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New Pegmatite Outcrop Discovered at Adina
Hard-rock lithium explorer and developer Winsome Resources Limited (ASX: WR1; “Winsome” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce the discovery of a new pegmatite dyke as part of the recently concluded three-week field exploration program at the Company’s Adina project in Quebec.
- Large outcropping pegmatite dyke discovered, unconnected to previously identified, and sampled dykes
- Winsome’s two exploration teams have completed three weeks in the field at Adina
- New drill targets for upcoming autumn/winter campaign expected to be generated soon
- Heli-portable diamond drill rig secured for Canadian autumn Adina drilling
The outcrop is located approximately 1km NE from previously drilled outcrops and appears to be unconnected, although infill drilling may be carried out as part of the upcoming autumn-winter campaigns to determine if it is a continuation of previously identified zones.
Rock chip samples from the new outcrop, as well as from other areas of exploration, have been sent for assaying and are expected to be complete in approximately 6 weeks.
Two field teams from the Company’s exploration partner, Technominex, spent three weeks walking, mapping and testing key target areas at Adina, the GPS tracking paths of which can be seen in Figure 1 below.
Winsome’s Managing Director Chris Evans said:
“The team has done an outstanding job to cover so much of the ground at Adina over the past three weeks and to have made further discoveries of pegmatites in the project area. They have taken rock chip samples which are now on their way to the lab and we expect results within the next six weeks. We are hopeful those results will show additional mineralisation.
“The completion of this field work at Adina has provided us with drill targets for the upcoming autumn drilling campaign and the team is now busy going through the permitting process to get the rigs on the ground as soon as possible.
“Our intention is to continue progressing quickly with follow-up exploration activities and work towards being able to announce a resource for Adina, while simultaneously advancing Cancet and our other existing projects in the region.”
During the two weeks while the field teams are on their break, permits for surface stripping the new dyke at Adina and subsequent drilling will be submitted. Once approved, drilling is expected to commence in late September / early October.
Rock chip samples from the new outcrop and the rest of the field exploration at Adina are now on their way to the SGS laboratory in Quebec for assaying with results expected prior to the commencement of drilling.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Winsome Resources Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Winsome Further Expands Lithium Exploration Footprint in Quebec
Perth-based lithium exploration and development company Winsome Resources (ASX:WR1; “Winsome” or “the Company”) is pleased to advise it has partnered with geology specialist Mr Glenn Griesbach and with local prospector Mr Marc de Keyser.
Highlights:
- Exclusive option agreement executed for Winsome to acquire and explore a further 259 claims, totalling 149 km2 in the highly sought after greater Decelles region of Quebec, Canada
- Option agreement expands Winsome’s lithium exploration footprint in Quebec, enlarging Company’s recently acquired Decelles claim area by nearly 40%
- This expanded area, known as Mazérac, is located around the Decelles Reservoir, about 50km southwest of Val-d’Or and easily accessible by a network of forestry roads
- The region has seen much recent staking and prospecting activity, including highgrade spodumene discoveries by Vision Lithium at their nearby Cadillac property1
- Enlarged property holding is highly complementary to Company’s 100% owned, existing projects in the James Bay region – Cancet, Adina and Sirmac-Clapier
The Company has entered into an exclusive option agreement to acquire 258 claims from Mr Glenn Griesbach and one claim from Mr de Keyser, totalling 149km2 in the prospective Mazérac region of Quebec, Canada. This is within the greater Decelles area, where the Company also acquired new property in January 20222 .
Mazérac is located close to the mining centres of Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda, approximately 600km from Montreal. The Company has signed an exclusive option agreement to explore and subsequently acquire the claims over a 24-month period.
Mr Griesbach is a Canadian-certified geologist with more than 40 years of mineral exploration experience across Canada, Africa, China, and Southeast Asia. Mr de Keyser is a seasoned local prospector of First Nation heritage, with a strong understanding of the Mazérac region.
By entering into this agreement, the Company further expands its land holding in Quebec, exploring a new area of the province known for granitic and pegmatitic outcrops. The area is located close to infrastructure and the major mining centres immediately adjacent to recent lithium discoveries1 (see Figure 1 map)
Managing Director Chris Evans said:
“We are delighted to have entered into the option agreement for a further 259 claims at Mazérac in the Decelles region. There has been a considerable amount of recent lithium focused activity in the surrounding region, with several public and private companies making successful discoveries.
