Nevada Lithium Resources Inc. (CSE: NVLH; OTCQB: NVLHF; FSE: 87K)
(“Nevada Lithium” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide a
technical update on its 2024 metallurgical program at its 100%
owned Bonnie Claire Lithium project (the “Project” or “Bonnie
Claire”), located in Nye County, Nevada.
Nevada Lithium’s CEO, Stephen
Rentschler, comments:
“The
high-grade Lithium and Boron mineralization we have identified over
the last two drilling programs presents additional opportunities
that were undiscovered when the Company’s Preliminary Economic
Assessment (“PEA”) was completed three years ago. With Bonnie
Claire now looking to be an analog to Ioneer Ltd.’s Rhyolite Ridge
deposit (“Rhyolite Ridge”), the logical next step was to explore
relationships with companies instrumental in the development of
Rhyolite Ridge.
We are happy
to report that we have engaged Fluor Enterprises, Inc. (“Fluor”) to
develop the metallurgical processes and plant design that will be
incorporated into an updated PEA”, he
continued. “The updated PEA will, for the first
time, reflect the impact of the tremendous grades and intercepts of
Lithium and Boron that we have encountered in the lower high-grade
Lithium and Boron mineralized zone at Bonnie Claire.
Fluor is an
internationally recognized firm with comprehensive capabilities
that have been utilized in some of the world’s largest and most
significant Lithium projects, such as Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge,
Albemarle Corporation’s Meishan Project, Jindalee Lithium Ltd. and
Aurora Lithium SA, among others. We think that Fluor’s
participation in our Project clearly reflects the increasing
industry recognition of Bonnie Claire’s position among the world’s
top tier of Lithium and Boron projects.”
Highlights:
- Acid leaching has become the preferred option for treating
material with high Lithium and Boron content at Bonnie Claire.
Preliminary acid leach test work gives 97% overall Lithium recovery
and 98% overall Boron recovery. To date, acid leaching has been
advanced as the typical recovery process for Lithium-bearing Nevada
claystone projects.
- A conceptual two-stage acid leach flowsheet proposes a Boron
stream to produce boric acid and a Lithium stream for generating
lithium carbonate.
- Thermal treatment may be an option for processing high grade
Lithium material with low Boron content at Bonnie Claire.
Processing claystone material with 1,000 ppm Lithium and 1%
searlesite achieved 80% Lithium recovery.
- Fluor Enterprises, Inc. of Greenville, South Carolina and
Kemetco Research Inc. of Richmond, BC (“Kemetco”) will oversee
future test work and develop a process plant design for the updated
Preliminary Economic Assessment.
- Test work should conclude in early 2025, with PEA completion at
the end of Q1 2025.
Previous Work
The 2021 Preliminary Economic Assessment for
Bonnie Claire favored thermal treatment of mineralized material.
This treatment included calcination of material with the addition
of sodium sulfate, followed by hot water leaching. This thermal
treatment achieved high Lithium recoveries of up to 80%. Additional
work by Hazen Research Inc. (“Hazen”) included the successful
production of battery-grade lithium carbonate (see the Company’s
news release dated February 27, 2023). The thermal process on a
bulk (300 kg) sample confirmed the process using the same flowsheet
but achieved a lower 61% Lithium recovery rate. This sample
contained about 11% searlesite. The lower recovery was likely due
to agglomeration by the presence of searlesite.
Newly Identified Boron
The Company has identified a thick zone of
gently dipping, high-grade mineralization at depth. This zone
exhibits both high-grade Lithium mineralization, including 3076 ppm
Lithium over 1100 ft (November 20, 2023 news release) and
high-grade Boron mineralization, including 15,001 ppm Boron over
560 feet (May 22, 2024 news release).
Boron mineralization is contained in the mineral
searlesite, which makes up to 38% of mineralized rock in the lower
zone. Hazen has demonstrated that a high searlesite content reduces
the melting temperature of the material, inhibiting effective
calcination. While the Company has concluded that calcination is
not preferred for the high-grade material at Bonnie Claire, it may
still be an option for material with lower searlesite content, such
as the lower-grade upper zone.
