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Colina West Continues To Grow With High‐grade Zone Extended To Over 500M Along Strike
2023 drilling campaign gathering momentum with seven diamond drilling rigs currently on‐site drilling
Latin Resources Limited (ASX: LRS) (“Latin” or “the Company”) is pleased to provide the latest assay results and an update on the progress of the 2023 drilling campaign at the Company’s 100% owned Colina Lithium Deposit (“Colina”) located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil (Appendix 1).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Recent drilling is showing very positive signs that Colina West will become a major contributor to the Salinas lithium JORC Resource upgrade.
- Thick spodumene rich pegmatites intersected at Colina West (assay results pending), defining emerging priority growth zone extending for over 500m along strike and 300m up dip which remains open in all directions.
- High‐grade mineralisation envelope confirmed at Colina West from latest drilling results within this zone.
- Latest results include:
- SADD061: 20.70m @ 1.51% Li2O from 159.00m
- SADD062: 10.00m @ 1.13% Li2O from 149.51m
- SADD063: 4.03m @ 1.60% Li2O from 125.12m
and: 6.79m @ 1.52% Li2O from 267.37m - SADD070: 5.03m @ 1.64% Li2O from 192.97m
and: 5.52m @ 1.50% Li2O from 292.03m
and: 16.43m @ 1.69% Li2O from 323.57m
and: 18.89m @ 1.56% Li2O from 356.91m
- Seven diamond drilling rigs currently on site and one additional diamond drilling rig due in late February ‐ early March with 2023 drilling campaign well on track.
- Latin aims to add Reverse Circulation capability to grow the drilling fleet on site to ten, enabling the rapid ‘step‐out’ testing of the prospective lithium corridor.
Latin Resources’ Geology Manager, Tony Greenaway, commented:
“These results continue to confirm the exceptional prospectivity of the Latin landholding, and the potential to expand our mineral resource inventory. We are continuing to see outstanding pegmatite intersections in our new drill core from the 2023 campaign. These intersections support our current interpretation of mineralisation, with the emergence of a clear, thick, plunging high‐grade envelope at Colina West which remains open in all directions.
“We are seeing a significant increase in the abundance and thickness of spodumene pegmatites developed at Colina West, with this emerging priority area now extending over 500m along strike and 300m up‐dip. We will continue to target this area with more drilling to ascertain its limits and to provide sufficient drill coverage to include this area in our planned Mineral Resource update scheduled for the second quarter of this year.”
2022 Drilling Assay Results
Results from drilling completed in late 2022 have been returned from the laboratory and continue to show good correlation with the JORC 2012 Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”). Results include holes from both within the existing Colina Deposit MRE model, and the Colina West area which is currently outside of the MRE block model (Figure 1 – Figure 4).
Recent intersections include:
- SADD061: 20.70m @ 1.51% Li2O from 159.00m
- SADD062: 10.00m @ 1.13% Li2O from 149.51m
- SADD063: 4.03m @ 1.60% Li2O from 125.12m
and: 6.79m @ 1.52% Li2O from 267.37m - SADD070: 5.03m @ 1.64% Li2O from 192.97m
and: 5.52m @ 1.50% Li2O from 292.03m
and: 16.43m @ 1.69% Li2O from 323.57m
and: 18.89m @ 1.56% Li2O from 356.91m
Figure 1: Colina drill collar location showing projected Colina MRE block model, dill collar locations and drill traces, an interpreted Leapfrog mineralisation envelope for Colina West
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This article includes content from Latin 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.
Infill Soil Sampling at Dundas to Further Define Lithium Drill Targets
Lightning Minerals (L1M or the Company) is pleased to announce the start of a targeted infill soil sampling program at its Dundas lithium project in Western Australia. The program is designed to infill the existing geochemistry program which was completed on a grid spacing of 400m x 400m and will consist of approximately 500 samples.
