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Quarterly Activities Report – June Quarter 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bitterwasser Lithium Project: Final assay results for remaining 32 of the 64 holes drilled over the Eden Pan on a 500m grid received
- Bitterwasser Lithium Project: Regional investigation into Bitterwasser Lithium-in-clay and Lithium-in-brines minerals system defined extensive tectonic rift-related fault structures in a closed basin (the Kalkrand half-graben), similar to Clayton Valley in Nevada1
- Kum-Kum Nickel Project: Historical core samples obtained during investigation were sampled and returned the first known record of PGE and Au mineralisation in the ultramafic units of the Tantalite Valley Complex. The best results indicated mineralisation of2:
- 0.71% Ni, 0.28% Cu, 0.84 g/t Pd and 0.4 g/t Pt in orthopyroxenite
- 0.58% Ni, 0.30% Cu, 0.69 g/t Pd, 0.31 g/t Pt and 0.26% Au in orthopyroxenite
- Swanson Tantalum Project: Mineral Resource update delivers an estimate for a total indicated and inferred resource of 2.59Mt (an increase of 115%) at an average grade of 486 ppm Ta2O5 (an increase of 17.9%), 73 ppm Nb2O5 and 0.15 % Li2O.3 An Environmental Clearance Certificate and Mining Licence was also issued for the project.
1 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 09 May 2022 titled “Regional study advances work program for district scale Lithium in brines”
2 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 09 May 2022 titled “Kum-kum nickel project mineral systems approach results”
3 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 06 May 2022 titled “JORC Mineral Resource at Swanson Tantalum project doubles in size
SUMMARY OF MINING EXPLORATION FOR THE QUARTER
Bitterwasser Lithium Project
Assay results for the outstanding 32 drill holes from the 64-hole follow-up auger drilling campaign completed on 9 February 20224 over the Eden Pan was received during the quarter. All the drill holes commenced in the mineralised Upper Brown Clay Unit and every hole, except two drill holes where thin clay units were intercepted at the edges of the Eden Pan, were sampled from top to bottom up to a depth of 9.60m. Notably, the entire sequence of the drill holes sampled (i.e. Upper Brown Clay Unit and Middle Green Glay Unit) returned lithium mineralisation5.
The Middle Green Clay Unit, lithologically named the Middle-Unit (MU), comprises the dominant lithological unit from which the maiden Mineral Resource6 was derived. This green clay unit was intersected in 18 of the 32 drill holes from which assay results were received and extended from a depth of 1.4 m below surface to the maximum End-of-Hole (EOH) depth of 9.60m. A total of 43 holes from the 64-hole follow-up auger drilling campaign intersected the Middle Green Clay Unit at similar depths.
Figure1: Stacked cross section of the Eden Pan depicting drill-hole interpretation with reference to the existing Mineral Resource (green layers) and clay units intercepted in the follow-up auger drilling program.
4 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 10 March 2022 titled “Encouraging lithium drilling assay results at Bitterwasser”.
5 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 2 May 2022 titled “Final Lithium Drilling assay results at Bitterwasser”.
6 Refer to ASX Announcement dated 3 November 2021 titled “Arcadia acquires lithium project with JORC Mineral Resources”.
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This article includes content from Arcadia 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.
