Unlocking Strategic Resources in the United States

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U.S. Baseload Geothermal Power and Critical Minerals

CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen Project is situated in Imperial County, CA, within the heart of the Salton Sea Geothermal Field – one of the world’s most prolific geothermal and critical minerals resource areas.

Located ~200 miles southeast of the City of Los Angeles and ~120 miles east of the City of San Diego, the Hell’s Kitchen Project Site is close to well-established local infrastructure, roads, rail, deep-sea ports, and gateway cities.

Hell’s Kitchen represents the future of U.S. clean energy independence.

Hell’s Kitchen
Imperial County,
California

Timed to Meet Global Power and Critical Minerals Demand

CTR has invested over twelve years developing its Hell’s Kitchen Project, engaging global industry leaders in engineering, procurement, construction, and technologies to deliver its Stage 1 Project.

2012

Controlled Thermal Resources founded

2013–2015

Site selection, research, and data analysis

2016–2019

Project site secured. Initial engineering and permitting commenced

2020

Power Purchase Agreement signed with Imperial Irrigation District

2021

General Motors Strategic Investment and Offtake Agreement

2022

Offtake Agreement executed with Stellantis

2023

Stellantis invests $100+MM in CTR

2023

D&O Plant constructed. DLE at 1/15 commercial scale, successful recovery of lithium

2024

Conditional Use Permit approved for Stage 1

2024

Definitive Feasibility Study completed by Baker Hughes

Future Development

Final Investment Decision
Stage 1 Power and Lithium
Development of additional stages

A Unique and Robust Resource

The Imperial Valley forms part of the Salton Trough, a structural depression on the boundary between two tectonic plates.

Active faulting in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area (SSKGRA) produces permeable conduits for the convection of hot, mineral-rich geothermal brine.

Reservoir temperatures are among the hottest of any geothermal area in the world, with measured values up to 734°F (390°C).

Electrical generation from the SSKGRA began in 1982 and has operated for over 40 years with no major declines in pressure, temperature, or production, demonstrating a large, long-life raw-material supply source.

Definitive Feasibility Study Supports 30-Year Operating Life for Stage 1

In June 2024, Baker Hughes completed geological assessment, well modeling, and reservoir simulation to estimate geothermal power potential and lithium production for Stage 1.

The modeling followed state-of-the-art technologies and reserve/resource classification guidelines as outlined by the SEC under S-K 1300.

Stage 1 Resource Estimates:

Total Measured and Indicated Resource: 1.7 Mt Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate (LHM) at 219 ppm
Measured Category: 0.6 Mt LHM at 219 ppm
Probable Reserves: 0.9 Mt LHM at 217 ppm (30-year life)

Hell’s Kitchen will operate within the largest mineralized geothermal brine resource in the United States

According to an assessment from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 'Geothermal Lithium Resource at Salton Sea, 2023', the Salton Sea Geothermal Reservoir is estimated to contain a proven lithium resource of 4.1 million metric tons of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) and a probable lithium resource of 18 million metric tons of LCE.

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      4.1 million 
metric tonnes
      Proven Lithium Resource (LCE)
    

      Equivalent to
      90 million
      Tesla Model S
    

      18 million 
metric tonnes
      Probable Lithium Resource (LCE)
    

      Equivalent to
      375 million
      Tesla Model S
    

  “The timely development and rapid scale-up of these crucial domestic resources will set new global standards in supply chain integration and create thousands of good-paying jobs in the United States.”

– Rod Colwell, Chief Executive Officer

Demonstration and Optimization Plant Delivers 95-97% Lithium Recovery

CTR operated an onsite Demonstration and Optimization Facility to identify optimum operating conditions for the brine conditioning and DLE process circuits using geothermal brine from its Stage 1 production wells.

Operation of the brine conditioning system successfully produced stable, high-quality brine feed for Direct Lithium Extraction, via adsorption process.

The facility included the operation of a 1/15th-scale DLE circuit.

DLE results of 95-97% lithium recovery were confirmed.

Key Benefits of Integrated Power and Lithium Hydroxide Production

Steam separation from brine uses conventional technologies

Renewable steam is used to concentrate lithium solution

Integrated brine purification and lithium conversion maximizes efficiency

Conversion of lithium chloride eluate to hydroxide uses conventional process

Water is recycled to minimize consumption

Geothermal resource produces consistent feed brine composition

CTR's Resource Resilience

In comparison to ‘pure play’ lithium projects, CTR will generate income streams from multiple resources, including baseload power, lithium, silica, and metal concentrates. CTR is investigating additional critical minerals production, including potassium, magnesium, and rare earth elements (REE).

The Idaho National Laboratory completed a report in May 2023: ‘Rare Earth Elements in CTR’s Salton Sea Geothermal Brine’. The report identified minerals occurring in abundant quantities and elements requiring further investigation to confirm economic concentrations.

       Occurs in Abundant Quantities
    

       Investigating Economic Concentrations
    
Lanthanides
Actinides
H
He
LiLithium
No. 3
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Be
BBoron
No. 5
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
C
N
O
F
Ne
NaSodium
No. 11
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
MgMagnesium
No. 12
Investigating Economic Concentrations
Al
SiSilicon
No. 14
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
P
S
ClChlorine
No. 17
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Ar
KPotassium
No. 19
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
CaCalcium
No. 20
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
ScScandium
No. 21
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
TiTitanium
No. 22
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
V
Cr
MnManganese
No. 25
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
FeIron
No. 26
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
CoCobolt
No. 27
Investigating Economic Concentrations
NiNikel
No. 28
Investigating Economic Concentrations
CuCopper
No. 29
Investigating Economic Concentrations
ZnZinc
No. 30
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
GaGallium
No. 31
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Ge
AsArsenic
No. 33
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Se
BrBromine
No. 35
Investigating Economic Concentrations
Kr
RbRubidium
No. 37
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
SrStrontium
No. 38
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
YYttrium
No. 39
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Zr
Nb
Mo
Tc
Ru
Rh
Pd
AgSilver
No. 47
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
CdCadmium
No. 48
Investigating Economic Concentrations
In
Sn
Sb
IIodine
No. 53
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Te
Xe
CsCesium
No. 55
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
BaBarium
No. 55
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
 LaLanthanum
No. 57
Investigating Economic Concentrations
Hf
Ta
W
Re
Os
Ir
Pt
Au
Hg
TlThallium
No. 81
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
PbLead
No. 82
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
Bi
Po
At
Rn
Fr
Ra
Ac
Rf
Db
Sg
Bh
Hs
Mt
Ds
Rg
Cn
Nh
Fl
Mc
Lv
Ts
Og
LaLanthanum
No. 57
Investigating Economic Concentrations
CeCerium
No. 58
Investigating Economic Concentrations
PrPraseodymium
No. 60
Investigating Economic Concentrations
NdNeodymium
No. 59
Investigating Economic Concentrations
Pm
SmSamarium
No. 62
Investigating Economic Concentrations
EuEuropium
No. 63
Occurs in Abundant Quantities
GdGadolinium
No. 64
Investigating Economic Concentrations
TbTerbium
No. 65
Investigating Economic Concentrations
DyDysprosium
No. 66
Investigating Economic Concentrations
HoHolmium
No. 67
Investigating Economic Concentrations
ErErbium
No. 68
Investigating Economic Concentrations
TmThulium
No. 69
Investigating Economic Concentrations
YbYtterbium
No. 70
Investigating Economic Concentrations
LuLuteium
No. 71
Investigating Economic Concentrations
Ac
Th
Pa
U
Np
Pu
Am
Cm
Bk
Cf
Es
Fm
Md
No
Lr