“By acquiring this project, we significantly increase the Company’s prospective lithium landholding in Quebec and continue towards achieving our vision of supplying high grade lithium products into the North American battery supply chain.”
Transaction details
Winsome has entered into an exclusive option agreement to acquire 259 claims from Mr Griesbach under the following broad terms:
- An upfront fee of AUD$75,000, paid in WR1 shares
- AUD $250,000 paid in three tranches of WR1 shares, based on the five-day VWAP from last week’s trading (AUS $0.47). This will equate to:
- 177,000 WR1 shares issued now
- 177,000 WR1 shares issued on 3 May 2023
- 177,000 WR1 shares issued on 3 May 2024
- A 2% Net Smelter Royalty (NSR) over the properties which can be reduced to 1% at any time for a consideration of AUD $1,000,000
Once the final payment of 175,000 WR1 shares is made on 3 May 2024, the 259 claims will transfer to Winsome’s Canadian subsidiary.
The Company also has the ability to accelerate the acquisition at any point within the next 24 months and have the claims transferred immediately by issuing all shares due to Mr Griesbach.
As a separate transaction, the Company paid Mr de Keyser CAD $20,000 to acquire outright the ‘Nippy Hill’ claim which is contiguous to the other Mazérac claims described above.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Winsome Resources Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Quarterly Report for Period Ending 31 March 2022
Winsome Resources Limited (ASX: WR1) ("the Company" or "Winsome Resources ") is pleased to report on its Quarterly activities for the period ending 31 March 2022.
Quarter Highlights
Exploration- Entered into exclusive option agreement to explore and acquire 669 claims in the highly prospective Decelles Region
- Sourced drill rig, planned combined infill/extension drilling campaign at Cancet
- Commenced 2,100m program in mid-March 2022 at Cancet
- Commenced gravity survey at Cancet
- Made contact with First Nations Cree people and discussed details of Winsome exploration at Cancet. Meeting planned for PDAC conference in June
- Meeting with representatives of the Northern Quebec Regional Directorate for the Department of Energy and Natural Resources to discuss project details
Health and Safety
- In excess of 3,500 hours worked on site at Cancet as part of the drilling and survey, with no lost time or safety incidents
- All contractors and staff remained COVID safe throughout winter exploration activities
Corporate
- Commenced trading on Frankfurt Exchange under code 4XJ
- Application submitted to trade on New York’s OTCQB
- Launched unmarketable parcel facility to reduce administrative costs associated with shareholdings of less than AU$500 in value
- Attendance at Mines and Money& Battery Materials conference
- Discussions held with potential strategic partners
- Acquired new equipment and facilities including skidoo, company truck, base of operations in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
- New office secured, located with corporate/IR advisors to reduce overhead costs and enhance synergies by working in the same location
EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES
Decelles Acquisition
Immediately after listing, Winsome formed a partnership with Glenn Greisbach, a Quebec regional geology specialist, to expand its land portfolio by discovering and acquiring new properties in Quebec with a high degree of lithium potential.
This led to Winsome entering into an exclusive option agreement in late January 2022 to acquire 669 claims, totalling 385km2, in the prospective Decelles region of Quebec, Canada. Decelles is located close to the mining centres of Val-dÓr and RouynNoranda, approximately 600km from Montreal. The Company signed an exclusive option agreement to explore and subsequently acquire the claims over a 24-month period.
By entering into this agreement, the Company can more than double its land holding in Quebec and explore a new area of the province known for granitic and pegmatitic outcrops, located close to infrastructure and the major mining centres immediately adjacent to recent lithium discoveries (see Figure 1).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Winsome Resources Limited , licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Jindalee Lithium
Overview
Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL,OTCQX:JNDAF) is an Australia-based exploration and development company advancing North America’s largest lithium deposit. After a spinout of its Australian assets, Jindalee has become a pure-play lithium company focused exclusively on its promising 100-percent-owned McDermitt project. Jindalee recognises the vast opportunity for lithium projects in the US as the country progresses towards its sustainable energy transition and developing a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals.