A number of areas of interest were identified in the previously completed regional soil sampling program, particularly on Dundas North tenements E28/3027 and E28/3028 where broad lithium in soil anomalism was identified across an area of 35km2 and up to 147ppm Li1.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Infill soil sampling program of ~500 samples to further test previously identified lithium in soil anomalism of up to 147ppm Li1
- Dundas North tenements to be tested across three large lithium targets up to 35km2, as identified in March 2023. Sampling to be completed down to granularity of 200m x 100m in some areas
- On-ground works at the Company’s Brazil lithium projects in Lithium Valley is in progress with results expected imminently
Lightning Minerals Managing Director Alex Biggs said, “It’s good to be getting back to our works at Dundas following a period of review. We are focusing on areas of interest that have been previously identified as containing lithium in soil anomalism. Our work program is focused and targeted and will allow us to identify appropriate drill targets for a future exploration program. The infill soil sampling on our Dundas North tenements is of particular interest as it allows for us to develop higher confidence drill targets across the project areas. As much as our focus is on Brazil and our accelerated exploration on those projects it is important that we further our efforts at Dundas also particularly as we have gained significant knowledge of the region since our works began there in 2022. The Company now possesses lithium exploration potential in three of the strongest jurisdictions globally for the commodity which sets us up well for success as we move forwards.”
Dundas North Infill Soil Sampling
Phase 1 soil sampling was completed during Q1 and Q2 of CY2023 with samples collected on a nominal 400m x 400m grid across the tenements, with analysis completed by LabWest Minerals Analysis (LabWest). Analysis utilised the Ultrafine + (UFF+) method with chemical analysis for a suite of 62 elements including lithium and associated pathfinders typically used for identification of lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) mineralisation.
The tenor of background lithium level within the project area and the Mt Belches lithological unit appears to be approximately 40-60ppm lithium. The elevated zones returning multiple samples with values above 80ppm lithium and up to a peak result of 147ppm lithium. Results are thought to provide sound vectors toward potential mineralisation as the elevations are clustered and are proximal to suitable granitic protoliths within the ‘goldilocks zone’ for LCT pegmatite mineralisation. The ‘goldilocks zone’ is typically estimated to be between 2km and 10km from the source granitic body.
This geological setting therefore requires follow up exploration works to ascertain the source of the anomalies and forms the basis of the infill soil sampling program as shown in Figure 1. Infill sampling will be completed down to a granularity of 200m x 100m.
Figure 1: Lightning Minerals - Dundas North tenure showing UFF+ lithium soil geochemistry results (as reported 01 May 2023) and planned areas of infill soil sampling as highlighted in yellow polygons on geophysical aeromagnetic analytic signal image.
Dundas South Infill Soil Sampling
Soil sampling will also be undertaken at the Dundas South project area following up zones of interest identified by the regional soil program. Grids of differing resolutions will be completed across tenements E63/2028, E63,1932, E15/1748 and E63/1993 down to a minimum of 200m x 200m. Targeting criteria in these areas focus mainly on existing results for lithium and its pathfinder elements identified during the reginal program (as reported in ASX Announcement 23 March 2023), but also aim to assess gold/nickel potential as the genetic models can share attributes regarding lithologies, geochemistry and rheology. The planned sites are shown on Figure 2 below, modifications may be undertaken in the field as guided by the supervising geologist.
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.
White Cliff Minerals Limited (ASX: WCN) – Trading Halt
Description
The securities of White Cliff Minerals Limited (‘WCN’) will be placed in trading halt at the request of WCN, pending it releasing an announcement. Unless ASX decides otherwise, the securities will remain in trading halt until the earlier of the commencement of normal trading on Wednesday, 9 October 2024 or when the announcement is released to the market.
Issued by
ASX Compliance
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from White Cliff Minerals Limited, 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.
Large Scale Copper Discovery Confirmed
Highest assays returned 64.02% Cu, 223g/t Ag and 2.34g/t Au. Multiple High-Grade Copper and Precious Metal Vein Systems Identified. Potential For Very Significant deposits of Sedimentary Hosted Copper
White Cliff Minerals Limited (“the Company”) is delighted to announce the first batch of assay results from rock chip samples taken during the 2024 maiden field program at the Rae Copper Project in Nunavut, Canada (“Rae” or “the Project”). Results confirm outcropping and high-grade copper and precious metals hosted in extensive massive chalcocite vein systems of significant lateral extent.
