Robust Operational Results from Lithium Facility Strengthen Summit Nanotech’s Commercial DLE Readiness

/EIN News/ -- DENVER, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Summit Nanotech Corporation (“Summit”) is proud to announce the one-year operating anniversary of its US direct lithium extraction (DLE) system, which integrates commercial-height columns and high-performance sorbent. The process includes a unique method of flow sequencing, which delivers high efficiency and reliability levels that are not possible in conventional ‘simulated moving bed’ (SMB) processes. Over the past year, the system has played a pivotal role in advancing Summit’s DLE technology, denaLi™, for commercial-scale deployment. It has enabled a direct translation of operating parameters to Summit's field demonstration plant in Chile.

The Colorado DLE facility recently processed brines from a major South American salar, yielding impressive metrics and setting new performance benchmarks for the industry:

• Lithium recovery rate: >98%
• TDS rejection rate: >95%
• DLE-specific water makeup: 7 m³/t-LCE
  

This operational milestone follows independent, third-party testing of Summit’s proprietary sorbent, showing significantly higher capacity and a higher concentration product compared to leading competitors.

“All of these data support the commercial readiness of our lithium-selective sorbent and denaLi™ system,” said Amanda Hall, CEO and Founder of Summit. “We worked hard to get our DLE right, and that work has paid off, putting us in a leading position on all-in lithium cost.”

Looking ahead, the facility is now preparing to process live brine from the Smackover formation in the southern United States, which will further validate the versatility and efficiency of Summit’s technology across diverse assets.

Joe Arencibia, President & COO of Summit said, “Operating our Colorado facility at commercial-level complexity has allowed us to validate our DLE process on real-world brine. Our denaLi™ platform has delivered consistent results and it’s ready for scaled, global deployment.”

In the past year, the facility has drawn significant attention from across the lithium ecosystem, hosting visits from investors, industrial partners, university researchers, government, and industry associations. The steady flow of high-profile visitors highlights growing industry confidence in Summit’s technology.

DLE Done Right

Summit Nanotech has developed and deployed one of the most reliable and efficient direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies on the market. Its modular system and high-performance sorbent, engineered in North America and designed for commercial complexity, produce high-purity lithium from brines in Chile, Argentina, and the United States, with industry-leading water efficiency.

Summit is operating a field demonstration plant in northern Chile and a multi-column system in Colorado that enables rapid testing, process development, and sorbent optimization on customer feedstocks.

Summit is actively developing sorbent and technology supply agreements for projects over 5 kT/y LCE and scaling production to meet global demand. Learn more about how the denaLi™ platform reduces project costs, increases recovery rates, and delivers the lowest levelized cost of lithium at www.summitnanotech.com.

Media Contact:
Kristen Gray
Manager, Communications & Investor Relations
kristen.gray@summitnanotech.com

Commercial Sales:

Rodrigo Mery
Manager, Business Development
rodrigo.mery@summitnanotech.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a1434ff6-8e90-46ac-b78e-82749369318d