Kum-Kum Nickel Project Mineral Systems Approach Results
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch concluded a Minerals Systems Approach investigation over the Kum-Kum Ni-Cu-PGE Project Licenses
- During the investigation several historical documents containing exploration results over the Kum-Kum Project were discovered, which reported best historical borehole intersections from three boreholes drilled by Rio Tinto Exploration, Tantalite Valley Minerals and Southern Sphere between 1972 and 1976 as follows:
- 16.00 m @ 0.65% Ni, 0.16% Cu
- 6.00 m @ 0.61% Ni, 0.30% Cu
- 2.44 m @ 0.62% Ni, 0.30% Cu
- Historical core samples obtained were sampled and returned the first known record of PGE and Au mineralisation in the ultramafic units of the Tantalite Valley Complex. The best results indicated mineralisation of:
- 0.71% Ni, 0.28% Cu, 0.84 g/t Pd and 0.4 g/t Pt in orthopyroxenite
- 0.58% Ni, 0.30% Cu, 0.69 g/t Pd, 0.31 g/t Pt and 0.26% Au in orthopyroxenite
- The primary magmatic sulphides comprise of coarse-grained pentlandite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite
- Whole rock geochemistry highlights the geochemical similarities between the TVC and the Kum-Kum complexes. The TVC crystallized as a mafic/ultramafic layered intrusion and likely from a primitive mantle-derived parental magma.
Philip le Roux, the CEO of Arcadia stated:
“Historical drilling results reporting high values of Nickel and Copper mineralisation attracted us to the Kum-Kum Project. From the work done by the team from the University of Stellenbosch it is evident that PGE and Au mineralisation is also present and that we are looking at a geological environment that possibly could contain a stratiform Ni-Cu-PGE disseminated sulphide ‘reef’ horizon. The prospect of possibly discovering a polymetallic (Ni, Cu, Au & PGE’s) deposit has increased the allure of the KumKum Project for us, which we will eagerly follow up with further exploration. The results of the study will assist the Company to focus its exploration efforts in order to define drill targets.”
Mineral Systems Approach Results
The Tantalite Valley Complex (TVC) has been subject to a geological study by a team from Arcadia and the University of Stellenbosch involving two field sampling campaigns (8 days; 94 field samples collected) augmented with detailed consideration of historical drill core segments (57 samples), and supporting data from historical records, hyperspectral mapping, and stream sediment sampling.
Collected field- and core- samples were subjected to a suite of analytical protocols including reflected- and transmitted-light optical petrography, whole-rock major and trace element chemistry, precious metal assays, sulphur isotope analyses, scanning electron microscopy with associated spectrometries and in-situ Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of individual sulphide grains. Together, these results provide novel insights into the known mineralisation and prospectively of the TVC.
The TVC is a ~7 km long by 3.3 km wide and roughly oval-shaped mafic-ultramafic complex representing a fault-bound block inside a dextral Pofadder Shear Zone (PSZ) that cuts across southern Namibia. Existing geochronology places the TVC as a ~1.2 Ga intrusion and roughly coeval with a Kum Kum Klippe mafic complex that is located roughly 40 km south-east and along the strike of the PSZ.
Whole rock geochemistry highlights the geochemical similarities between the TVC and the Kum Kum suite, but with the former uniquely showing much stronger geochemical evidence for overwhelmingly cumulate rocks. This implies that the TVC crystallized as a significant mafic/ultramafic layered intrusion and likely from a primitive mantle-derived parental magma that originated from a metasomatized mantle.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Arcadia 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.
HMW Project Achieves 1,000t LCE Contained Inventory as Lithium Chloride Production Journey on Track
HMW Project Update
- Pond 1 and 2 evaporation continues; approx 1,000t LCE contained inventory
- Pond 3 earthworks almost complete, liner installation at 60% and filling of pond 3 commenced; Pond 4 earthworks have commenced
- Overall project completion now at 33%, with pond construction 45% complete; project execution is advancing as planned
- Aligning with the physical progress of the project, capital expenditure also sits at 33% of the Phase 1 budget
- Key processing parameters; average brine flow rate, average Li grade from wells and evaporation rates in line with the Feasibility Study. The project remains on track to commence production in H1 2025
- Opportunities to reduce the Capex and Opex for HMW Phase 1 identified; engineering and procurement teams working to quantify these opportunities within the next two months
- Low all-in sustaining costs; HMW is expected to be in the 1st quartile of lithium industry’s cost curve with an initial reserve estimate of 40 years
- Phase 2 Operating cost to LiCl concentrate of $US3,510/t LCE equates to a low Li2O equivalent operating cost of SC6 (Spodumene Concentrate) $US310/t-$US350/t; solid production margins at current spot prices
- Following the recent agreement signed with the Catamarca government, offtake and funding discussions are advancing; Glencore due diligence process continues.