- Copper and silver assays received for three of the five exploration districts at Rae
- Representative rock samples from extensive outcropping massive chalcocite veins returned exceptional copper-silver ± gold and confirm what is now believed to be the first major discovery on the Company licence area
- The Vision District, a ±10km long NE/SW structural corridor which includes the Don and Pat project areas. Occurring within a “sub parallel, dilutional jog” that provided the necessary depositional environment for copper and precious metal accumulation. It is also possible, although yet to be proven, that these two project areas are contiguous, meaning the two localised ±km long zones of massive chalcocite may be one body up to ±5km in length. Recently flown geophysical surveys will confirm this either way
- At Don several parallel outcropping massive chalcocite veins running roughly NE/SW have been identified over an area of more than 2km2 and returned results of:
§64.02% Cu and 152g/tAg (4.88oz/t) | (F005965) |
§62.02% Cu and 162g/tAg (5.20oz/t) | (F005966) |
§50.48% Cu and 102g/tAg (3.28oz/t) | (F005959) |
§43.77% Cu and 109g/tAg (3.50oz/t) | (F005958) |
§39.68% Cu and 91g/t Ag (2.92oz/t) | (F005971) |
§39.10% Cu and 102g/tAg (3.28oz/t) | (F005964) |
§36.70% Cu and 223g/tAg (7.16oz/t) | (F005975) |
§9.57% Cu, 2.34g/t Au and 128g/tAg (4.12oz/t) | (F005974) |
- At Pat, ±4.4km along strike from DON & around 600m of visual outcrop, returned assays of:
§55.01% Cu and 37g/tAg | (F005977) |
§46.07% Cu and 46g/tAg | (F005984) |
§44.43% Cu and 32g/tAg | (F005979) |
§43.10% Cu and 44g/tAg | (F005985) |
§41.26% Cu and 34g/tAg | (F005978) |
§39.90% Cu and 34g/tAg | (F005986) |
- The Company’s primary focus, Hulk, a large scale sedimentary hosted copper target, is a 16x4km magnetic anomaly within the reactive basal sequence of the Rae Group sedimentary basin which has been identified coincident with extensive surface staining of malachite with one sample, F005987, returning 1.65% Cu. The identification of copper in this area provides geological proof for the first time that copper rich hydrothermal fluids have in fact permeated the sedimentary basin. This geological environment is considered a high priority for drilling
- Remaining assay results (41 samples) from the Thor and Rocket Districts are expected are over the coming weeks
- The Project saw the completion of one of Canada’s largest aerial geophysical survey’s covering 2,500 line-km of MobileMT geophysics, marking the first license scale survey completed in history at the Project with these results due during the December quarter
White Cliff’s Great Bear Lake Project potentially holds the mantle of the highest ever recorded representative Silver rock sample assay result of 7.54% Ag and now, the Rae Project can lay claim to the highest ever recorded representative Copper rock sample assay.
The results also demonstrate the deep plumbing, copper rich fluids & fertile nature of the host rocks of basal part of the Rae sedimentary sequence and provide longer-term opportunities for not just bulk tonne sedimentary hosted copper but potential for direct shipping of a high-grade copper concentrate using a mine and ship approach from these newly identified chalcocite veins.
In the next months the company expects to receive the MobileMT geophysical results which will sharpen the resolution of the previous groundwork, confirming drilling targets for the upcoming campaign, which will include the priority - Hulk, a very large, green at surface, 16km by 4km target within the reactive subsurface basal units (siltstones and mudstones) of the Rae Sedimentary Basin, this basin has been intersected by similar mineralising regional structures proven to be copper conduits including those seen at Vision.
These two projects are proving to be world class exploration opportunities. Rae and Great Bear are located in a tier one mining and investment jurisdiction, on the mainland, with significant infrastructure already in place.”
