VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 5, 2021 /CNW/ -- Nickel Rock Resources
Inc. ("the Company") (TSXV: NICL) (OTCQB: NIKLF) is
pleased to announce that planning for our 2021 exploration programs
is underway for both our primary nickel exploration project 65 km
east of Smithers BC as well as our
lithium claystone exploration program at Clayton Valley,
Nevada. Having recently completed two financings totalling
$1,520,000 the Company is well funded
to carry out the initial programs. Details of the exploration
programs at our BC nickel project next to FPX Minerals Decar
Project will be outlined in a NI 43-101 report currently being
prepared.
Clayton Valley Project Exploration
The Company has 100% title to 77 lithium placer claims covering
over 640 hectares in Clayton Valley, Nevada, which until recently has been home to
North America's only producing
lithium mine. The Company's Clayton Valley Project is
both an early-stage lithium brine and a lithium
claystone prospect in Esmeralda
County, Nevada. Plans are currently being drawn up for an
exploration program beginning early in 2021 with drilling being
proposed. This is a well-located property contiguous and
adjacent to the west side of the formerly producing
Silver Peak Lithium Brine Mine and Processing
Facility. Albemarle Corporation purchased the mine as part of
its acquisition of Rockwood Lithium that closed in early 2015. The
United States Geological Survey estimates that over 300 million
pounds of lithium carbonate have been produced at this facility
since 1966.
Exploration Potential
The general structure of the producing area in the north part of
the Clayton Valley basin is known from geophysical surveys and
drilling to be a graben structure with its most down-dropped
portion the east-northeast side of the valley (Zampirro, 2004).
A similar graben structure has been identified on the property
of Nickel Rock Minerals in the north west part of the Clayton
Valley basin where the Goat Island graben is inferred from gravity
inversion (Quantec, 2008; Petrick, 2008). The valley is
segmented into a northerly-trending, 1-2 km-wide sub-basin with a
distinct escarpment on each side caused by the displacement of a
block of land downward. Recent work by other operators
indicates that important deposits of lithium bearing claystone are
being found in Clayton Valley and this will be the primary target
for the proposed program currently being arranged. The Clayton
Valley BFF-1 NI 43-101 Technical Report by Alan Morris, CPG, QP, states "The property has
strong potential to host lithium brine deposits in favorable
geologic horizons within the basin fill. Another possible target is
lithium enriched clay within the fill package and potentially in
previous high stands of the playa." (April
2016).
A short distance to the east, Cypress Development owns 100% of
the Clayton Valley Lithium Projects located immediately east
of Albemarle's mine. Exploration and development by Cypress has
discovered a large world-class resource of lithium-bearing
claystone adjacent to the brine field. Here, lithium
mineralization occurs within montmorillonite clays throughout the
sediments to a depth of at least 150 meters. Metallurgical testing
indicates low-cost processing can be achieved by leaching with low
acid consumption (125 kg/t) and high lithium recovery over 85%
Li. These high extractions prove that the dominant
lithium-bearing minerals present are not hectorite, a refractory
clay mineral which requires roasting and/or high acid consumption
to liberate the lithium. Testing by other companies on their
lithium clay properties, including Lithium Americas (Thacker Pass
Project, Nevada), Bacanora
Minerals (Sonora Project, Mexico),
Ioneer (Rhyolite Ridge Project, Nevada) and Cypress Development (Clayton
Valley Project) have all indicated that economic extraction of the
lithium may well be possible in the not-too-distant future.
Qualified Person
Alan Morris is a Qualified Person
as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the
technical information contained within this news release.
About Nickel Rock Resources Inc.
www.nickelrockresources.com
Nickel Rock Resources Inc is a Canadian-based mineral
exploration company with a highly focused effort on exploration for
high value battery metals required for the electric vehicle (EV)
market. The Company recently announced several acquisitions
resulting in a significant property package prospective for
awaruite, a naturally occurring nickel-iron alloy important in the
manufacture of environmentally efficient batteries for the electric
vehicle markets globally.
Nickel Projects
The Mount Sidney Williams Group consists of five claim blocks in
four groups with a total area of 6,125.32 hectares in the area
surrounding Mount Sidney Williams, both adjoining and in close
proximity to the Decar project of FPX Nickel Corp., located 100
kilometres northwest of Fort St. James,
B.C., in the Omineca Mining Division. Metallic
mineralization includes nickel, cobalt, and chromium. At least some
of the nickel mineralization occurs as awaruite.
The Mitchell Range Group area claim consist of two contiguous
claim blocks covering 3,134.70 hectares with demonstrated metallic
mineralization including nickel, cobalt, and chromium.
Nickel-cobalt mineralization has not been well explored, but the
presence of awaruite has been documented. The Company is planning
detailed exploration for the upcoming exploration season. The
acquisition of the Hard Nickel Group and the Nickel 100 claims are
subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.
Lithium Projects
The Clayton Valley Project is an early-stage lithium brine
prospect in Esmeralda County,
Nevada. A total of 77 placer claims covering about 640 ha
(1,500 acres) were staked over the western side of the Clayton
Valley playa. The property position covers an inferred graben
bounded by the Silver Peak range front on the west and Goat Island
on the east. The exploration concept is the graben is a sub-basin
of the larger Clayton Valley basin and may represent a secondary
trap for lithium brines within the greater system.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
"Robert Setter"
Robert Setter, President &
CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release. This news release may contain
forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to,
comments that involve future events and conditions, which are
subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements
of historical facts, comments that address resource potential,
upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and
security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and
others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not
guaranteeing future performance and actual results may vary
materially from those statements. General business conditions are
factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from
forward-looking statements.
Nickel Rock Resources Inc.
1220 – 789 West
Pender Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 1H2
604-
428-5690
www.nickelrockresources.com
info@nickelrockresources.com
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SOURCE Nickel Rock Resources Inc.