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Lepidolite waste dumps near Coolgardie are firming as a source of supply for Lithium Australia's large scale SiLeach pilot plant, highlighting the breakthrough advantages of the new processing technology. The waste material is looking promising after innovative ore sorting test work, which suggested the already mined material can be quickly and cheaply upgraded before being processed.

Whilst others are still furiously marching around the bush looking for lithium deposits, Lithium Australia has again jumped one step ahead of the market by raising $18m to fund two plants – one to make lithium-ion battery chemicals and another to make cathodes. The company has raised $18m with a con note issue to underwrite its evolution into a vertically integrated lithium processing business.

Lithium Australia's all-scrip takeover of the Very Small Particle Company has raced to 99.7% of acceptances within two days of opening, paving the way for the creation of a unique, end-to-end lithium battery materials business. VSPC is recognised globally for producing some of the world's most advanced battery cathode materials for lithium ion batteries.

Lithium Australia is set to become a producer of battery grade lithium chemicals and, in the process, establish its breakthrough SiLeach technology as the way of the future for the downstream lithium industry around the globe. The company has committed to build a large-scale pilot plant producing 2,500 tonnes of lithium carbonate per annum, with a view to ramping up to 10 times that production.

The Australian Patent Office has reported favourably on Lithium Australia's international patent application for SiLeach, clearing the way for protection of its breakthrough lithium processing technology in 148 countries. The local patent authority reported that SiLeach, which slashes lithium extraction costs and opens up the possibility of treating lithium waste materials, is indeed “novel, inventive, industry applicable and patentable”.

Lithium Australia is moving quickly to improve its newly defined maiden lithium resource in Germany with a diamond drilling program aimed at lifting confidence in the deposit and potentially expanding its size. Historical drilling has already shown potential to supply a 25,000 tonne per annum lithium carbonate plant for 10 years and the company is now keen to see what new drilling may reveal.

Lithium Australia have snagged their first major Lithium resource thanks to a wholly successful decision to take a close look at the unrecognised lithium potential of an historic tin mine in Saxony, Germany. The company announced a maiden resource at Sadisdorf that is capable of supplying a 25,000 tonne per annum Lithium Carbonate plant for 10 years without even drilling a hole.

Lithium Australia's plans for entering the high-value business of battery cathode materials with the acquisition of the Very Small Particle Company have been boosted by independent test results. A test lab in Germany found VSPC's cathode material, which is used to make batteries for grid-scale electricity storage, performed even better than expected.

Lithium Australia are on track to give the green light to a large scale, US$42m pilot plant for their SiLeach Lithium processing technology technology in Malaysia thanks to significant global interest in financing and offtake deals. The Perth-based technologist said off-take proceeds would be one of three principal sources of funding for the project, along with the company's +$10m in cash reserves and future R&D rebates.

Lithium Australia have successfully wrapped up due diligence on the Very Small Particle Company and see breakthrough potential in merging VSPC's patented cathode production technology with their own SiLeach process. The merger has the potential to create a single flow sheet from low-value Lithium minerals through to next generation cathode materials, with less steps than rival producers.

Reedy Lagoon Corporation have received approval to drill two exploration holes to test for Lithium brines at their Big Smoky South project in Nevada, right on the doorstep of the only producing Lithium brines mine in the US. The company have produced some compelling drill targets after geophysical surveys suggested highly conductive brines at depth, potentially rich with Lithium.

Lithium Australia shares have jumped by almost 20% on a run of positive developments, including news the company had taken a majority stake in a promising Lithium clays JV in Mexico. This followed last week's announcement of an equity deal between ASX 200 Lithium miner Galaxy Resources and a junior technology company that licenses its technology to Lithium Australia in W.A.

The seemingly insatiable global demand for Lithium has created a modern day gold rush of sorts – and everyone is looking for an edge. Those mining entrepreneurs who made their fortunes sniffing out gold, nickel and copper are now all fired up about the prospect of starting over again with Lithium. Whilst hard rock projects are popular, Lithium brines are set to star and Reedy Lagoon look to be well placed.

