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Zinnwald Lithium plc / EPIC: ZNWD.L / Market: AIM / Sector: Mining

17 October 2023

Zinnwald Lithium and Metso Advance Joint Testwork Program

Zinnwald Lithium plc ('Zinnwald Lithium'), the European focused lithium company developing the integrated Zinnwald Lithium Project (the 'Project') in Germany is pleased to announce that, in conjunction with Metso, it continues to make excellent progress developing the beneficiation plant concept for the integrated Zinnwald Lithium Project located near to Dresden, Germany. This unique project, which is situated in the heart of the European chemical and automotive industries, is designed to supply battery grade lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to the electric vehicle battery sector.

Metso was engaged to assist Zinnwald Lithium with its Definitive Feasibility Study in early 2022.  Since then, the two companies have been working on developing a successful beneficiation process flowsheet based on a complete mineralogical study, batch, and locked cycle tests. The design basis of the tests considers the mixture of two distinctive lithium ore types, Albite Granite and Quartz Mica Greisen, potentially expanding the resource base considerably.

Zinnwald Lithium CEO, Anton du Plessis, commented: "Achieving resilience and sustainability for the electric vehicle battery supply chain is essential, including in Europe where over 30 new gigafactories are planned by 2030. Our vision is to build a world-leading integrated lithium hydroxide operation to support this supply chain, adhering to the highest environmental standards. We are therefore delighted with the progress being made with Metso as we look to design the best possible particle sorting, otherwise known as beneficiation process, for the plant.

"After the completion of the beneficiation pilot, we will start refinement of the calcination and hydrometallurgical flowsheet. We have partnered with Metso to develop and deliver this project as a 'one-stop shop' to reduce the need for engagement with multiple suppliers and to maximize in-house know-how in the design of the plant from Run-of-Mine to the battery-grade final product."

Mikko Rantaharju, Vice President, Hydrometallurgy at Metso added: "Metso is delighted to support Zinnwald Lithium with the development of this ambitious project. Development and supply of state-of-the-art, sustainable processes and equipment for the critical minerals required for the electric vehicle supply chain is an essential part of our minerals processing expertise."

*ENDS*

 For further information visit www.zinnwaldlithium.com or contact:

About Zinnwald Lithium plc

AIM quoted Zinnwald Lithium plc (EPIC: ZNWD.L) is focused on becoming an important supplier of lithium hydroxide to Europe's fast-growing battery sector. The Company owns 100% of the Zinnwald Lithium Project in Germany, which has an approved mining licence, is located in the heart of Europe's chemical and automotive industries and has the potential to be one of Europe's more advanced battery grade lithium projects.

About Metso

Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Metso employs over 16,000 people in close to 50 countries and sales for 2022 were circa EUR 5.3 billion. The company is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Metso is a frontrunner in providing sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries globally. By helping its customers increase their productivity, improve their energy and water efficiency and environmental performance with its process and product expertise, Metso is the partner for positive change.

Metso's solutions for battery minerals cover the entire lithium, nickel, and cobalt production chain - from the mine to battery materials and black mass recycling - with project scopes ranging from equipment packages to plant deliveries. For high-end lithium-ion battery chemicals production, Metso's expertise covers the extraction of lithium from various lithium sources up to battery-grade lithium salts.

For further information out Metso's battery minerals processing offering, please visit

www.metso.com