Troy Whittaker - Managing Director
“The team at WCN have built a solid foundation of high-quality projects through old school geological hard work. Results of this nature are rare and to have them repeated over some distance is very encouraging. I look forward to the upcoming work as we prepare for drilling.”
John Hancock - Strategic Advisor to the Board
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from White Cliff Minerals Limited, 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.
Dredging Begins at Lumsden Point, Hub to Focus on Battery Metals Exports
Dredging work as begun at the Lumsden Point project in Port Hedland, a major Australian import and export site. About 1 million cubic meters of material are set to be removed in the next eight weeks.
In a Monday (September 30) press release, Pilbara Ports said that the work has been made possible through AU$611.6 million in funding from the government, as well as companies in the mining industry.
The Australian government is contributing AU$450 million, with the money going toward new multi-user facilities and berths, and the Western Australian government is putting in AU$96.6 million.
Commodities giant BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), Fortescue (ASX:FMG,OTCQX:FSUMF), Roy Hill and a joint venture between Hancock Prospecting and Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF) have committed AU$65 million.
Once up and running, Lumsden Point will be used to export battery materials like lithium and copper concentrates, and to import renewable energy infrastructure such as wind turbines and blades.
David Michael, Western Australia's minister for ports, said in Monday's release that the project is expected to boost Australia's gross domestic product by AU$2.1 billion per annum upon completion.
“It is expected to save 3.6 million tonnes of emissions by 2055 by supporting direct shipping to the Pilbara and providing a pathway for renewable energy infrastructure," he explained.
Lumsden Point will provide support for federal government initiatives like the Critical Minerals Strategy 2022, and the Boosting Australia’s Diesel Storage Program. In addition, it will underpin initiatives from the Western Australian government, including the state's Climate Policy and its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy.
The project is expected to drive employment and economic growth in the region.
Jan De Nul (Australia) was given the contract for dredging and land reclamation activities at Lumsden Point on June 7.
Extensive preparatory works for the project have already been completed, and environmental monitoring is being carried out to minimise the risk of impact to surrounding habitats.
Lumsden Point also has an approved environmental management plan, which states that dredged material “will be disposed of at a designated reclamation area within Lumsden.”
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
White Cliff Minerals Limited (ASX: WCN) – Trading Halt
Description
The securities of White Cliff Minerals Limited (‘WCN’) will be placed in trading halt at the request of WCN, pending it releasing an announcement. Unless ASX decides otherwise, the securities will remain in trading halt until the earlier of the commencement of normal trading on Monday, 7 October 2024 or when the announcement is released to the market.
Issued by
ASX Compliance
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from White Cliff Minerals Limited, 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.
Lithium Universe
Overview
Lithium Universe (ASX:LU7) is dedicated to closing the ‘Lithium Conversion Gap’ in North America by developing a mine-to-battery-grade lithium carbonate strategy in Québec, Canada. Our mission is to support the supply chain needs of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), particularly in the automotive sector, by converting spodumene supply into lithium chemicals for EV battery plants North America.
Our business model focuses on converting spodumene supplies under "take or pay" agreements with OEMs. These agreements include protective pricing mechanisms, such as floor and ceiling prices, to ensure stable margins and mitigate market volatility. This approach guarantees our LU7 refinery's payback while providing OEMs with a reliable and sustainable supply of lithium chemicals.
Company Highlights
- Focussed on closing the Lithium Conversion Gap in North America by establishing a 16,000 tpa lithium carbonate plant at Bécancour, Québec
- Definitive feasibility study has commenced and initial metallurgical testing is yielding results greater than battery grade specification.
- Led by lithium development veteran Iggy Tan, who seeks to replicate his successes at Galaxy Resources with Lithium Universe.
- The company is composed of lithium industry leaders, named the ‘Lithium Dream Team’, representing multiple decades of combined experience in mining exploration, development, production and operations.
The ’Lithium Conversion Gap’
North America anticipates a surge in battery manufacturing, with over 20 major manufacturers planning to deploy an estimated 1,000 GW of battery capacity. These are companies such as General Motors, LG Energy Solution, Ford, Power Co, Northvolt, Tesla, AESC, Toyota and Honda. Assuming the planned battery manufacturing capacity of 1,000 GW by 2028, using a ratio of 850 g lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) per KWh, the company estimates that 850,000 tons of LCE per annum will be required to satisfy demand in North America.
