Rare Earth Mineral PLC (LON:REM) said it was impressed that battery grade lithium had been produced from the Cinovec deposit in the Czech Republic.
REM holds a 20.76% economic interest in Cinovec through a stake in operator European Metals Holdings Limited (LON:EMH) .
More than 99.5% pure lithium carbonate was produced using a sodium sulphate roast-based flow-sheet, which is a simplified version of a process used worldwide that converts spodumene concentrate to lithium carbonate.
Lithium carbonate samples are now being for produced for potential offtake and other end user testing.
Kiran Morzaria, REM's chief executive, said that production of a battery grade lithium product was a significant step towards commercialisation at Cinovec.