Overview

Lithium brine project located in Nye County, Nevada, which is 125 miles east of Clayton Valley and the Silver Peak lithium brine operation. Tonopah, being the nearest town at 60 miles east, can supply the basic needs of an exploration programme. Main roads are easily accessible, with the Extraterrestrial Highway (375) located 0.5 miles away. The project is located 310 miles southeast of the Tesla Gigafactory, which is forecast to be a significant consumer of lithium carbonate.

The project tenements are centred on salt lake playa and consist of 168 BLM unpatented placer claims, with Zenolith holding a 100% interest in the claims. The claims confer surface rights for any activities related to mineral exploration and production.

Topography in the area is very flat, being ideal for a lithium brine operation. The mineralisation model is considered to be analogous with that of Clayton Valley and the Silver Peak lithium operation.

Bradda Head currently holds a 55% interest in the project.

Wilson
Project Highlights

2016

  • Reconnaissance surface auger/post hole sampling conducted from depths of 1m – 2m, results showed grades of 33 ppm Li to 192 ppm Li
  • Water bores located within 1km of the project area found lithium levels of 1.2 ppm Li, indicating potential lithium enriched waters at depth
  • Passive seismic geophysical survey confirmed presence of thick, sedimentary sequence bounded by basin margin faults, being similar to those found at the Silver Peak lithium brine operation

2017

Magnetotelluric geophysical survey identified a conductive layer in the upper 200m – 300m spanning the full width of the project area, and being stronger and shallower than similar Nevada projects

Next Steps

A three phase approach will be followed:

Phase 1

An initial groundwater exploration program will be designed in order to discover and characterise a reservoir of continental brine within the basin sediments that could contain economically viable concentrations of lithium and potassium.
A BLM NOI has been approved for a proposed phase 1 drilling programme. The NOI indicates that the disturbance will affect less than the maximum 5 acres of land allowed for in any one permit. The reclamation bond has been lodged, allowing for the commencement of an initial drilling programme.

Initial drilling by two 300m deep holes and subsequent sampling and analysis of sub-surface brines will allow testing of the presence and concentration of lithium. Holes will be drilled using compressed air as deep as possible switching to the rotary mud technique to complete the holes to 300m depth. Slotted PVC casing will support the drillhole walls whilst allowing down-hole sampling via a stainless steel bailer system and pump testing of the sub-surface brines. Water samples will be analysed at accredited laboratories in the USA.

Phase 2

Should lithium brine be intersected in the initial drill test program, additional detailed systematic drilling and downhole geophysical studies will be required to assess the lithium brine distribution in the sub-surface aquifers in sufficient detail to support a Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”). Key criteria to be assessed will include the lithium grade and distribution, the presence or absence and distribution of any deleterious elements, the characteristics of the brine aquifer such as porosity, permeability and transmissivity. Pump testing will be required to assess potential extraction rates and aquifer re-charge. An MRE and scoping study would be produced at the end of this phase.

Phase 3

Following positive results from Phase 2, the project would be advanced to a pre-feasibility study, which would require additional metallurgical test work and environmental studies to be completed.