The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) have approved American Lithium’s Plan of Operations (PO) and Reclamation Plan for the next stages of development and exploration activities at the Company’s Tonopah Lithium Claims Project (TLC) situated close to Tonopah, Nevada.
TLC Exploration Plan of Operations Location Map (Image Credit: American Lithium Corp.)
Highlights
- The PO approves construction of 110 drill sites on the TLC project, not taking into account TLC North and the excavation of five test pits;
- Public remarks received during the consultation stage of the Environmental Assessment (EA) show extensive public support for the project;
- Allows extension/infill drilling of current TLC deposit, aiming at resource expansion/reclassification to further increase the existing large, high-grade measured and specified resource;
- Enables all drilling and bulk sampling necessary for advanced metallurgical test activity to allow the company to transit from maiden PEA into pre-feasibility/feasibility stage as swiftly as possible;
- Supports further exploration drilling across unexplored areas of the fundamental TLC concessions;
- Carrying on with of the remaining 9 holes of the 15-hole Reverse Circulation (RC) exploration drill project at TLC North, which began in early December 2021 under a separate drill permit; and
- The First 6 holes of this project ran into thick intersections of lithium-containing claystone, assay results are awaited. Depending on the results, the company is anticipating increasing this drill program to enable setting up a maiden resource at TLC North.
The BLM and NDEP approvals follow the conclusion of an EA on the project that comprised a 30-day public comment process and the NDEP’s appraisal of the adequacy of the reclamation bond amount. The BLM received numerous letters of support for the project from the public and Nye County during the public comment phase for the Environmental Assessment.
American Lithium has offered a US$ 1,415,666 reclamation bond to the NDEP and BLM, via its surety agent, Smith Manus. As such, all approvals are currently in place to start drilling.
Q & D Construction LLC has been contracted to deliver a sonic core drill rig to finish the in-fill and resource extension drilling planned under the PO on the current TLC deposit, as well as extra exploration drilling beyond the current TLC resource area. This drill will complement the current reverse circulation drill presently performing exploration drilling at TLC North (Crescent Dunes). Drilling at TLC will begin soon.
We are extremely pleased to have the TLC Plan of Operations and Reclamation Permit approved and the finalization of our BLM and NDEP permits. We would like to thank our team and key advisors on the ground, and BLM and NDEP for their efforts throughout the process.
Simon Clarke, CEO, American Lithium
“This is a big step for the company and enables the launch of a major development program which we believe will provide all the data/results needed to move quickly from a robust, maiden PEA and into the pre-feasibility/feasibility phase on our core TLC Project. We are also excited about the resource expansion and infill drilling program at TLC as well as continuing our successful exploration drilling program following up on the thick lithium claystone discovery at TLC North,” Simon Clarke continued.
While our primary goal remains delivering the PEA as quickly as possible, the potential to significantly expand our measured and indicated resource numbers would also add significant value to the Project and provide even stronger positioning for the move into feasibility.
Simon Clarke, CEO, American Lithium
Qualified Person
Mr. Ted O’Connor, P.Geo., a director of American Lithium, and a qualified person, as stipulated by the National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has appraised and approved the technical and scientific data found in this article.