On the supply side, Canada has surpassed China to claim the top spot in BloombergNEF’s Global Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Ranking, a comprehensive annual evaluation of 30 countries’ potential to develop secure, reliable, and sustainable lithium-ion battery supply chains. Québec has been established as one of the most prospective regions with over 40 companies dedicated to lithium exploration and development. The cumulative lithium resource in just Québec exceeds 500Mt at +1 percent lithium oxide across eight distinct projects, which has increased over 100 percent within the last 12 months. Many companies have plans to develop mines and concentrating facilities to produce spodumene concentrate.
Figure 1: Projected US EV Battery Demand and Announced Battery Production Capacity (2022-2032)
[Source: US Department of Energy, January 2023]
Spodumene concentrate needs to be converted to battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide to be used in the production of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Currently, there are no operational converters in North America and the company estimates approximately only 100,000 tons of planned hard rock converters are slated for construction in the region. The region seeks to decrease dependence on Chinese lithium converters, aligning with both commercial and national security goals. Canada, acknowledging the significance of energy security, has intensified efforts to reduce Chinese involvement in the sector as part of a “decoupling” or “de-risking” strategy, mirroring the actions taken by the United States.
The ’Lithium Dream Team’
The company’s strategy involves assembling a seasoned team of lithium experts renowned for rapidly delivering successful projects, dubbed the 'Lithium Dream Team', boasting extensive expertise in both hard rock lithium extraction and downstream operations, all within a single company.
Lithium Universe is headed by the chairman, Iggy Tan, who is considered a pioneer in the modern lithium industry. Over 20 years ago, Tan was one of the first Australian mining executives to recognize the potential of the emerging lithium-ion battery industry. He led Galaxy Resources and built the Mt Cattlin spodumene project (137,000 tpa of spodumene product) and the downstream Jiangsu lithium carbonate project (with a capacity of 17,000 tpa). This was the first large-scale vertically integrated, mine-to-battery-grade lithium carbonate project in the world.
Joining Iggy on the board are Pat Scallan and Dr. Jingyuan Liu. Scallan is a seasoned veteran of the lithium industry with over 25 years of managing the world-class Greenbushes Mine. He oversaw the mine's many expansions, increasing annual output from 200,000 in 1997 to over 1.4 million tpa today. Liu is widely regarded as a leading technical expert in the lithium industry. He was previously the general manager of development and technologies at Galaxy Resources, where he was responsible for overseeing the construction and commissioning of the Mt Cattlin spodumene project and the world-renowned Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant. Liu has acted as a special adviser to various lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide projects globally.
Additional Dream Team members include: Terry Stark, who previously served as the general manager of operations for both Mt Cattlin and James Bay projects; Roger Pover, with extensive experience as plant manager at Greenbushes and Mt Cattlin; and Huy Nguyen, known for his expertise in the design and construction of the Mt Cattlin mine. John Loxton, who was involved in the construction of the Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant for Hatch Engineering, has also joined the company. John Sobolewski, former CFO and company secretary of Galaxy Resources pivotal in financing both projects, assumes the role of chief financial officer role at Lithium Universe, marking a significant addition to the LU7 team's financial expertise in the lithium domain.
Lithium Carbonate Refinery
The Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant was designed to produce 17,000 tpa of battery-grade lithium carbonate. It adopted advanced Western style continuous process control techniques, setting a standard for lithium refineries globally. The plant now exceeds its design capacity, producing 20,000 tpa, and its battery-grade product ranks among the industry's finest. Constructed and achieving steady-state quality was accomplished within two years of ground-breaking. Lithium Universe plans to replicate the successful design of the Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant entirely, employing the same suppliers, equipment and engineering firm – mitigating the second major risk. Lithium Universe has contracted Hatch Limited to conduct the definitive feasibility study (DFS), the same engineering company responsible for the original design and construction of the Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant.
