Rodinia Lithium Provides Operational Update for the Salar de Diablillos
28 Marzo 2012 - 10:15PM
Marketwired Canada
Rodinia Lithium Inc. ("Rodinia" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:RM)(OTCQX:RDNAF)
is pleased to provide a progress update on the Company's 100% owned Salar de
Diablillos lithium-potash brine project ("Project" or "Salar" or "Diablillos")
in Salta, Argentina. Through its continued exploration and testing, the Company
continues to advance the project towards Feasibility by adding certainty to the
resource estimate, brine extraction processes and metallurgical processing and
recovery, including supply of key energy sources such as natural gas. To this
latter purpose, the Company has received official confirmation from government
agencies in Salta, Argentina, that sufficient capacity of natural gas is
available to the Company for further development of the Project. Natural gas
supply is anticipated to be one of the key parameters in low cost production of
lithium carbonate.
William Randall, Rodinia's President & CEO, commented, "Our team has been
working extremely hard and progressing the Project nicely. The addition of a
further drill will ensure timely delivery of an updated resource, pump tests and
further hydrogeological characterization of fresh water inflow; all of these are
essential components of a Feasibility Study. In addition, securing the
availability of natural gas and the accelerated evaporation rates experienced,
despite a very wet year, is extremely encouraging."
Geological update
An additional drill has been mobilized to Diablillos from the city of Salta.
This drill will focus on drilling additional pump test sites further away from
our proposed well field. This information will allow further certainty to the
draw down effects of the proposed production wells in the northernmost portion
of the Salar. In addition, wells are planned to test the fresh water inflow of
the Diablillos river, allowing for further analysis of the effects of fresh
water on brine dilution during production, as well as determining a source of
fresh water during production.
Final interpreted results on sections covering the entire resource area have
been received by Geophysical Exploration & Consulting S.A. ("GEC"). These
sections confirm the presence of three distinct brine saturated sedimentary
units variably separated by thin clay layers. The overwhelming majority of the
sediments in the basement are described as fine to coarse grained sands and
gravels, with the fine to medium sands (1,600 m/s to 2,200 m/s) occurring in the
upper portion of the basin while the coarse sands and gravels (2,200 m/s to
3,200 m/s) were found in the basal aquifer overlying the basement. The
impermeable clay aquitards vary in thickness from less than 5m to approximately
25m and typically do not extend across the entire Salar. This indicates a
hydrological connection between the three aquifers identified, particularly
between the two deepest aquifers that hold over 95% of the inferred recoverable
resource.
An important component of the seismic survey was the identification of the
basement crystalline rocks which define the limit of the resource. The basement
tends to occur below the resource estimate model indicating a good possibility
of an increase in the resource size once current drilling and seismic results
are incorporated in the model. An updated mineral resource estimate is
anticipated to be released after the last pump tests are complete, sometime in
the second or third quarter of 2012.
Process engineering update
Pilot processing has been progressing with positive results. Evaporation rates
experienced during the summer months have exceeded expectations, despite
receiving an unprecedented amount of precipitation during the period of
approximately 180 mm. These accelerated evaporation rates, averaging 2.5 mm
during the months of Dec-Feb, and averaging 10+ mm per day without
precipitation, could mean a reduced evaporation cycle timeline than that
predicted in the PEA.
The process engineering department has been monitoring the natural evaporation
process in both the pools and pans installed on site at approximately 4050
metres above sea level. A first stage of magnesium and sulphate removal has been
successfully tested, awaiting final analytical results. This step ensures the
successful removal of sylvinite in the ensuing step, further encouragement that
potash is going to be a valuable co-product of an eventual lithium carbonate
production facility.
About Rodinia Lithium Inc.:
Rodinia Lithium Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company
with a primary focus on Lithium exploration and development in North and South
America. The Company is also actively exploring the commercialization of a
significant Potash co-product that is expected to be recoverable through the
lithium harvesting process.
Rodinia's Salar de Diablillos lithium-brine project in Salta, Argentina,
contains a recoverable resource of 2.82 million tonnes lithium carbonate
equivalent and 11.27 million tonnes potassium chloride equivalent. The project
contains a recoverable inferred resource of 952,553,000 m3 grading 556 mg/L
lithium and 6,206 mg/L potassium. Throughout 2012, Rodinia will focus on
continuing to develop the Diablillos project by completing additional drilling
and advancing through feasibility study.
The Company also holds 100% mineral rights to approximately 70,000 acres in
Nevada's lithium-rich Clayton Valley in Esmeralda County, and is currently in
the process of assessing the size, quality and processing alternatives of this
deposit. The Clayton Valley project is located in the only known lithium-brine
bearing salt lake in North America, and looks to represent the only new source
for domestic lithium carbonate supply.
The Projects are supervised by Ray Spanjers, Rodinia's Manager of Exploration.
Mr. Spanjers is considered a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument
43-101, and has read and approved the scientific and technical information
contained in this press release.
Please visit the Company's web site at www.rodinialithium.com or write us at
info@rodinialithium.com.
Cautionary Notes
Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in
this press release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning
of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified
by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects",
"believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements regarding
the anticipated timing with respect to the development of the Project, the
anticipated timing and ability to complete a feasibility study and updated
mineral resource estimate with respect to the Project; the potential of the
Diablillos property; the potential results and timetable for further exploration
with respect to the Clayton Valley project and the Diablillos property, the
timetable with respect to future acquisitions and exploration developments at
Clayton Valley and Diablillos, timetable for further exploration, analysis and
development, title disputes or claims; and governmental approvals and
regulation. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
include, among others, metal prices, competition, financing risks, acquisition
risks, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of
these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned
not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise
required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly
disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking
information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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