Standard Lithium Provides Pilot Plant and Process Testing Update

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLL) (OTCQX:STLHF) (FRA:S5L) is pleased to provide an update of the extensive process testing work and pilot plant design being performed by the Company’s Scientific Advisory Team.  The Scientific Advisory Team and other technology vendors have been testing raw lithium brines from Standard Lithium’s Projects in California and Arkansas using a new generation of lithium-selective sorbent technologies.  Data gathered from mini-pilot scale testing has demonstrated highly-effective separation of lithium from other cations in the raw brine, in line with previously published and peer-reviewed studies, and has also demonstrated that the solid sorbent materials can be simply made using standard commercial manufacturing processes.  Work has also been completed to test varying physical methods by which raw brine can be mixed with the lithium-selective material to optimise lithium removal.  Testing is ongoing and will be used in the full-scale pilot design (see below).

Standard Lithium is also pleased to announce that they have engaged Zeton Inc. to design and build the full-scale continuous pilot plant for deployment in southern Arkansas.  Zeton Inc. is based in Burlington, Ontario, and is the largest designer and builder of modular pilot/demo scale plants in the world, having completed over 800 projects in over 35 countries.  Design basis engineering has commenced, and it is expected that construction of the various modules will commence in the second half of 2018.

President and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Andy Robinson, commented, “Standard’s Scientific Advisory Team has been extremely busy over the last six months developing and adapting existing brine processing technologies to integrate modern lithium-selective technologies; both constructing new mini-pilot scale facilities, as well as working with other third-party technology vendors.  We’re now in a position where we have demonstrated proof-of-concept for these technologies and can optimise process flowsheets for the Arkansas and California lithium brines.  We’re also delighted to be working with the team at Zeton Inc. and benefitting from their huge depth of experience when it comes to designing and building continuously operated, fully integrated modular Pilot Plants.  In order to effectively manage the Pilot Plant design and build process, we’ve also added significant senior engineering bench strength to Standard’s team, and we look forward to providing more information on the Pilot Plant progress and flowsheet performance as we move through 2018.”

Standard Lithium CEO, Robert Mintak, commented, “The agreements and business relationships Standard Lithium has struck over the past year have allowed us to fast-track our development timeline.  Securing projects with existing permitted brine producers has allowed us access to bulk volumes of raw brine from both of our project areas to conduct process work.  Our approach is to intelligently use existing technologies as much as possible and apply project-specific innovations where appropriate; this way, we are not trying to force a technology on the project, but rather to allow the project fundamentals to define the flowsheet.”

Quality Assurance

Dr. Ron Molnar, Professional Metallurgical Engineer (Ontario P.E.# 100111288), is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release.  Dr. Molnar is independent of the Company.

About Standard Lithium Ltd.

Standard’s value creation strategy encompasses acquiring a diverse and highly prospective portfolio of large-scale domestic brine resources, led by an innovative and results-oriented management team with a strong focus on technical skills and modern brine processing technologies.  The Company is currently engaged in the exploration and resource development of the Bristol Dry Lake Lithium Project located in the Mojave region of San Bernardino County, California; the location has significant infrastructure in-place, with easy road and rail access, abundant electricity and water sources, and is already permitted for extensive brine extraction and processing activities.  The Company is also rapidly conducting resource evaluation on up to 33,000 acres of brine leases located in the Smackover Formation in Southern Arkansas.

Standard Lithium is listed on the TSX Venture under the trading symbol “SLL”; quoted on the OTCQX under the symbol “STLHF”; and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol “S5L”.  Please visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com.

For further information, contact Anthony Alvaro at (604) 240 4793                  

On behalf of the Board,

Standard Lithium Ltd.

Robert Mintak, CEO & Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information.  These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information.  Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties.  Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Readers are cautioned that a “Qualified Person” (as that term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) has not done sufficient work to specify any mineral resource or reserve on the Properties.

Released March 26, 2018