Lithium Universe is advancing a mine-to-battery-grade lithium carbonate strategy in Canada through the Québec Lithium Processing Hub (QLPH). The QLPH includes a multi-purpose independent 1 Mtpa concentrator and an independent 16,000 tpa battery-grade lithium carbonate refinery. The QLPH concentrator and lithium carbonate plant aim to replicate the proven success of the Mt Cattlin spodumene operation and Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant to minimize startup and operational risks.
Figure 2: The Company’s proposed lithium carbonate refinery at layout at Bécancour, Québec.
The company has successfully executed an option agreement to acquire a commercial property located within the Bécancour Waterfront Industrial Park (BWIP) between Québec City and Montréal. The industrial land secured is only 2.5 kms to the Bécancour deep-water port, allowing the import of spodumene to the facility. The company is taking a significant step towards the production of greener battery-grade lithium carbonate at the proposed Becancour lithium refinery.
Results of its preliminary feasibility study (PFS) for the Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery. The PFS confirms the viability of a strong lithium conversion project, even within a below-average pricing environment. LU7 continues to progress full definitive feasibility study while offtake discussions with interested OEMs underway.
Financial Modelling:
- Economically viable with excellent pre-tax NPV8 percent of approximately US$779 million
- IRR (pre-tax) of approximately 23.5 percent and payback of 3.5 years based on;
- Price forecast of US$1,170/t SC6 and US$20,970/t for battery grade Li2CO3
- Current spot price is approx. US$775/t SC6 and US$10,680/t for battery grade LC
- Operating costs at around US$3,976/tonne; capital cost estimate of US$494 million
- Expected annual revenue of approx US$383 million and EBITDA of around US$147 million
- Project break even at around US$780 /t (SC6) and around US$14,000 per tonne LC
As an integral part of the company’s DFS, Lithium Universe has initiated metallurgical testing on various sources of spodumene. This process involves utilizing the flow sheet developed for the Québec Lithium Processing Hub refinery.
Currently, the testing is progressing smoothly, and no challenges have been identified with any of the spodumene samples. Each test program is thorough and spans several weeks, with two complete programs already concluded successfully achieving higher than the international battery grade specification of 99.5 percent lithium carbonate. All impurity levels were well within specification limits.
Management Team
Iggy Tan - Executive Chair
Iggy Tan, a trailblazer of the modern lithium industry, was one of the first Australian mining executives to identify the significant opportunity within the emerging lithium-ion battery sector when he spearheaded Galaxy Resources Limited. Tan is looking to replicate that success with Lithium Universe, having built Galaxy’s Mt Cattlin Spodumene Project and the downstream Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate project. He also acquired the James Bay Spodumene Project in Canada and the Sal de Vida Brine Project in Argentina for Galaxy.
When Tan started at Galaxy, the company’s market capitalization was less than AU$10 million. It rose to AU$2.5 billion when the company merged with Orocobre Limited in August 2021. Tan's previous experience working with lithium dates back to the early 1990s when he briefly managed the Greenbushes Lithium Mine and commissioned the first lithium carbonate plant for Gwalia Consolidated.
Tan has over 30 years of chemical and mining experience and has served as executive director for a number of ASX-listed companies. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Cross, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is currently CEO and managing director of Altech Batteries (ASX:ATC,FRA:A3Y)
Alex Hanly - Chief Executive Officer
Alex Hanly has over 10 years of experience in capital delivery and operational management for publicly listed companies within the mining, oil & gas, and manufacturing industries in Australia and Africa. Over the last three years, Hanly held the role of chief executive officer of ASX-listed gold company Polymetals Resources (ASX:POL). He was responsible for the successful IPO of the company, the operational management and the efficient execution of the fast-track strategy.
Hanly has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Business Administration specialising in global project management.
Patrick Scallan - Non-executive Director
Patrick Scallan’s extensive experience in the lithium industry is a valuable addition to the LGX board. With over 25 years of management experience at the world-class Greenbushes Mine, he is a seasoned veteran. Greenbushes is the largest lithium hard rock mine globally and also hosts the highest-grade ore body in the world. This makes Greenbushes a unique anomaly, as no other lithium deposit worldwide compares to it.
