Regional Study Advances Work Program for District Scale Lithium-in-Brines

Arcadia Minerals Ltd (ASX:AM7, FRA:8OH) (Arcadia or Company), the diversified exploration company targeting a suite of projects aimed at Tantalum, Lithium, Nickel, Copper and Gold in Namibia, is pleased to announce that a regional investigation into its Bitterwasser Lithium Project (Bitterwasser Project) indicated the potential presence of a large-scale lithium-in-clay and lithium-in-brines minerals-system, arising from underlying lithium bearing basement rocks activated through geothermal activity and fed into sedimentary-clay environments and sub-terranean brine aquifers via deep-seated fault structures (Bitterwasser System).

A comprehensive review of available geological literature and recent exploration work at the Bitterwasser Lithium Project confirmed that:

• Extensive tectonic rift-related fault structures have defined a closed basin (the Kalkrand half-graben), similar to Clayton Valley in Nevada
• Basement rocks are amenable to be Lithium-rich source rocks for:
  • sub-terranean, possibly lithium enriched, brine aquifers, and
  • the already proven lithium enriched sedimentary clay pans
• Lithium-in-clay mineralisation is spatially linked to extensive rift-related fault structures and likely caused by fluctuating lithium enriched water table
• Historical water borehole sampling across the properties contains saline water (refer Figure 3 below), with high Boron and Potassium content (elements which are associated with lithium brine deposits)
• Evidence of geothermal activity exists within the Bitterwasser Basin, possibly serving as the method in which the lithium mineralisation was extracted and transported from the source rocks
• Geological model (Refer Figures 1 & 5) has been formulated to refine and advance Arcadia’s work program to include:
  • Stratigraphic drilling to construct a geological section of the basin and understand basin parameters,
  • Water sampling of hot springs and groundwater to determine mineralogical content and potential for geothermal energy harvesting,
  • Airborne geophysical surveys to define basin aquifer targets, and
  • Targeted drilling of potential trap sites of lithium in brine aquifers and additional lithium clay layers

The comprehensive review of academic literature1 and recent exploration undertakings (including drilling) have refined Arcadia’s understanding of the Bitterwasser Basin, including the likely source rocks of Lithium mineralisation and the role known geothermal activity in the area plays in deposition of mineralisation.

Bitterwasser Basin

A review of academic literature confirmed that extensive rift-related fault structures under the Project area have defined the Kalkrand regional basin-forming half-graben2 (Bitterwasser Basin). The entire Bitterwasser Basin is enclosed by tenements owned by Arcadia’s associated companies, Bitterwasser Lithium Exploration (Pty) Ltd and Brines Mining Exploration Namibia (Pty) Ltd.

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