Overall completion of the HMW project now sits at 33% with the ponds system already at 45% completion. Approximately 600,000 m2 of evaporation area has now been built, currently housing 1,000t LCE contained inventory. This evaporation area is sufficient to produce a lithium chloride volume of approximately 2.4 ktpa LCE. The key processing parameters, including raw brine well average flow rates, Li grades and evaporation rates are all aligned with the Phase 1 DFS. Based on the rate of construction and the results achieved to date, the HMW project remains on track to start production in H1 2025.
In addition, Galan’s team are analysing options to reduce capital expenditure, these opportunities are focussed on selecting the minimum infrastructure required to commence production of Phase 1. Multiple trade-off exercises are being assessed such as the analysis of rental options for energy supply, reduction of the size for selected buildings, usage of independent smaller control systems, instead of a larger central control system for all facilities.
As previously announced, the HMW project was separated into four production phases. The initial Phase 1 Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) focused on the production of 5.4ktpa LCE of a lithium chloride concentrate by H1 2025, as governed by the approved production permits. The Phase 2 DFS targets 21ktpa LCE of a lithium chloride concentrate in 2026, followed by Phase 3 production of 40ktpa LCE by 2028 and finally a Phase 4 production target of 60ktpa LCE by 2030. Phase 4 will include lithium brine sourced from both HMW and Galan’s other 100% owned project in Argentina, Candelas. The very positive Phase 2 DFS results were announced on 3 October 2023 (https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/GLN/02720109.pdf).
Ponds 1 and 2 completed with evaporation continuing
Pond 3 liner installation and Pond 4 earthworks
Galan’s Managing Director, Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, commented:
“We are very proud of the solid progress being made by the HMW Phase 1 construction team. With more than one third of the project completion now achieved, Galan is well on its way towards its targeted commencement of production in H1 2025. Galan would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the Government of the Catamarca Province in Argentina for their continued support, evidenced by the recent agreement signed to commercialise lithium chloride concentrate from HMW. We are excited about the opportunities this agreement now presents to Galan’s future”
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This article includes content from Galan Lithium, 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.
Quarterly Activities Report to 31 March 2024
HIGHLIGHTS
- First phase of drilling completed at Abbotts North Project (Buttamiah Prospect), WA, with 11 RC holes drilled totaling 1,623m
- Assay results from Abbotts North confirm continuation of LCT system and delineate targets to north and east
- Montague field work commenced identifying abundant newly mapped pegmatites
- Field programs planned at Montague, Yalgoo and Abbotts North for June Quarter
- Demerger transaction completed 25 January 2024
- Transition underway to new leadership team at PLC to align with new strategy
Safety and Environment
Premier1 conducted field exploration activity with no reportable ESG related incidents in the quarter.
Abbotts North Project
Premier1 successfully completed the first phase drilling program at Abbotts North, located 35km north of Meekatharra, Western Australia. The program was completed on time and under budget. A total of 11 RC holes for 1,623m were drilled to test the main outcropping pegmatites at the Buttamiah Prospect.
Nine of 11 drill holes intercepted pegmatites of on average 1 to 3m and locally up to 4m thickness hosted within an amphibolite unit. Occasionally, lepidolite has been identified and further analyses are planned to determine the presence of spodumene in the system. Assays were released subsequent to the end of the quarter. The results show elevated lithium across the stacked pegmatites of up to 0.41% Li2O, confirming the continuation of the LCT system down depth and along strike.
