Nemaska Lithium Discovers New Mineralized Zone at Whabouchi and Provides Drilling Update
QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 6, 2016) - Nemaska Lithium Inc. ("Nemaska Lithium" or the "Corporation") (TSX:NMX)(OTCQX:NMKEF) is pleased to provide an update on the previously announced definition drilling campaign for its Whabouchi lithium project. The drill program was expanded from 44 drill holes over 13,700 m to 50 holes over 17,000 m after the company encountered a new lithium bearing zone in the southwestern end of the planned pit area (Figure1). The initial discovery was made on holes WHA-16-190; that intersected a new mineralized zone over 29.1m along core at 150 m vertical depth, WHA-16-184 over 81.7 m along core at 245 m vertical and WHA-16-189 over 44.8 m at 500 m vertical on the same section (3+50). Five (5) holes to confirm the lateral extensions of this new lithium zone up to 100m East and West of section 03+50 along strike are currently being drilled and are expected to be completed in early September 2016.
Currently a total of twelve (12) holes have intercepted the new mineralized zone, named Doris, and have reported the following intersections:
| Section | Hole Name | From (m) | To (m) | Core length (m) | True width* (m) |
| 01+75 | WHA-16-145 | 15.03 | 43.8 | 28.8 | 14.4 |
| 01+75 | WHA-16-169 | 126.35 | 152.6 | 26.3 | 13.1 |
| 02+00 | WHA-16-146 | 53.9 | 140.8 | 87.0 | 43.5 |
| 02+00 | WHA-16-170 | 171.7 | 188.62 | 16.9 | 8.5 |
| 02+50 | WHA-16-148 | 66.62 | 105.88 | 39.3 | 19.6 |
| 02+75 | WHA-16-149 | 62.52 | 79.2 | 16.7 | 8.3 |
| 02+75 | WHA-16-149 | 81.27 | 102.03 | 20.8 | 10.4 |
| 03+25 | WHA-16-175 | 80.95 | 116 | 35.1 | 17.5 |
| 03+50 | WHA-16-184 | 299.3 | 381.0 | 81.7 | 40.9 |
| 03+50 | WHA-16-190 | 185.29 | 214.38 | 29.1 | 14.5 |
| 04+00 | WHA-16-151 | 91.3 | 107.1 | 15.8 | 7.9 |
| 04+25 | WHA-16-152 | 48.88 | 69 | 20.1 | 10.1 |
| 05+00 | WHA-16-153 | 22.82 | 34.63 | 11.8 | 5.9 |
| * True width estimated for drill holes with a dip of 50° and a general dip of 75° to the NW for the mineralized structure | |||||
Additional details of this new lithium zone will be released as the Corporation receives assay results.
"Drilling has gone even better than expected and I am obviously very pleased with this new lithium discovery" commented Guy Bourassa, President and CEO of Nemaska Lithium. "What we know now is that the new zone is quite a thick dyke and we are seeing true widths similar to the main zone at Whabouchi. I am excited to see what impact this new discovery will have on our world class Whabouchi lithium project," commented Guy Bourassa, President and CEO of Nemaska Lithium.
The feasibility study titled: NI 43-101 Technical Report Feasibility Study Update on the Whabouchi Lithium Deposit and Hydromet Plant (Revised), dated as of April 4th, 2016, covers mineral resources totalling 27.9 Mt with an average grade of 1.57% Li2O in the measured and indicated categories and 4.69 Mt with an average grade of 1.51% Li2O of inferred resources in an optimized pit with a 0.43% Li2O cut-off grade.
The three main objectives of the drilling campaign are to: 1) potentially convert the 4.69 Mt of inferred resources, inside the pit design, to indicated resources; 2) increase the level of confidence of mineral resources between 0 m and 200 m vertical from the surface and 3) confirm the continuity of the longitudinal zone of mineral resources down to 500 m vertical depth, below surface. So far, given the mineralized pegmatite interval an available assay results (table below):
- The infill drilling program Nemaska Lithium generally encountered mineralization where expected, further increasing the confidence in the existing block model which has fundamentally held intact since its initial inception.
- Drilling confirmed that the known dykes are mineralized and present down to at least the 200 m level.
- Mineralization has been confirmed in some of the drill holes down to the 500 m level, around the existing extension. Assay results are expected around the end of September.