As the US strives to transition to clean energy, demand for lithium will continue to increase as this critical mineral is necessary to achieve the country’s net-zero goals. With its favorable mining policies and infrastructure, the US actively supports the advancement of new projects to strengthen its domestic supply chain.Jindalee’s McDermitt asset, located in southeast Oregon, contains a unique type of lithium mineralisation. Most lithium projects in North America are lithium brine or pegmatite deposits; however, the McDermitt project is an unconventional sediment-hosted lithium asset.
Sediment-hosted lithium deposits such as McDermitt are long-life assets with low strip ratios and low mining costs. Jindalee can leverage this advantage over other lithium assets, both in terms of reaching production faster and reducing operating expenses.
There is currently no commercially operating sediment-hosted lithium project in North America. Two recently announced projects, however, are under development and demonstrate McDermitt’s future trajectory as both companies move toward production.
The 2023 mineral resources estimate (MRE) for McDermitt contains a combined indicated and inferred mineral resource inventory of 3 billion tons at 1,340 parts per million (ppm) lithium for a total of 21.5 million tons (Mt) lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) at 1,000 ppm cut-off grade. At 21.5 Mt LCE, McDermitt is the largest lithium deposit in the US by contained lithium in mineral resource, and a globally significant resource, with the deposit remaining open to the west and south.
In June 2023, Jindalee commenced a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on the McDermitt Lithium Project appointing Fluor Corporation as lead engineer. The company expects completion of the PFS by mid-2024. Jindalee also announced initial metallurgical results from acid leaching of the beneficiated samples of McDermitt ore. Lithium extraction from composite samples averaged 93 percent (250 micron (µm)) and 94 percent (75 µm) while lithium extraction from all units exceeded 98 percent with higher acid additions.
An experienced management team, with the right blend of experience and expertise in geology, corporate administration and international finance, leads Jindalee to fully capitalise on the potential of its assets.
Company Highlights
- Jindalee Lithium is a pure-play lithium exploration and development company focusing on its flagship McDermitt lithium project, currently the largest lithium deposit in North America.
- The United States has ambitious electrification goals but lacks the critical minerals to reach them. Jindalee aims to strengthen the North American supply chain to enable the country to reach net-zero emissions targets.
- Globally, most of the lithium is currently sourced from either pegmatite or lithium brine deposits. The company’s McDermitt deposit, however, is sediment-hosted, an emerging style of lithium deposit with the potential to be a long-life, low-cost source of lithium.
- There are presently no sediment-hosted lithium assets in North America that have reached production. Jindalee is ideally positioned to help fill this void in the market.
- Other companies in North America are moving towards production, and their progress indicates Jindalee’s future trajectory.
- An experienced management team leads Jindalee towards capitalising on the potential of its assets.
Key Project
McDermitt Lithium Project
The McDermitt Project is located in Malheur County on the Oregon-Nevada border and is approximately 35 kilometres west of the town of McDermitt. The 100-percent-owned asset covers 54.6 square kilometres of claims at the northern end of the McDermitt volcanic caldera. Following positive results from its 2022 drill campaign, the resource at McDermitt has increased to 21.5 Mt LCE, making McDermitt the largest lithium deposit in North America.
Project Highlights:
- Rare Sediment-hosted Lithium Deposits: The McDermitt asset supports low-cost mining operations due to its flat-lying sediments. This type of lithium deposit is amenable to low-cost mining operations, while still producing excellent metallurgical results.
- Resource Increased by 62 percent early 2023: Compilation of the 2022 drilling results saw the estimated indicated and inferred resources at McDermitt increase to 3 billion tons at 1,340 ppm lithium, a 62 percent increase in contained lithium. The updated resource released by the company contains a combined indicated and inferred total of 21.5 Mt LCE at 1,000 ppm cut-off grade.
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with POSCO Holdings: Jindalee entered into an MOU with POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX), under which POSCO will fund metallurgical testwork on McDermitt ore and undertake joint research for the asset. POSCO is partnering with General Motors to supply cathode active material (including lithium) for its electric vehicles.
- Fluor recommended processing route: In March 2023, US engineering group Fluor reviewed all testwork undertaken at McDermitt and recommended beneficiation and acid leaching as the optimal processing route.