Additional studies of the outcropping pegmatites in the larger Buttamiah Prospect area including fractionation vectoring using K/Rb ratios suggest the core of the system to be located to the east of the previous drilling. In addition, the data indicate that LCT pegmatites occur within the granites to the north of the drill area. Further mapping and sampling of pegmatites in these areas as well as over the remaining tenement package has commenced. Focus is to delineate drill targets of higher grades and thicknesses that have the potential to form a significant lithium deposit within the existing LCT system.
Figure 1: Cross-section of intercepted pegmatites showing significant results >0.05% Li2O.
Premier1 also completed a soil geochemistry program at the Abbotts North project for a total of 600 samples. Factor analysis (FA) was employed with the purpose of identifying multielement signatures within the soil assay samples which may be indicative of Li mineralisation. The work was successful in identifying spatial and geochemical associations between lithium mineralisation and mapped geology.
Montague Project
Premier1 commenced pegmatite mapping and rock chip sampling at the Montague lithium project. The Company has identified abundant new pegmatites along a mafic-ultramafic and siliclastic sequence of the greenstone belt up to 1km west of the main granite contact to the east. Potassium-Rubidium (K/Rb) ratios defined at least two areas of interest that showed high fractionation of below 40 that indicate prospectivity for Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites.
The recently commenced first phase of field mapping and sampling has identified pegmatites in these two areas of interest. Occasionally, green mica has been identified and a first set of samples has been sent to the lab. Feldspar samples were taken of all newly mapped pegmatites to determine fractionation trends for further target vectoring and identification of potential drill targets for the second half of 2024.
The project covers the south-eastern portion of the Gum Creek Greenstone Belt which consists of early–mid Archean greenstone belts, intruded by late Archean granitoids and overlain by sporadic Proterozoic metasediments. Vast areas of Cainozoic sediments and transported regolith cover the region. Margins of the belt are typically dominated by contact-metamorphosed basalts and banded iron formations.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Premier1 Lithium, 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.
Forward Water Technologies
Overview
Forward Water Technologies (TSXV:FWTC) is helping lithium mining companies and other industries reduce their environmental impact through its innovative wastewater treatment technology that enables industrial operations to reduce liquid waste volume by up to 95 percent.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings continue to be a key business strategy for organizations as they impact public perception and partnership possibilities. For water-intensive industries, such as mining, sustainable wastewater management is critical.
Transformative wastewater technologies are critical for both businesses and the world’s population. In fact, unless sufficient progress is achieved, UNICEF and WHO estimate that 1.6 billion people will be without access to safe drinking water by 2030, and 2.8 billion will be without access to safe sanitation and hygiene. Water treatment technologies can disrupt current trends and improve global access to safe drinking water.
Through its Forward Osmosis (FO) technology, Forward Water is providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional wastewater disposal. Traditionally, wastewater disposal requires transporting untreated wastewater for deep well disposal or high-intensity thermal treatment.
Forward Water’s FO system is installed at the client site, and wastewater is treated to reduce waste volume and produce valuable clean water for reuse in the manufacturing process. Then, the significantly reduced volume of wastewater is transported and disposed of, significantly saving on transportation and disposal costs.
The FO technology targets three massive sectors: industrial wastewater, mining and food manufacturing. Forward Water’s unique and patented FO technology achieves high-rate water extraction within a low-energy continuous process. The process reduces waste and allows up to 95 percent water recovery, ready for reuse.
Forward Water’s Li-FO™ technology is ideal for lithium-brine mining operations, allowing mines to “fine tune” brine sources to improve concentration by up to 20 times. This results in improved recovery and makes lower-concentration brines economically viable. Forward Water is currently embarking on an early development testing project to further evaluate and refine the technology’s viability in lithium mining.
In 2023, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Forward Water Technologies Inc., licensed specific intellectual property from FUJIFILM Corporation to solidify the protection of its water treatment technology platform.