Assays for the following holes have been received up to now and are presented as weighted average interval of the pegmatite dykes intercepts:
| Section | Hole Name | From (m) | To (m) | Core length (m) | True width* (m) | LiO2(%) |
| 10+75 | WHA-16-159 | 28.9 | 45.0 | 16.1 | 11.4 | 0.97 |
| 10+75 | WHA-16-159 | 106.4 | 115.3 | 8.8 | 6.2 | 1.91 |
| 10+75 | WHA-16-159 | 158.8 | 169.1 | 10.3 | 7.3 | 1.28 |
| 11+50 | WHA-16-160 | 13.5 | 18.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.84 |
| 11+50 | WHA-16-160 | 188.0 | 191.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 2.46 |
| 11+50 | WHA-16-160 | 240.5 | 245.9 | 5.4 | 3.8 | 1.29 |
| 11+50 | WHA-16-160 | 248.9 | 254.9 | 6.0 | 4.3 | 1.09 |
| 12+50 | WHA-16-162 | 26.0 | 29.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.43 |
| 12+50 | WHA-16-162 | 81.6 | 89.5 | 7.9 | 5.6 | 0.89 |
| 12+50 | WHA-16-162 | 158.5 | 163.8 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 1.68 |
| 12+50 | WHA-16-162 | 171.7 | 184.5 | 12.9 | 9.1 | 1.64 |
| 12+75 | WHA-16-163 | 1.1 | 12.1 | 11.0 | 7.8 | 1.59 |
| 12+75 | WHA-16-163 | 54.8 | 66.0 | 11.2 | 7.9 | 1.69 |
| 13+00 | WHA-16-178 | 34.8 | 41.4 | 6.6 | 4.7 | 2.00 |
| 13+00 | WHA-16-178 | 34.8 | 41.4 | 6.6 | 4.7 | 2.00 |
| 13+00 | WHA-16-178 | 126.9 | 137.2 | 10.3 | 7.3 | 1.92 |
| 13+00 | WHA-16-178 | 151.0 | 163.2 | 12.2 | 8.6 | 1.61 |
| 13+00 | WHA-16-178 | 229.3 | 238.1 | 8.8 | 6.2 | 1.40 |
| 14+00 | WHA-16-165 | 2.6 | 17.9 | 15.2 | 10.8 | 1.43 |
| 14+00 | WHA-16-165 | 98.3 | 102.8 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 1.02 |
| 14+00 | WHA-16-179 | 18.9 | 24.0 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 1.69 |
| * True width estimated for drill holes with a dip of 50° and a general dip of 85° to the SE for the mineralized structure | ||||||
"The assays that we have received from the 0m to 200m level are very good with grades that are consistent with the overall deposit, which is globally recognised as one of the richest lithium hard rock deposits in the world. I am very pleased by how well our block model continues to hold up as we define the deposit in greater detail. We consistently hit our dykes where expected and this combined with our initial assay results only bodes well for increasing our resource estimate followed by reserve estimate," Bourassa continued.
The drilling campaign is planned and supervised by Jean-Philippe Paiement, M.Sc. P. Geo, at SGS Canada Inc. Samples are prepared by the SGS Canada Inc. laboratory in Quebec City and are analyzed by the SGS Canada Inc. accredited laboratory in Lakefield.
A QAQC program involving blank samples (3% of the sampling stream), standard samples (3% of the sampling stream) and field duplicates (3% of the sampling stream) has been established during sampling. 10% of the mineralized samples will also be sent to ALS for pulp duplicates once the campaign is over. The work is carried out in accordance with CIM's mining exploration guidelines.
The technical parts of this press release were prepared by Jean-Philippe Paiement, M.Sc. P. Geo, at SGS Canada Inc., qualified person under Regulation NI 43-101.
About Nemaska Lithium
Nemaska Lithium intends to become a lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate supplier to the emerging lithium battery market that is largely driven by electric vehicles, cell phones, tablets and other consumer products. The Corporation is developing in Quebec one of the most important spodumene lithium hard rock deposit in the world, both in volume and grade. The spodumene concentrate produced at Nemaska Lithium's Whabouchi mine will be shipped to the Corporation's lithium compounds processing plant to be built in Shawinigan, Quebec. This plant will transform spodumene concentrate into high purity lithium hydroxide and carbonate using the proprietary methods developed by the Corporation, and for which patent applications have been filed.
This document may contain forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of factors and include risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from forecast results. Management assumes no obligation beyond what is required under the law to update or revise forward-looking statements pursuant to new information or future events.
Further information regarding Nemaska Lithium is available in the SEDAR database (www.sedar.com) and on the Corporation's website at: www.nemaskalithium.com
Contact
Mr. Victor Cantore
Investor Relations
514 831-3809
victor.cantore@nemaskalithium.com
Mrs. Wanda Cutler
Investor Relations
416 303-6460
wanda.cutler@nemaskalithium.com
www.nemaskalithium.com