Two-Stage Acid Leaching
To formulate a suitable recovery method for
high-grade Lithium and Boron material at Bonnie Claire, the Company
asked Hazen to conduct preliminary acid leach benchwork and to
develop a conceptual acid treatment process to recover both Lithium
and Boron. To date, acid leaching has been advanced as the typical
recovery process for Lithium-bearing Nevada claystone projects.
Fluor has also advanced the use of acid leach in the Definitive
Feasibility Study for Rhyolite Ridge, the only other known
Lithium-Boron claystone deposit in Nevada.
Hazen has developed a conceptual two-stage
leaching approach using:
- An initial dilute acid leach at 160 kg acid/t solid, to
facilitate the recovery of Boron
- A second concentrated 500 kg acid/t solid for the recovery of
Lithium
Using this two-stage leaching approach, Hazen achieved a 97%
overall Lithium recovery, together with a 98% overall Boron
recovery.
The two-stage leaching approach produces two filtrates: a high
Boron stream to produce boric acid and a high Lithium stream for
generating lithium carbonate. However, there may not be a benefit
to a two-stage leach if Boron content is low. A single stage leach
has the advantage of requiring less solid/liquid separation stages.
The decision to use countercurrent leaching for better acid
utilization will be determined after further test work is
performed.
Fluor and Kemetco
Following the successful preliminary acid leach benchwork and
conceptual flowsheet by Hazen, Nevada Lithium has accepted a
proposal from Fluor and Kemetco. The companies will oversee and
perform future benchwork and develop a process plant for inclusion
into an updated PEA.
Fluor’s Lithium Center of Excellence will set-up and coordinate
a test work program to take place at Kemetco’s lab facility. The
key focus will be to prove the make-up of a conceptual acid-leach
circuit. Fluor and Kemetco’s joint expertise in developing test
work programs for Lithium compounds of similar metallurgy will play
an instrumental role in bringing a high level of certainty to the
Project flowsheet.
It is estimated that the test work program will conclude in
early 2025. The development of a process plant will then feed the
preparation of the updated PEA report pertaining to metallurgy,
capital, and operating expenses (CAPEX and OPEX, respectively).
Global Resource Engineering will prepare an updated PEA, with an
estimated completion date by the end of Q1 2025.
About Nevada Lithium Resources Inc.Nevada
Lithium Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration and development
company focused on shareholder value creation through its core
asset, the Bonnie Claire Lithium Project, located in Nye County,
Nevada, where it holds a 100% interest.
Bonnie Claire has a current National Instrument
43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”)
inferred mineral resource of 3,407 million tonnes (Mt) grading
1,013 ppm Li for 18.372 million tonnes (Mt) of contained lithium
carbonate equivalent (LCE), at a cut-off grade of 700 ppm Li1.
The PEA for Bonnie Claire indicates a net
present value (8%) of $1.5 Billion USD (after tax) using $13,400
USD per tonne LCE and after-tax IRR of 23.8%. With an LCE price of
$30,000 USD per tonne, the net present value (8%) of the Project is
$5.9 Billion USD (after tax) and an IRR of 60.3%1.
For further information on Nevada Lithium and to
subscribe for updates about Nevada Lithium, please visit its
website at: https://nevadalithium.com/
QP DisclosureThe technical information in the
above disclosure has been reviewed and approved by the designated
Qualified Person under NI 43-101, Dr. Jeff Wilson, PhD, P.Geo, Vice
President of Exploration for Nevada Lithium. Dr. Wilson is not
independent of Nevada Lithium, as he is Vice President of
Exploration for Nevada Lithium.
