LSC Lithium Announces 750mg/l High Grade Lithium Values and High-Yield Pump Test Results on Its Pozuelos-Pastos Grandes Project
TORONTO, Sept. 19, 2018 - LSC Lithium Corp. (“LSC” or together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) (TSXV:LSC) is pleased to announce that it has received encouraging pump test results from a 7-day continuous pump test at its Pozuelos-Pastos Grandes project (“PPG Project”).
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Constant pump rate over 7-days from well SP-2017-10W at 82m3/h
- Measured drawdown is constant and full recharge within 3h after completion of pumping
- Consistent grade with average 750mg/l Li and minimum of 736mg/l Li
- Hydrogeological modelling shows that a production well in this area can consistently yield 130m3/h
- Results confirm a second high-grade depocenter in the South-West of the salar, providing the basis for a resource update and expansion at Pozuelos
LSC’s President and CEO, Ian Stalker, noted, “These results exceeded our expectations of the potential of the Pozuelos depo centre. LSC is currently undertaking a PEA for the PPG project based on a target production rate of 20,000 tpa lithium carbonate.
“Furthermore, we look forward to incorporating these high grades into the resource update of Pozuelos, which is expected to be completed in parallel with our PEA before year end. As the lithium grades are more than double the values currently assumed in this area, we anticipate the updated Pozuelos resource will be higher both in terms of grade and lithium tonnes.”
Testing Methodology
Well SP-2017-10W was drilled in the south-west of the Pozuelos salar utilizing a tricone system to drill 100m at a diameter of 12”. The well was cased with PVC screen casing from 63m to 99m at 8” to test the clastic horizon developed from 66.6m to end of hole. Two monitoring piezometers, PZ5 and PZ10, were installed at a distance of 5.12m and 10.23m respectively.
The static level of brine in the pump well recorded was 1.51m while the levels in the piezometers were recorded at 1.40m and 0.18m.
A 6” down-the-hole pump with 22kW motor supplied by a generator was installed and operated under constant supervision for a continuous period of 168 hours (7 days). Brine samples were collected for assaying at the following intervals:
- Hourly for the first day
- Every three hours for the second day
- Every eight hours thereafter
During the pumping test, the piezometric levels in the pumping well and piezometers were measured manually with piezometric probes and automatically with datalogger. Flows were measured at a distance of 200m from the pumping well in a gauging tank with a hole in the base, of known area, determining the flow depending on the height of water that is produced inside the tank. This flow measurement was corroborated with volumetric measurements with an excellent coincidence between both values.
Results and Interpretation of Tests
Lithium grades were found to be very consistent, averaging 750mg/l Li with a minimum grade of 736mg/l Li.
A graph accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c7dedc2f-8d1a-42b5-a306-2d4747086a56
Pumping was performed steadily at a rate of 82.2m3/h. Drawdown was observed in both monitoring wells and the pumping well, with manually and digitally logged data showing excellent correlation. Drawdown levels remained steady after 2 hours of pumping approximately as follows:
- 23m in the pumping well
- 18m in PZ5
- 5m in PZ10
A full recharge to pre-pumping levels was observed within three hours after the completion of the pump test, with 80% of the recharge occurring within the first 5 minutes.
A graph accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aec6f85e-aa8d-4dd5-9841-8ffd8dca8ba1
Conhidro, a Salta-based hydrogeology consultancy company, interpreted these results with a numerical model using the Infinite Extent software and accepted hydrogeological equations. They concluded that “the maximum exploitation flow of this work is 130m3/h with a calculated dynamic level of 51.62m below the wellhead.”
Furthermore, the fact that the observed drawdown reduces rapidly with distance, supports the view that pumping wells can be installed in a production grid to support a high-grade brine supply system for operations.
LSC will incorporate these positive results into the updated resource estimate of Pozuelos, which will be released together with the PEA towards the end of 2018. The data from this location supports the view of a second high-grade depocenter in the south-west of the salar.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Brine samples were collected in 1-litre sample bottles, sealed and transported daily to the assay laboratory. Sample data for collection date and time, sample number, pumping rate and other factors were recorded in the database. Sample assays were undertaken at Alex Stewart Argentina (“ASA”) in Jujuy, Argentina using ICP, gravimetric, potentiometric and volumetric methods as detailed in a press release from LSC dated April 10, 2017. ASA is independent of LSC and has significant experience in assaying lithium brine and is certified to ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 standards for quality control and quality assurance.
LSC has a well developed program of QA/QC. Certified standards are inserted in sample batches at a rate of at least 1 in 20, sample duplicates are run at a rate of at least 1 in 20. Blanks are inserted at a rate of at least 1 in 20 samples. LSC uses distilled water for blanks. ALS Global or SGS Argentina are used as secondary check laboratories to monitor primary laboratory results. Both ALS Global and SGS Argentina are certified to ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 standards and are independent of LSC.
Qualified Person
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 drilling, brine sampling; review of drill core photographs to verify lithology; review of certified assay certificates against the assay data base; review of pump test data. There are no drilling, sampling, recovery or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy and reliability of the data.
ABOUT LSC Lithium Corp.:
LSC Lithium has amassed a large portfolio of prospective lithium rich salars and is focused on developing its material projects: Pozuelos and Pastos Grandes Project, Rio Grande Project and Salinas Grandes Project. All LSC tenements are located in the “Lithium Triangle,” an area at the intersection of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile where the world’s most abundant lithium brine deposits are found. LSC Lithium has a land package portfolio totaling approximately 300,000 hectares, which represents extensive lithium prospective salar holdings in Argentina.
For further information please contact:
LSC Lithium Corp.
Ian Stalker
President & Chief Executive Officer
40 University Avenue,
Suite 605, Toronto
ON Canada M5J 1T1
+416 306 8382
Email: info@lsclithium.com
Web: lsclithium.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance, including statements as to the timing and expected completion of delivering a PEA for the PPG Project, timing and expected completion of an updated resource statement on Pozuelos, expected depth of the depo centre of Pozuelos, potential production from the well and Pozuelos salar, expected grade and lithium values, interpretation of results by hydrogeology consulting firm, ability of results to support high-grade brine supply system, results and use of data from the pump test work on Pozuelos, ability, timing and successful completion of the drill program at the PPG Project, LSC’s overall contained lithium inventory, and ability to produce more results on the Company’s properties. The use of any of the words “could”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on LSC's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Whether actual results and developments will conform with LSC's expectations is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including factors underlying management's assumptions, such as risks related to: title, permitting and regulatory risks; exploration and the establishment of any resources or reserves on the LSC properties; volatility in lithium prices and the market for lithium; exchange rate fluctuations; volatility in LSC’s share price; the requirement for significant additional funds for development that may not be available; changes in national and local government legislation, including permitting and licensing regimes and taxation policies and the enforcement thereof; regulatory, political or economic developments in Argentina or elsewhere; litigation; title, permit or license disputes related to interests on any of the properties in which the Company holds an interest; excessive cost escalation as well as development, permitting, infrastructure, operating or technical difficulties on any of the Company's properties; risks and hazards associated with the business of development and mining on any of the Company's properties. Actual future results may differ materially. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and LSC is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. For more information, see the Company's filing statement on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
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The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.