Poseidon Nickel has given Lithium Australia access to a major processing plant at Lake Johnston and accelerated its push into Lithium processing with Lithium Australia's breakthrough Sileach technology. Under an MOU signed this week, the companies will look to jointly explore their tenements and evaluate processing opportunities using technology belonging to both companies.

With the electric car market about to hit the stratosphere, a resurgence of interest in wind and solar energy and the phenomenal acceptance of the Lithium powered Iphone, W.A is in the box seat when it comes to Lithium driven business opportunities. The challenge for WA's mining glitterati is to also harness the downstream processing opportunities that arise from Lithium in addition to just mining and shipping it.

Early drill results from Lithium Australia's Ravensthorpe project, immediately west of the Mt Cattlin Lithium mine, have outlined a large, thick, flat-lying, potentially Lithium bearing Pegmatite. Assay results due next month will be highly anticipated after two key Lithium minerals, Spodumene and Lepidolite were visible in the drill chip samples.

An engineering study has shown that Lithium Australia's breakthrough “Sileach' Lithium processing technology could be profitable even at the pilot plant stage. The company is staring down a potentially lucrative global opportunity that would see them move around the world processing Lithium waste dumps that were previously thought to be uneconomic.

Lithium Australia's innovative "Sileach" Lithium processing technology has played a crucial role in securing a joint venture in Germany that plans to extract lithium from mica for the huge European market. The German partner in the new joint venture locked in the deal after exhaustive due diligence showed Sileach was ideal for extracting lithium from their tin deposits in Europe.

Lithium Australia's processing expertise has produced exceptional results from metallurgical testing of the Agua Fria Lithium clay prospect in Mexico, extracting up to 99% Lithium without roasting in just four hours. The result is a major boost for the economics of Agua Fria which is adjacent to the world's largest known Lithium clay deposit.

Lithium Australia's Sileach process has given its best indication yet of its breakthrough potential with the latest trials producing 99.8% Lithium Carbonate without the need to roast concentrate. The result was also achieved using a sub-economic grade of just 3.4% Li20 highlighting the potential of Sileach to bring low-grade Lithium deposits to market.

A large-scale pilot plant for Lithium Australia's revolutionary Sileach Lithium processing technology might have a much lower cost than anticipated thanks to savings identified by building it overseas. Lithium Australia says an engineering cost study by CPC Project Design has identified big savings at a potential overseas site, which will be examined more closely.

Lithium Australia's focus on technology is paying dividends with the successful trial of a newly developed portable tool that is able to measure Lithium content from core samples in the field. The analyzer overcomes the limitations of the more traditional “XRF” tool that struggles to identify Lithium and could bring a whole new perspective to the feverish global hunt for Lithium.

Lithium Australia's high hopes for their lithium clay joint venture in Mexico have been confirmed after their first drill hole at the project hit Lithium. The company, in partnership with Alix Resources, are targeting a thick bed of sediments over a strike length of five kms, right next door to Bacanora Minerals' La Ventanathe project, considered to be the world's largest Lithium clay deposit.

Lithium Australia's unquenchable appetite for Lithium feedstock is taking it into two virgin areas with hopes of opening up entirely new Lithium provinces. The company has acquired tenements in WA's Gascoyne region along strike from the Nardoo pegmatite district and permits inland from Cairns where there is no history of Lithium exploration but plenty of exciting indicators exist.

Lithium Australia have hit back at takeover target Lepidico with a new expert report that raises concerns about the independent expert report prepared as part of Lepidico's defence. The new report by Leadenhall Corporate Advisory is critical of the methodology used by Lepidico's independent expert and concluded that the report should have found the bid was fair and reasonable.

Lithium Australia's multiple tentacles have found their way into Germany with due diligence now underway on a proposed European joint venture and project farm-in. Interestingly, the project has a Tin recourse however Lithium Australia believe it might also be hosting a major Lithium discovery.