1See Preliminary Economic Assessment NI 43-101
Technical Report on the Bonnie Claire Lithium Project, Nye Country,
Nevada authored by Terre Lane, J. Todd Harvey, MBA, PhD, Hamid
Samari, PhD and Rick Moritz (Effective date of August 20, 2021, and
Issue date of February 25, 2022) (the “PEA” or the
“Preliminary Economic
Assessment”) as summarized in Nevada Lithium’s
news release dated October 13, 2021, which are available on Nevada
Lithium’s SEDAR+ profile at
www.sedarplus.ca. Results of the Preliminary
Economic Assessment represent forward-looking information. This
economic assessment is, by definition, preliminary in nature and
includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too
speculative to have the economic considerations applied to them
that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There
is no certainty that the Preliminary Economic Assessment will be
realized. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not
have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that
all or any part of the Mineral Resources will be converted into
Mineral Reserves.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Nevada Lithium Resources
Inc.“Stephen Rentschler”Stephen Rentschler, CEO
For further information, please contact: Nevada Lithium
Resources Inc.Stephen Rentschler CEO and Director Phone: (647)
254-9795E-mail: sr@nevadalithium.com
Media InquiriesE-mail: info@nevadalithium.com
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The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved or disapproved of
the contents of this news release.
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking
statements and forward-looking information (collectively,
“forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to matters
that identify future events or future performance. Often, but not
always, forward looking information can be identified by words such
as “could”, “pro forma”, “plans”, “expects”, “may”, “will”,
“should”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”,
“intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “potential” or variations of
such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that
refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would,
might or will occur or be taken or achieved.
The forward-looking statements contained herein
include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the
performance of the Project and results of the 2023 Exploration and
Development Plan (including, without limitation, its mineral
resources, current claims and its ability to utilize global lithium
needs); the results of any analysis conducted by Fluor, Hazen, or
other advisors on the Project; the ability of Fluor and Hazen to
oversee and perform future benchwork and develop a process plant
for inclusion into an updated PEA; the conclusion of a test work
program in early 2025 or at any time; the ability of the Company to
complete a future PEA based on results of its current drilling
program on the Project; and the performance of lithium as a
commodity, including the sustained lithium demand and prices.
In making the forward looking statements in this
news release, Nevada Lithium has applied several material
assumptions, including without limitation: market fundamentals that
result in sustained lithium demand and prices; the receipt of any
necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection
with the future development of Bonnie Claire in a timely manner;
the availability of financing on suitable terms for the
development; construction and continued operation of Bonnie Claire;
the Project containing mineral resources; and Nevada Lithium’s
ability to comply with all applicable regulations and laws,
including environmental, health and safety laws.
Investors are cautioned that forward-looking
statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect
Nevada Lithium’s management’s expectations, estimates or
projections concerning future results or events based on the
opinions, assumptions and estimates of managements considered
reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Nevada
Lithium believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, such information
involves risks and uncertainties, and under reliance should not be
placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors
could have material adverse effects on future results, performance
or achievements expressed or implied by Nevada Lithium. Among the
key risk factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements
are the following: operating and technical difficulties in
connection with mineral exploration and development and mine
development activities at the Project; estimation or realization of
mineral reserves and mineral resources, requirements for additional
capital; future prices of precious metals and lithium; changes in
general economic, business and political conditions, including
changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price
for commodities; possible variations in ore grade or recovery
rates; possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to
operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks
of the mining industry; delays or the inability of Nevada Lithium
to obtain any necessary approvals, permits, consents or
authorizations, financing or other planned activities; changes in
laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations;
currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on
insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending
litigation, environmental issues and liabilities; risks relating to
epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of
COVID-19 on Nevada Lithium’s business; as well as those factors
discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Nevada Lithium’s
latest Management Discussion and Analysis and other filings of
Nevada Lithium filed with the Canadian securities authorities,
copies of which can be found under Nevada Lithium’s profile on the
SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Should one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialized, or should assumptions underlying the
forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those described herein as intended, planned,
anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Nevada
Lithium has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties
and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially,
there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated,
estimated or intended. Nevada Lithium does not intend, and does not
assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information
except as otherwise required by applicable law.
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