the highest results achieved to date from any recovery process.
• On-going test work for the sulfuric acid process route will continue to be optimized by varying leach time, acid concentration, temperature, solid-liquid ratios and grind/particle size.
• Metallurgical work on the TLC claystone mineralization continues to demonstrate amenability to three process options to extract lithium:
  • i) leaching with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) at 90°C (97.4% extraction);
  • ii) salt roasting followed by water leaching (initial 82% extraction); and
  • iii) leaching with hydrochloric acid (HCl) at 90°C (initial 95.1% extraction).
• Continued metallurgical work will aim to take each processing option through to the lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide precipitation stage and to focus on optimizing all 3 processing options and related flow-sheet designs.
• Thereafter, the Company will select the best option to enable a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment with economic benefits maximized and environmental impacts minimized.

Dr. Laurence Stefan, COO of American Lithium, stated, “We are pleased to have achieved the highest lithium extraction to date from TLC using simple sulfuric acid processing with almost the entire amount of lithium available extracted into sulfate solution. We continue to focus on optimizing the best process routes from both economic and environmental perspectives and, thereafter, to advance TLC through PEA towards future development.”

TLC Process Update

Process work has previously demonstrated that TLC claystones are amenable to rapid lithium extraction using warm sulfuric acid leaching, reaching 92% lithium extraction in 10 minutes. In addition, up to 82% lithium extraction has been achieved using salt roasting followed by water leaching (refer to previous news release, dated June 29, 2021). The latest test work run at TECMMINE achieved 97.4% lithium extraction into sulfate solution using H₂SO₄ at temperatures of 90⁰C with 60-minute leaching.

Optimization test work will continue into Fall 2021 using all three potential process options: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid as well as salt roasting/water leaching. American Lithium is committed to producing a world class process to supply cost competitive lithium products in an environmentally sound manner.

Stock Option Grant

The Company also announces the granting, subject to regulatory acceptance, of 500,000 incentive stock options to an advisor / consultant of the Company. The Options have a term of 5 years and are exercisable at a price of $1.81 per common share.

Qualified Persons

Mr. Ted O’Connor, P.Geo., a Director of American Lithium, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical geological information contained in this news release.

About American Lithium

American Lithium, a member of the TSX Venture 50, is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium projects within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. The Company is currently focused on enabling the shift to the new energy paradigm through the continued exploration and development of its strategically located TLC lithium claystone project in the richly mineralized Esmeralda lithium district in Nevada as well as continuing to advance its Falchani lithium and Macusani uranium development projects in southeastern Peru. Both Falchani and Macusani have been through preliminary economic assessments, exhibit strong additional exploration potential and are situated near significant infrastructure.