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL,Frankfurt:T2N,OTC:CTLHF) has contracted FWT to provide advisory services for the support and development of CleanTech Lithium's direct lithium extraction (DLE) process in Chile. The collaboration will use FWT’s industrial forward osmosis system in the hyper-concentrating of CleanTech Lithium's eluate and its conversion into battery-grade lithium carbonate through Conductive Energy's DLE process.
Howie Honeyman, CEO, explained in an interview how the company’s technology can improve lithium mining operations. “A lot of lithium being mined today around the world is coming from underground aquifers that store the lithium brine. The challenge is that the lithium is surrounded by other minerals and salts, requiring chemical ‘tweezers’ to pluck out that lithium. What we can do is, at multiple places in that process, we can concentrate that lithium-containing water stream, which makes it far easier for these miners to handle the volumes they need to extract that lithium.”
An experienced management team with technical expertise leads the company towards further refining and deploying its technology. The team includes experts in materials science, chemistry and engineering. Additional experts in corporate administration and financing round out the leadership team to lead the company toward its goals.
Company Highlights
- Forward Water Technologies has developed a patented wastewater treatment technology that reduces wastewater volume and improves reusability across multiple industries, including mining and food manufacturing.
- The company’s Forward Osmosis (FO) technology disrupts the traditional method of wastewater disposal by reducing the amount of waste that must be transported and disposed of, directly reducing costs.
- The FO technology also improves water reusability by up to 95 percent, reducing the expense of importing water for industrial processes.
- The Forward Water Technologies Li-FO™ process is applicable in the lithium mining sector by improving concentration by up to 20 times, allowing organizations to improve extraction efficiency.
- The company has partnered with a lithium-brine extraction operation to evaluate its Li-FO™ technology.
- Forward Water Technologies is in early negotiations to deliver an FWTC forward osmosis pilot system on-site in Chile to support a customer's lithium extraction process.
- Forward Water Technologies has licensed specific intellectual property from FUJIFILM Corporation to solidify the protection of its water treatment technology platform.
- The company has been contracted by CleanTech Lithium to provide advisory services for the support and development of CleanTech Lithium's direct lithium extraction processes in Chile.
- An experienced management team with a blend of relevant technical expertise leads the company toward refining and marketing its technology.
Key Project
Forward Osmosis Water Treatment
Forward Osmosis is a naturally occurring process in which water is spontaneously drawn across a membrane when one solution is higher in salt concentration than the other. The difference in salinity, known as the osmotic gradient, creates a low-energy water treatment process.
Forward Water Technologies has leveraged the naturally occurring process to innovate its patented, three-step FO technology, enabling a 95 percent wastewater reduction and 95 percent water recovery.
Project Highlights:
- Patented Three-Step Process: Forward Water Technologies FO process achieves low-energy and high-rate water extraction with a unique three-step design:
- Water Extraction: Water is drawn across the FO membrane into a salt draw solution. The combination of the patented draw solution and unique membrane “locks” the draw solution on one side of the membrane, creating a true closed-loop process.
- Water/Salt Separation: Next, a switchable water salt (SWS) achieves water/salt separation as low-grade heat is applied, and it phases from liquid to gas. As the gas leaves the solution, clean water is left behind. The energy necessary for this step is often found in many facilities in the form of waste heat.
- Salt Draw Reconcentration: Finally, as the gas leaves the solution, it is captured within the closed-loop system and is passively cooled, causing it to phase back into liquid form as an SWS. The SWS liquid is collected and recycled back to the front of the membranes in the water extraction step, creating a continuous process.
- Widely Applicable Water Treatment: The low-energy process allows organizations across several industries to improve water reclamation and reduce wastewater by up to 95 percent. Additionally, the process allows for up to 20 times concentration, making the process amenable to lithium-brine extraction and other potential applications.
- Significant Cost Savings: The primary value proposition for the FO process is cost reduction in wastewater transportation and disposal. With the process in place, more water is reclaimed for reuse in manufacturing, which reduces the raw volume of wastewater that must be transported and disposed of.
