CLEANTECH LITHIUM PLC - Dialling in from Australia

Cleantech Lithium PLC provided an investor update highlighting progress towards the approval of its Chilean mining sale agreement, planned ASX listing and development of its lithium project portfolio. The company expects the sale agreement to progress through the Controller General’s Office, with final approval anticipated in the coming weeks, subject to the regulatory process. Approval will enable Cleantech Lithium to lodge its Australian prospectus, with ASX admission targeted before the end of 2026 to increase investor exposure, broaden analyst coverage and potentially address the valuation discount to listed lithium peers. Laguna Verde remains the company’s flagship project and development priority, with the board initiating preparation of its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a critical step towards production. The EIA is expected to take approximately 12 months to prepare, with submission targeted for the end of 2027. Cleantech Lithium also reported positive Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) test results, successfully completing the end-to-end process from extraction to lithium carbonate in Chile using its pre-feasibility study flowsheet. The company produced approximately 5kg of high-purity lithium carbonate, with purity ranging from 99.69% to 99.75%, supporting the technical assumptions underpinning its development plans. In Argentina, the company has secured exploration licences at the Antofalla salar, one of the country’s largest undeveloped lithium salars, strengthening its regional resource growth strategy. Subject to environmental permitting, Cleantech Lithium plans to undertake two exploration drill holes in 2027 at an estimated cost of $500,000, with the aim of establishing an initial mineral resource. The company’s longer-term strategy centres on building a regional lithium resource base around Laguna Verde, with the potential for a centralised processing facility near Copiapó to generate operational synergies. Together, regulatory progress, technical validation, exploration opportunities and the proposed ASX listing represent key milestones in Cleantech Lithium’s growth strategy.