Lithium Australia have kicked off a much-anticipated drill program in Mexico with hopes of a discovery to rival the massive neighbouring Sonora deposit, which already has an off-take agreement with Tesla. Drilling began this week at the Agua Fria prospect where recent work identified a thick bed of lithium clays over a strike length of 5km and returned a number of very high assays.

Lithium Australia have lifted their stake in the Electra Lithium clay project in Mexico to 49% as they kick off a major drilling campaign. The Electra project is on the southern boundary of a giant Lithium clays project that has already signed a major off-take agreement with revered electric car manufacturer Tesla.

Lithium Australia's graphite spin-off, BlackEarth Minerals, is shaping up for an impressive ASX debut after the addition of a couple of highly prospective exploration projects in Madagascar. The new properties add to a bulging portfolio of graphite projects in Australia with the company set to float on the ASX before the end of June.

Lithium Australia have slammed as ‘false” and “misleading,' statements about their Sileach Lithium processing technology by takeover target Lepidico. Just weeks after winning a bruising settlement against Lepidico, Lithium Australia have brought back the lawyers. They are seeking to debunk Lepdico's purported claims that Sileach uses harmful hydrofluoric acid.

Lithium Australia re-wrote the corporate play book in the last couple of weeks to achieve unfettered ownership and control of their unique Lithium processing IP known as Sileach. They have been locked in mortal legal combat with Lepidico over their IP rights and just a couple of weeks after Lithium Australia launched a takeover bid for Lepidico the legal action has been settled.

Lithium Australia say they would have one of the world's largest Lithium development and exploration portfolio's under one roof if shareholders of fellow ASX listed Lithium player Lepidico accept their audacious takeover bid launched today. It would also bring together two Lithium processing technologies under one roof and end the costly IP legal battle between the parties.

Lithium Australia's exciting Lake Johnston project is looking good after a geophysical survey identified multiple new targets that could represent Lithium-bearing pegmatites lurking just below surface. Lake Johnston, 420km east of Perth, shot to prominence with the nearby discovery of the sizeable Earl Grey Lithium deposit.

Lithium Australia's share price jumped 28% following the release of test results showing that their unique, low cost Lithium processing technology might actually work. The company was able to produce almost pure battery grade Lithium Carbonate in pilot plant tests in NSW and will now turn its attention to doing the same using ore from Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora project.

Lithium Australia announced this week they were adding yet another string to their already diversified bow as the company looks to set up a Lithium recycling business from discarded Lithium-ion batteries. Lithium recycling from batteries is almost non-existent at the moment, presenting a real opportunity for Lithium Australia to carve out a niche.

Lithium Australia is turning its processing expertise to Lithium clays in Mexico, where it is earning up to 49% of a patch highly prospective ground adjacent to a project that secured a major offtake agreement with Tesla. Metallurgical testing has begun at the company's Electra project and will run in parallel with a drill program due to get underway next month.

Lithium Australia's Sileach process has successfully passed its first trial using Lithium ore from Pilbara Minerals' giant Pilgangoora project near Port Hedland. The positive results are the first step towards a potential Sileach plant being built at Pilgangoora that could add millions of dollars in value to the project by way of reduced processing costs.

Lithium Australia and Pilbara Minerals are trialing a breakthrough Lithium processing technology on concentrates from Pilbara's Lithium deposit at Pilgangoora. The marriage between one of the world's largest Lithium deposit owners and a game-changing processing technology has the potential to turn great swathes of uneconomic tonnes into economic tonnes at Pilgangoora.

ASX listed Lithium Australia have multiple balls in the air right now. The company recently announced potentially resource grade sampling at their Mexican Lithium play, the awarding of an engineering design contract for their game changing Sileach Lithium process and a priority share entitlement in the exciting upcoming Lithium float of Canadian partner Metals Tech.

Lithium Australia have expanded their tenement holdings near one of the world's largest Lithium deposits at Greenbushes in in WA and will apply their unique new exploration technology to search for additional deposits along strike. The Lithium technology and exploration company will also exercise their option to move to 49% of the exciting Electra project in Mexico.