Jan 18 2018
LSC Lithium Corporation (“LSC” or together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) is pleased to announce that its surface sampling verification program designed to validate assay data used in the Orocobre Ltd.
Mineral Resource1 estimate has been completed (See Map 1). A NI 43-101 Mineral Resource report will be issued by LSC within the next few weeks. The verification program supports the Company’s belief that the Salinas Grandes salar represents a high-grade and potentially large lithium in-brine opportunity for the Company.
Ian Stalker the Company’s CEO commented, “This verification program supports our view that Salinas Grandes has the potential to deliver a large and high-grade lithium in-brine deposit. We look forward to the revised resource estimate which is expected in the next few weeks. In addition, we have received excellent local community support for this work and we continue to be fully engaged with all stakeholders at all times.”
LSC’s ability to commence the verification program at Salinas Grandes resulted from ongoing engagement and consultation with local communities. The Company is committed to continue to engage with communities as it develops its exploration program.
The verification sampling program at Salinas Grandes was designed to both confirm surface pit sampling lithium assay results documented by ADY Resources Ltd. and Orocobre Ltd. (prior owners of the tenements) and auger hole lithium assay results from shallow auger holes drilled by Orocobre. Both the Orocobre and ADY data have been confirmed by LSC and a NI 43-101 Mineral Resource estimate is being prepared incorporating this data. This Mineral Resource estimate will encompass the consolidated LSC tenements on Salinas Grandes (which includes the Stella Marys and Mina Teresa tenements2) and represents a considerably larger area than the area of 116 km2 used for the Orocobre delineated Mineral Resource in 2013, as the revised resource area will include all ground within the Company’s tenement area and extend to the salar boundary in these blocks.
Of the 53 shallow pit samples taken, 80% of the samples of have returned grades in excess of 500 mg/l Li, 44% in excess of 1,000 mg/l Li and 13% over 1,500 mg/l Li. The peak value returned for this section of the sampling was 2,736 mg/l Li. In addition to the surface pit sampling, nine Orocobre auger holes drilled to depths varying between 2m and 12m were located and sampled using a 60cm long bailer. A sample was recovered at regular intervals down hole. The sample results were then averaged to give a single lithium value per hole. The results included 44% of the assays lying between 500 mg/l Li and 1,000 mg/l Li and 12% in excess of 1,000 mg/l Li peaking at 1,012 mg/l Li.
Sampling and QA/QC
Surface brine sampling tests involved collection of brine from auger holes using a bailer which was flushed with fresh brine several times prior to collection of the sample. Brine was poured into 1-litre sample bottles which had been previously flushed with fresh brine from a 20-litre container several times. Sample bottles were filled to the top to eliminate the inclusion of air and sealed with a leak proof lid. Samples were labelled and labels covered in clear tape to prevent erasure of sample information. All samples remained in the possession of the site geologist until delivery to Alex Stewart Laboratory Jujuy, Argentina by courier.
LSC has a well-developed QA/QC program. Brine assays are undertaken at Alex Stewart Argentina (“ASA”) S.A. in Jujuy, Argentina. ASA is independent of LSC and has significant experience in assaying lithium brines and is certified to ISO17025 standards. Brine assays are undertaken using ICP, gravimetric, potentiometric and volumetric methods as detailed in a press release from LSC dated April 10, 2017.
ASA runs internal duplicates at a rate of 1 in 20. LSC inserts blanks and standards in sample batches at a rate of 1 in 20. Standards are internal standards developed by LSC that have been independently certified by round robin testing. LSC uses distilled water as blanks.
Qualified Person/Data Verification
The scientific and technical information included in this press release is based upon information prepared and approved by Donald H. Hains, P.Geo. Mr. Hains is a qualified person, as defined in NI 43-101 and is independent of LSC. Mr. Hains has verified all sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in this press release by on-site inspection during brine sampling and review of certified assay certificates against the assay data base.
1 Orocobre Ltd completed a NI 43-101 technical report with an inferred mineral resource estimate on its Salinas Grandes tenements in 2013. See Technical Report on the Salinas Grandes Lithium Project – April 16, 2012, amended August 12, 2013, prepared for Orocobre Ltd. and filed under Orocobre’s SEDAR profile.
2 See LSC Press Release dated November 6, 2017, November 20, 2017 and November 23, 2017.