Scallan oversaw the mine’s many expansions, increasing annual output from 200,000 in 1997 to 1.4 million tpa today, and navigated numerous ownership changes during his tenure. He is a specialist in hard rock mining and spodumene concentrating, with downstream relationships with major spodumene converters worldwide.
Scallan is also highly skilled in managing local community relationships, having acted as shire councillor for nearly 20 years during his time at Greenbushes, receiving his Order of Australia Medal for his community and local government contribution. His previous roles include management positions at Capel and Eneabba Mineral Sands in Western Australia and Western Deep Levels Gold Mine in South Africa.
Dr. Jingyuan Liu - Non-executive director
Dr Jingyuan Liu is widely regarded as a leading technical expert in the lithium industry. He previously held the position of general manager of development and technologies at Galaxy Resources, where he was responsible for overseeing the construction and commissioning of the Mt Cattlin Spodumene Project and the world-renowned Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate plant. Liu also played a key role in designing the flow sheet for the Sal de Vida brine project.
Following his work with Galaxy, he has acted as a special adviser to various lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide projects globally, including the Lithium Hydroxide Plant operated by Tianqi in Kwinana, Western Australia.
Liu has over 30 years’ experience in project management, process and equipment design for minerals processing and the chemicals, non-ferrous metals, iron & steel and energy industries, both in Australian and internationally. He was awarded a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Newcastle, Australia and has worked in senior chemical engineering roles with leading companies such as Hatch Engineering and Metso Minerals in Australia and Malaysia.
He is currently chief technology officer for Altech Batteries (ASX:ATC), developing high capacity silicon anode lithium-ion batteries.
Gernot Abl - Executive Director
Gernot Abl was previously a strategic managing director with vast experience in business management, operations and investment for some of the fastest growing industries in the world. After gaining over 15 years of corporate experience, he led the only pure esports play listed on the ASX, Esports Mogul Limited. Abl has a proven background in business management and commercial intuition, initially from working as a management consultant for both Deloitte Consulting and Deloitte Corporate Finance in Perth and Melbourne.
Abl also led the restructure and turnaround of a financially distressed ASX-listed media company and currently holds directorships for a range of start-up companies, offering corporate advisory, project management and commercial negotiation advice to multiple businesses. He has a degree in law and commerce with honours in finance and accounting from the University of Western Australia.
John Sobolewski - Chief Financial Officer
John Sobolewski’s experience in the lithium industry offers another valuable addition to the LU7 dream team. At Galaxy Resources, he played a pivotal role during the feasibility, funding, construction and operation phases of the Mt Cattlin Spodumene mine and Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate refinery. He was also crucial in establishing teams and systems in Australia and internationally. His experience in financial modelling and debt modelling for both projects will be critical in Lithium Universe, completing definitive feasibility studies of the Québec Lithium Processing Hub concentrator and lithium carbonate refinery projects.
Sobolewski is a chartered accountant and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His previous roles include managing director and CEO with Mintrex, CFO and company secretary with Mintrex, Galaxy Resources Limited and Vital Metals Limited, financial controller and company secretary with Croesus Mining NL, and group accountant and company secretary with Titan Resources NL.
Vincent John Fayad - Joint Company Secretary
Vincent John Fayad is a chartered accountant with over 40 years of experience in corporate finance, international M&A, accounting and advisory-related services primarily undertaken by mid-tier accounting firm PKF. In 2016, he established his own firm, Vince Fayad & Associates, to provide accounting and advisory services within Australia and overseas.
Over the last 25 years, Fayad has spent a significant amount of time advising on various transactions, predominantly related to the mining and exploration industries and providing accounting and corporate secretarial experience to mining exploration companies.
Fayad is currently an executive director and joint company secretary of Astute Metals NL (ASX:ASE) and joint company secretary of Greenvale Energy (ASX:GRV). He is also a non-executive director of Nexon Asia Pacific, a telecommunications company, controlled by private equity group EQT.
