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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”.
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.
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.
Significant High-Grade Lithium Achieved Following Completion of Drill Hole 2 at Rio Grande Sur
HIGHLIGHTS
- Drillhole 2 (DDH-2) at the Sal Rio 02 tenement of the Rio Grande Sur Project, has been completed with substantial high grade intercepts of lithium brine discovered at depths as low as 484m.
- High-grade assays include the following intervals:
- 527mg/L (“milligrams per liter of Lithium”) from an interval of 263m to 265m
- 520mg/L from an interval of 63m to 65m
- 511mg/L from an interval of 159m to 161m
- 506mg/L from an interval of 121m to 123m
- Importantly, some of these grades over 500mg/L were discovered at depth and are beneath the currently calculated mineral resource estimate and are expected to add to its size and grade.
- With completion of DDH-2 the drilling crew has demobilised from site. Demobilisation and suspension of drilling activities whilst interpretting the results from the first two holes has significantly reduced expenditure levels.
- The Stage 1 Drilling Program is targeting resource growth to the existing inferred JORC resource of 251.3kt LCE @ 351mg/L1.
- Following completion of DDH-2, Company’s focus is now on production of Lithium Carbonate from 250tpa Pilot Plant in Salta.
In relation to the completion of DDH-2 at the RGS Project, Pursuit Managing Director & CEO, Aaron Revelle, said:
“The results from DDH-2 continue to be significant as we demonstrate the world class potential of the Rio Grande Sur Lithium Project. With completion of DDH-2, we are seeing consistent increases in Lithium grades to depths both through and below the current mineral resource estimate with the results confirming the potential large scale of the project which the Company anticipates will support a significant low cost, high-grade long-term Lithium carbonate operation. With outstanding high grade brine intercepts of ~500mg/L at depths of ~60m and those grades continuing to ~380m, the project is continuing to exceed our expectations.
“We continue to progress with permitting at our highly prospective Mito tenement in the north of the Rio Grande Salar which will be the location of DDH-3, with the planned location of the hole less than 2km from a neighbouring companies drill hole which achieved 900mg/l Li intercepts being some of the highest grades achieved in Argentina. The decision to drill DDH-3 will be made in 2025, following completion of the permitting process as well as the interpretation of the first 2 drill holes into the resource model which is expected to yield a significant scale where future exploration expenditure may only be warranted in more favourable market conditions.
“In the immediate term we continue works at our Lithium Carbonate Pilot Plant which remains on track to produce our first Lithium Carbonate in the coming months, with Pursuit advancing off-take discussions with multiple requests for product samples from potential off-take partners.”
High-Grade, Deep Depth Lithium Brine Assay Results
Drillhole 2 (DDH-2) of the Stage 1 drilling program was completed on site at the Rio Grande Sur Project in October 2024 having reached a depth of 500m.
Throughout the progress of Drillhole 2, the on-site geologists and drilling team were extremely encouraged by the geological units encountered across the depths of the hole. Of particular interest were 2 sections, the first between 122 and 186 meters, where a sequence of porous sandstone, occasionally interbedded with anhydrite returned lithium grades up to 511 mg/L. A second significant interval was encountered between 240-300m formed by sandstone alternating with gravel, associated with grades up to 527 gm/L of lithium. Both sections returned highly positive results for RBRC (Relative Brine Release Capacity) and Specific Yield, important factors when taking into account locations of pumping well locations for production.
Table 1 – Lithium Assays, Interval Data and Drillhole Collar
Intercepts from DDH-2 have shown highly favourable geology in line with, and exceeding expectations from historical drilling (to depths of 50m) carried out on the Rio Grande Salar. Lithium brine sample grades from the sampling of the hole are averaging above 500mg/L Li against the average grade of 351mg/L Li used to develop the current Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”). Additionally, the mineralisation extended to a depth of ~480m also well below the depth used to develop the MRE1.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Pursuit 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.
Industrial Forward Osmosis Update
CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF), an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, is pleased to update that the industrial forward osmosis ("iFO") unit has arrived and is being installed at the facilities of Condutive Energy in Chicago, USA, where concentrated eluate from the Company´s pilot plant will be converted into battery-grade lithium carbonate. This marks the final piece of equipment required for the downstream conversion process to begin.
Figures 1 to 3: iFO demonstration unit with capacity to process 35 m3/day of eluate arriving at Conductive Energy's site in Chicago, USA
Using iFO has several benefits to the downstream conversion processs, as communicated previously (RNS 19th Sept 2024), such as higher water recovery and lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions compared to using conventional thermal evaporators. This further enhances the potential environmental benefits and process efficiency that the Company aims to achieve in applying Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") to produce lithium from brine.
The initial volume of 88m3 of concentrated eluate from Laguna Verde, equal to approximately one tonne of lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE"), is at Conductive Energy´s facility, with the conversion process to battery-grade lithium to begin in the coming days. With this product, the Company plans to engage with strategic partners for product qualification.
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For further information contact: | |
Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter | Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 Chile office: +562-32239222 |
Or via Celicourt | |
Celicourt Communications Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis/Ali AlQahtani | +44 (0) 20 7770 6424 |
Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak | +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker) Daniel Fox-Davies | +44 (0) 20 3884 8450 |
Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker) James Asensio | +44 (0) 20 7523 4680 |
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This is a Reach announcement. Reach is an investor communication service aimed at assisting listed and unlisted (including AIM quoted) companies to distribute media only / non-regulatory news releases into the public domain. Information required to be notified under the AIM Rules for Companies, Market Abuse Regulation or other regulation would be disseminated as an RNS regulatory announcement and not on Reach.
Notes
CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to produce material quantities of sustainable battery grade lithium products using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy. The Company plans to be a leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and battery manufacturing market.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and Viento Andino, and hold licences in Llamara and Salar de Atacama, located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production. The two major projects: Laguna Verde and Viento Andino are situated within basins controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. All four projects have direct access to existing infrastructure and renewable power.
CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for processing and reducing the environmental impact of its lithium production by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine, with higher recoveries than conventional extraction processes. The method offers short development lead times with no extensive site construction or evaporation pond development so there is minimal water depletion from the aquifer. www.ctlithium.com