Management Team
Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer and President
Dr. Howie Honeyman has 20 years of experience commercializing new technologies at Xerox, Cabot, E Ink, Natrix Separations and as former CTO of GreenCentre Canada. Honeyman commercialized high-capacity, high-throughput membranes for bioprocessing as SVP of Natrix Separations, which has since been acquired by Millipore-Sigma. Since 2015, Honeyman has been leading Forward Water to become a premier wastewater treatment solution. Honeyman is also an inventor of record on over 50 US patents and holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Toronto.
Michael Willetts - Chief Financial Officer
Michael Willetts has over 25 years in financial leadership roles primarily in manufacturing, from large multinational businesses to startups, both public and private. He previously worked as an engineer in the automotive industry before entering into finance at Ford Motor Company. Willets went on to progressively larger finance roles in several international automotive suppliers (Textron, GKN, DSM) and Canadian manufacturers (Armtec, Stronach International, AirBoss of America). Willetts is currently providing fractional CFO services through WD Numeric Corporate Services in the manufacturing, SaaS and cannabis industries. Willetts graduated with a BASc, BComm and MBA from the University of Windsor.
Wayne Maddever - Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Wayne Maddever received his Ph.D. in materials science engineering from the University of Toronto. Since 1985, he has held senior executive management positions with technically based businesses in start-up, turnaround or acquisition situations where his skills in change management have brought considerable success in the commercialization of new technologies. His experience in both private and public companies, domestically and internationally, spans a broad variety of industries, including bio and advanced materials, precision manufacturing, recycling, waste-to-energy and medical devices. He holds a number of patents in several fields. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. In addition to his duties as COO of Forward Water, he is currently portfolio manager at Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, one of the major shareholders of Forward Water.
Grant Thornley - VP Engineering Solution Sales
Grant Thornley is a business strategist with more than 25 years of experience. He has developed and grown international water/wastewater markets through innovative growth hacking techniques and processes, synergized with product development and positioning, data analytics and acceleration of go-to-market strategies through alliances and partnerships. Having expertise in chemical, mechanical and biological treatment processes as well as designing hundreds of municipal and industrial applications, Thornley brings a knowledge-to-action approach to helping clients solve problems and realize new opportunities in water reuse, energy conservation and CO2 reduction.
Leonard Seed - Director of Engineering & Operations
Leonard Seed has over 18 years of experience developing and commercializing new water and wastewater treatment technologies, primarily in a start-up environment. Seed is named as an inventor on over seven patents and has authored several publications. Seed is a professional engineer and has an MSc in environmental engineering from the University of Guelph. Leonard holds inventorship on seven US patents and is an instructor at Mohawk College teaching aspects of water treatment technologies and leading research efforts on forward osmosis.
Philip Jessop - Executive Research Director
Dr. Philip Jessop is a professor and Canada Research Chair of Green Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He also serves as the technical director of GreenCentre Canada and executive research director at Forward Water Technologies. After his Ph.D. (British Columbia, 1991) and a postdoctoral appointment (Toronto, 1992), he became a contract researcher in Japan working for R. Noyori (Nobel Prize 2001). As a professor at the University of California-Davis (1996-2003) and since then at Queen’s, he has studied green solvents and the chemistry of carbon dioxide. Distinctions include the NSERC Polanyi Award (2008), Killam Research Fellowship (2010), Canadian Green Chemistry & Engineering Award (2012), Eni Award (2013), Fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada (2013), a Canada Research Chair Tier 1 (2013 to 2020), and the NSERC Brockhouse Prize (2019). He serves as chair of the editorial board for the journal Green Chemistry, has chaired three international conferences, and helped create GreenCentre Canada, a national center of excellence for the commercialization of green chemistry technologies. Forward Water is a spin-off company based on Dr. Jessop’s switchable solvents.