Kurt Laney - Joint Company Secretary
Kurt Laney is an experienced chartered accountant specialising in the provision of advisory, consultancy, taxation and corporate secretarial services. Laney is currently an associate director of Vince Fayad and Associates, where he provides accounting and taxation services to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, large family-owned businesses and multinational entities.
Laney is also the joint company secretary and CFO of Greenvale Energy Ltd (ASX:GRV) and Astute Metals NL (ASX:ASE), along with several unlisted public companies primarily focused on the tech and mining industries. He has previously served as the company secretary of Polymetals Resources (ASX:POL).
Justin Rivers - Head of Geology
Justin Rivers possesses more than 20 years of senior executive, technical and commercial experience in Africa, Australia, Asia, Arctic, Middle East, North America and South America in the major and junior space, with a particular focus on Iron Ore and Gold. He has a well-tenured strategic and tactical approach to the mining industry with intimate commercial, business development and M&A experience in Tier-1, publicly listed and private equity environments.
Prior to joining Lithium Universe Limited, Rivers held the position of executive director and CEO of Mauritian domiciled private equity company Convertible Resources, driving strategic development of its gold projects in the Siguiri region of northeast Guinea. He has a Bachelor of Science (first class honours) majoring in geology and environmental science from the University of Tasmania.
Terry Stark - Head of Mining
Terry Stark was previously managing director - resources division for Galaxy Resources (ASX:GXY), where he was responsible for all of Galaxy’s mineral resources assets such as exploration and mine operations. Stark oversaw the Mt Cattlin construction and subsequent successful start-up. He also managed the Galaxy James Bay project and had a good relationship with the local Cree Nation.
A veteran mining engineer, Stark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science specialising in mining engineering.
John Loxton - Head of Lithium Carbonate Refinery
John Loxton's lithium experience commenced in 2010 with work on the Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate Plant EPCM for Galaxy Resources in China where his responsibilities initially were at a Sponsor level, and further into the project. He was the project manager for the final stages of construction and commissioning. In 2019, Loxton was engaged by Tianqi Lithium as head of projects for the execution of their investment in a lithium hydroxide processing plant in Kwinana, Western Australia. He managed the commissioning of the first train achieving the first product in 2021 and undertook execution planning and establishing a project team for an identical second train in 2022. Loxton is a project manager with over 45 years of experience across a diverse range of energy, industrial, process, civil, and major infrastructure projects.
Roger Pover — Head of Processing
Roger Pover was previously the Mt Cattlin plant manager for Galaxy Resources (ASX:GXY). He was part of the commissioning and start up team and operated the plant for many years. Pover also directed all optimisation modifications made at Mt Cattlin.
Pover is a veteran in the lithium industry, having commenced his career at Greenbushes Lithium mine in the early 90s. He has a 45-year career in the mining and chemical processing industries involving mineral sands, alumina refining, lithium, iron ore, tantalum minerals and tin production.
Huy Nguyen — Engineering Manager
Huy Nguyen has been seconded from Mintrex to act as Lithium Universe Limited’s engineering client representative. Mintrex was the lead engineering company that designed and constructed (together with DRA Global) the Mt Cattlin Spodumene Plant.
Nguyen was part of the construction supervision when Mt Cattlin was built, so he is experienced with not only the design but also the construction process that delivered a project on time and on budget.
Nguyen has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Curtin University, Master of Business Administration and a member of Engineer Australia.
Victoria Vargas - Director, Lithium Universe Holdings (Canada)
Victoria Vargas brings to Lithium Universe (Holdings) more than 25 years of experience in the North American capital markets, with a significant focus on the Canadian mineral sector. She began her career at Kinross Gold Corporation and joined Alamos Gold in 2004. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in enhancing investor exposure and facilitating the company's transition from the TSX Venture to the TSX. Before joining Alamos Gold, Vargas worked for H2O Innovation, a Québec-based company focused on providing best-in-class technologies and services for the water and wastewater treatment industry.
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