- Highly encouraging metallurgical testwork: Results from beneficiation and acid leaching tests have exceeded expectations. Beneficiation testwork completed in late 2023 (on sample representing a nominal life-of-mine average feed) recovered 92 percent of the lithium to leach feed and rejected 25.3 percent of the mass at a cut size of 250 µm. Additionally the acid leach test work announced in early 2024 demonstrated very high lithium extraction rates on beneficiated ore. Specifically, the calculated lithium extraction for a composite sample using 250 µm leach feed was 92.9 percent which compares favourably with the extraction rate (94 percent) achieved through testwork from the finer (75 µm) leach feed using 500 kg/t acid. Further testwork is now underway.
- PFS in progress: Jindalee has appointed Fluor Corporation to commence the PFS for McDermitt, set to be completed by mid-2024.
Management Team
Ian Rodger - Chief Executive Officer
Ian Rodger is a qualified mining business executive with almost 15 years of experience in various roles including as a mining engineer for Rio Tinto across two large greenfield mine developments, before successfully transitioning into mining corporate finance where he held Executive and Director positions at RFC Ambrian overseeing origination and management of numerous mandates across a range of corporate advisory roles. Rodger was the project director for Oz Minerals (ASX:OZL) where he made significant contributions to successfully define the value potential of the West Musgrave nickel/copper province through the delivery of a portfolio of growth studies. Most notably, he led technical, market and partnership development workstreams, successfully confirming value potential for producing an intermediate Nickel product for the battery value chain.
Rodger holds a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of Queensland, a Masters of Mineral Economics from Curtin University and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Lindsay Dudfield - Executive Director
Lindsay Dudfield is a geologist with over 40 years of experience in multi-commodity exploration, primarily within Australia. He held senior positions with the mineral divisions of Amoco and Exxon. In 1987, he became a founding director of Dalrymple Resources NL and spent the following eight years helping acquire and explore Dalrymple’s properties, leading to several greenfield discoveries. In late 1994, Lindsay joined the board of Horizon Mining NL (Jindalee Lithium’s predecessor) and has been responsible for managing Jindalee Lithium since inception. Lindsay is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the Geological Society of Australia and the Society of Economic Geologists. He is also a non-executive director of Jindalee spin-out companies Energy Metals (ASX:EME), Dynamic Metals (ASX:DYM) and Alchemy Resources (ASX:ALY).
Wayne Zekulich - Non-executive Chair
Wayne Zekulich was appointed to the board as Chair on 1 February 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Business and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Zekulich is a consultant and non-executive director who has substantial experience in advising, structuring and financing transactions in the infrastructure and resources sectors. He was previously the head of Rothschild in Perth, chief financial officer of Gindalbie Metals Limited, chief development officer of Oakajee Port and Rail and a consultant to a global investment bank. Currently, he is chair of Pantoro Limited (ASX:PNR) and non-executive director of the Western Australian Treasury Corporation. In the not-for-profit sector, he is the past chair of the Lester Prize and is a mentor in the Kilfinan program.
Darren Wates - Non-executive Director
Darren Wates is a corporate lawyer with over 23 years of experience in equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, resources, project acquisitions/divestments and corporate governance gained through private practice and in-house roles in Western Australia. Wates is the founder and principal of Corpex Legal, a Perth-based legal practice providing corporate, commercial and resources related legal services, primarily to small and mid-cap ASX listed companies. In this role, he has provided consulting general counsel services to ASX listed company Neometals (ASX:NMT) since 2016, having previously been employed as legal counsel of Neometals. Wates holds Bachelor's degrees in Law and Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.
Paul Brown - Non-executive Director
Paul Brown has over 23 years of experience in the mining industry, most recently with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) where he was chief executive – lithium, and chief executive – commodities. Brown has held senior operating roles with Leighton, HWE and Fortescue (ASX:FMG) and has a strong track record in technical leadership, project/studies management, and mine planning and management. Brown is currently CEO of Hastings Technology Metals (ASX:HAS). He holds a Master in Mine Engineering.
Brett Marsh - VP Geology and Development (US)
Brett Marsh is an AIPG certified professional geologist and a registered member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) with over 25 years of diverse mining and geological experience. He has worked for and held senior leadership roles for Kastan Mining, Luna Gold, Kiska Metals, Newmont, Freeport-McMoRan, Phelps Dodge, ASARCO and consulted to deliver numerous NI 43-101 technical reports. Marsh has demonstrated the ability to deliver results in culturally diverse and geographically difficult environments, such as Brazil, Peru, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, Indonesia, Australia, and has also worked in remote areas of Alaska. He has managed all phases of the mining lifecycle including greenfield and brownfield exploration, project development (including preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility and feasibility), project construction, mine operations, and environmental. He successfully led multi-cultural teams to develop business processes and implementation plans for many mine development and operational projects.
