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Lithium development company Critical Resources Limited ASX:CRR (“Critical Resources” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that, after more than a year of positive interaction and dialogue, it has executed an Agreement In Principle (AIP) with the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (“WLON”) regarding ongoing exploration and development activities at the Company’s 100%- owned Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada.
Highlights
- Agreement In Principle (AIP) follows over 18 months of positive dialogue and relationship development between the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON) and Critical Resources
- Formalises the processes and communication to ensure that the Mavis Lake Lithium Project is advanced in a mutually beneficial manner
- AIP sets the framework to achieve WLON community consent for the future development of the Mavis Lake Lithium Project
Pathway for Exploration and Development
The AIP defines how Critical Resources and WLON will work together and collaborate to allow continued exploration and project development work by the Company at Mavis Lake. It also ensures that all activities are undertaken in a respectful manner that acknowledges WLON’s connection to the land and waters in the Mavis Lake area.
The AIP formalizes what has been a very positive relationship and informal dialogue between the two groups over the past 18 months.
Moving forward, the AIP introduces structure around regular community engagement, including formal project updates and meetings between WLON and the Company. The AIP also lays the foundation for the development of an impact benefit agreement as well as achieving WLON community consent for the future development of the operation.
The AIP was formally signed at an official ceremony held in the WLON community. The ceremony was attended by Chief Clayton Wetelainen and his Council, Elders, community members and representatives from Critical Resources.
About Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation
Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation is a proud, progressive and resilient indigenous nation on the shores of what is now called Dinorwic Lake, west of the township of Dryden, Ontario, with strong roots in the traditional Anishinaabeg culture.
The ancient presence of WLON people on their land is reflected in its vast forests and countless lakes, rivers, and streams. Land and water are vital resources and connections to the WLON people.
WLON understand and support the principles of sustainable development and the economic opportunities that such sustainable development will bring to their people.
Figure 1 – Critical Resources Managing Director and WLON Chief with a ceremonial paddle (top) WLON Elders and Drummers with Members of Critical resources gather around the drum (bottom)
Chief Clayton Wetelainen, said:
“We acknowledge the importance of lithium as a critical mineral that is needed to support renewable energy and more sustainable future.
“We remain aware of the importance of developing projects in a manner that respects our lands, our water and our Elders.
“This is the first step in our journey together.”
Critical Resources Managing Director, Alex Cheeseman, said:
“Over the past 18 months, the Company has built very strong relationships with the WLON community. We engaged early, openly and respectfully.
Formalising the relationship through the AIP reflects the desire of both groups to collaborate and advance the Mavis Lake Project in a manner that is sustainable, while also ensuring that the economic benefits of the Project will have a positive impact on WLON and other First Nation Communities that hold a deep and unbroken connection to the land and waters in the area.
It was a privilege and an honour to be able to attend the official signing ceremony and we look forward to continuing to work with WLON for many years to come.”
This article includes content from Critical Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
CRR:AU
Spodumene Pegmatite Discovery at Esperança Project in Brazil Yields LIBS Results up to 4.04% Li2O
The discovery has been made during early-stage exploration programs which include project scale geological mapping, ground reconnaissance, and soil sampling. These early-stage programs remain ongoing with further results to come over the coming weeks. The discovery supports the Company’s exploration thesis and uplifts the remaining prospectivity across all three project areas: Canabrava, Caraíbas and Esperança projects.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Artisanal excavations reveal a lithium bearing pegmatite with elongate crystalline spodumene crystals up to 50cm in length
- LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) results of spodumene crystals return up to 18,800 ppm Lithium, or 4.04% Li2O
- Discovery provides walk up drill target for fully funded drilling campaign to begin Q1 2025
- Soil sampling and geological mapping continues across the Esperança, Canabrava and Caraíbas projects with further results due over the coming weeks
Lightning Minerals Managing Director Alex Biggs said, “I am highly encouraged by these results from Brazil. As I have spoken about, as a team we are committed to discovery and completing our works in a diligent and structured manner, the proof of which is in these results. The Company is progressing its projects in Brazil quickly and cost effectively and generating significant results for the business which we feel will be transformational. I am proud of and congratulate our geology teams both in Australia and Brazil who have conducted themselves in a professional and astute manner which has been crucial in making a discovery such as this. This is a great first step for us in Brazil and is testament to the prospectivity of the region as I have discussed previously. We look forward to drilling in Q1 2025 and further results to come imminently from all three project areas in Brazil. I would also like to thank our shareholders who have supported our vision and exploration strategy. As a Company we are firmly committed to the lithium thematic and firmly committed to Brazil where we see significant potential moving forwards”.
Lithium Discovery at Esperança Project
During geological mapping fieldwork conducted in mid-November 2024 field geologists encountered a previously unknown historical artisanal mine within the Esperança project area. The site presented with a small access which opened into a set of sub vertical shafts sunk several meters into schists of the Salinas formation. Upon investigation the geology team has discovered pegmatitic lithologies in the walls of the excavations, of which the suite of minerals indicates inclusion of macro crystalline (up to 50cm) elongate crystals of spodumene as shown in Figure 1(a) and Figure 1(b).
Figure 1a (left): Brazilian geologist Vitor Araujo Alves showing the spodumene rich portion of the zoned pegmatite discovered at the Esperança Property. Figure 1b (right): Large elongate spodumene crystals (Spd) up to 50cm in length showing homogeneous growth patterns amongst a quartz (Qtz) and Feldspar (Fdsp) rich matrix
The Company’s geologists have collected selective mineral specimen grab samples in sample VLM207 (Figure 2). Six separate minerals have been analysed via a SciAps Z-903 hand-held LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) device which has returned lithium endowment of up to 18,800 ppm lithium, which equates to a lithium oxide percentage of 4.04% Li2O.
The SciAps Z-903 handheld LIBS device is considered a qualitative analysis technique only and is used as an in-field preliminary check to establish if a mineral is lithium-bearing. Certified laboratory assays are required to provide accurate, quantitative analysis. A table of the six SciAps Z-903 handheld LIBS results testing the spodumene crystals is shown in Table 1. A full table of results are presented in Appendix 2, Table 2.
While the current field observations indicate that the mineral identified is a lithium-bearing mineral, the percentage of lithium produced from the LIBS analyser does not correlate to an accurate quantitative measurement of the lithium concentration of the mineral itself, or to the overall grade of the pegmatite.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Lightning Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
