E3 Lithium has executed a contribution agreement with the Canadian Government’s Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) for C$4.4m in non-repayable funding for the Clearwater project in Alberta, Canada.
This investment is earmarked for preconstruction activities at the project, including the energy infrastructure and transportation facilities development and engagement initiatives to support the project’s demonstration facility and feasibility study.
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Under the terms of the agreement, E3 Lithium will be reimbursed for half of the eligible expenses, up to the total allocation of C$4.4m.
Earlier this month, E3 Lithium received conditional approval for up to C$4.7m in funding from the CMIF. The reduction in the finalised amount reflects a minor scope and cost adjustment for part of the project.
E3 Lithium president and CEO Chris Doornbos said: “E3 Lithium is advancing a new industry in the province of Alberta and this funding supports the design and advancement of some of the infrastructure needed to support the Clearwater project.
“This investment supports E3’s development and also opens new opportunities for the province and Canada to be a leader in critical minerals.”
The Clearwater project contains a proven mineral reserve of 1.29 million tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM).
E3 Lithium plans to extract lithium from brine hosted in the Leduc and Nisku reservoirs using a closed-loop system of deep wells and pipelines.
The system will include a central processing facility that will refine the extracted lithium using direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. It will enable the production of up to 32,250 tonnes per annum (tpa) of battery-grade LHM.
The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy seeks to accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy by fostering critical mineral development through a collaborative and flexible approach with partners nationwide and globally.
The CMIF, a pivotal component of this strategy, is offering up to C$1.5bn in federal funding until 2030 to bridge infrastructure gaps and facilitate sustainable critical minerals production.
E3 Lithium has received approximately C$41.9m in support from provincial and federal governments since 2017.
