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E3 Lithium Ltd. has completed well development and pump installation for its Clearwater Project Demonstration Facility in south-central Alberta and is now preparing to begin Phase 2 operations, a step aimed at collecting final technical inputs for the project’s feasibility work.
As outlined on March 9, 2026, Phase 2’s two main goals are to complete a reservoir production test to further delineate flow through the Leduc Reservoir and to collect water and gas chemistry data.
The reservoir test is intended to inform the Reservoir Development Plan (RDP), which is currently being completed. The RDP will support a well and pipeline network design used for well and pipeline permitting. The brine and gas data collected during the phase will be used to design the inlet and gas separation for the commercial facility.
The company said the information gathered from this work represents some of the last technical data required for the Feasibility Study that E3 is working through for the Clearwater Project.
As is standard in the industry, E3 submitted a Directive 51 application once the wells were completed. Following receipt of its licence, the site is expected to begin operations for Phase 2, which are expected to run for 8–12 weeks before moving to Phase 3.
Work completed to date at the Demonstration Facility has been supported in part by $5 million in funding provided by Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA).
In parallel with Phase 2 operations, E3 is setting up Phase 3, which focuses on Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) testing and is the final phase of the Demonstration Facility.
Phase 3 includes operation of the 30-column DLE system paired with purification/carbonation equipment that was commissioned during Phase 1, as well as construction and operation of a full commercial-size single DLE column.
Over the course of the summer, E3 will procure equipment for and build out the single-column unit. The build-out is supported through Government of Canada Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI) funding of $36.5 million, which was conditionally approved and announced on March 2, 2026.
E3 said Phase 2 is focused on acquiring necessary engineering data, while Phase 3 is intended to provide a real-world proof of concept for producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from brine.
Phase 3 of the Demo is expected to produce nearly 100 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in lithium chloride, which the company will use to support its offtake discussions.
The company also said operating the DLE technology at 1:1 scale with brine moving “live” through the process is designed to validate key parameters for financial institutions, strategic partners, off-takers and the government. E3 said this will form a critical component to secure project financing for the Clearwater Project’s first phase, which is expected to produce 12,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate.
E3 Lithium is a development company with total measured and indicated resources of 21.2 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 0.3 Mt LCE inferred mineral resources in Alberta.
The Clearwater Pre-Feasibility Study outlined a 1.13 Mt LCE proven and probable mineral reserve with a pre-tax NPV(8%) of USD 5.2 billion and a 29.2% IRR, and an after-tax NPV(8%) of USD 3.7 billion and a 24.6% IRR.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Chris Doornbos, President, CEO & Chair, E3 Lithium Ltd.
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