Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) has strengthened its board with lithium processing expertise by appointing Alexander Grant as a non-executive director and technical advisor.
As a co-founder of Lilac Solutions Inc, Grant co-invented different aspects of that company’s technology for lithium extraction from brines and led work on engineering scoping studies for lithium developers.
This work includes the invention of chemical process concepts that have the potential to make Lilac’s technology a strong candidate for low-cost lithium production.
Lithium chemical processing knowledge
His appointment provides Anson with unique knowledge of lithium chemical processing.
This comes at a key time for the company as it progresses development of an industrial-scale, in-field pilot plant utilising brine from the Paradox project in the US state of Utah.
Anson intends using the plant to extract lithium chemicals from the brine for product qualification testing by battery/cathode manufacturers.
Technical advisory services
Grant’s technical advisory services will include:
• Oversight of the design, engineering and operation of chemical processes of the pilot plant; and
• Optimising the chemical processing flow sheet.
The latter comes as Anson seeks to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and assesses integrating the extraction of boron, bromine, and iodine chemicals and products into the pilot plant.
This will assist the company in discussions with prospective customers and is expected to provide input into future feasibility studies.
Grant holds engineering degrees from McGill and Northwestern universities.
READ: Anson Resources records its deepest flow of supersaturated brine from Paradox
Earlier today, Anson announced the successful fourth re-entry drilling of Clastic 31 at the Paradox project.
This resulted in a zone of heated and pressurised supersaturated brine being intersected at 6,318 feet in the Long Canyon No 2 well.
A flow rate of 35 barrels per hour of heated brine was recorded and the well continued to flow consistently for 10 hours until the horizon was temporarily shut-in.
The artesian flow of brine is the deepest result since the company began its exploration program.
Shares up 14%
Investors responded positively to today’s news with shares up almost 14% to an intra-day high of 7.4 cents.