Carly Terzanidis - Company Secretary
Carly Terzanidis has 20 years of prior experience in the financial services industry, having been employed by Euroz Hartleys, DJ Carmichael and Shaw and Partners. Terzanidis’ recent experience has been in corporate services and in the role of company secretary for resources-focused entities. Terzanidis acts as company secretary for Alchemy Resources (ASX:ALY), Kalamazoo Resources (ASX:KZR) and Viridis Mining and Minerals (ASX:VMM). Terzanidis holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Corporate Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance.
Coniagas Battery Metals: World-class critical minerals project in Quebec for the energy transition
Coniagas Battery Metals is advancing its Graal nickel-copper-cobalt project in Quebec towards production, potentially becoming the next new nickel mine in the Canadian province. With nearly 16,000 meters of diamond drilling (in addition to the 6,885 meters of historic drilling) completed at the project, Coniagas plans to undertake an aggressive drilling program to expand the deposit area and deliver a maiden NI 43-101 resource report.
The Graal project is in line with the Canadian government’s Critical Minerals Strategy that aims to create domestic supply sources of critical minerals in the country. Currently, the supply of these critical minerals is dominated by countries such as China, Russia, Indonesia, Peru, Chile and Congo. Graal is in a much safer jurisdiction and is ideally positioned to become a reliable supplier of clean energy metals.
The company is also planning to build a processing facility in Quebec leveraging its proprietary Re-2Ox process, a closed-loop hydrometallurgical process that extracts metals without any discharge or smelting, thereby exceeding environmental compliance standards. The processing facility will help Coniagas convert the mined minerals into battery-grade metals.
Company Highlights
- Coniagas Battery Metals is a Canadian company focused on developing critical minerals such as nickel, copper and cobalt.
- Coniagas Battery Metals was demerged from its parent, Nord Precious Metals Mining (formerly Canada Silver Cobalt Works), which announced the separation of its business in two – Nord Precious Metals (focused on silver-cobalt) and Coniagas Battery Metals (focused on copper-nickel-cobalt).
- Coniagas’ flagship project is the Graal nickel-copper-cobalt property in Quebec, Canada, with excellent infrastructure in terms of low-carbon hydroelectricity, road access and proximity to major battery manufacturing facilities in eastern North America.
- Coniagas intends to use a proprietary Re-2Ox processing technology, a closed-loop hydrometallurgical process that extracts metals without any discharge or smelting, thereby exceeding environmental compliance standards.
- $6 million has been spent so far on the project with historic drillings that produced extremely encouraging results, with geologists excited that it has the potential to be a large mine. The company will focus on exploration drilling in 2024 to expand the mineralized deposit zone and deliver a maiden resource report.
- Critical minerals are in high demand, driven by their application in electric vehicles. Coniagas intends to develop into a supplier to the electric vehicle (EV) market.
- The Graal project fits perfectly into the Canadian government’s Critical Minerals Strategy that plans to create domestic supply sources of critical minerals in the country.
This Coniagas Battery Metals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.
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CEO Transition Plan
Premier1 Lithium Limited (ASX:PLC) (“Premier1” or the “Company”) today announced a transition plan that will see CEO, Richard Taylor, step down from the role on 31 May 2024 after the completion of the demerger implementation plan, commencement of lithium exploration and Richard’s desire to move into the next phase of his career.
An executive search has commenced for the next Managing Director & CEO of Premier1. The transition period announced today will facilitate that process and an orderly handover.
Commenting on the announcement, Nic Limb, Chair of Premier1, said:
“The Board, including Richard, felt it was time to commence the transition, now that Premier1 has a clear new strategy in place regarding its lithium tenements and joint-ventures. The announcement today reinforces our focus on these priorities.
Nic Limb said:
“Richard has steered the company through its formative years. His contribution and efforts are recognised by the Board and staff and we wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Premier1 Lithium, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Battery Recycler Li-Cycle Secures US$75 Million Investment from Glencore
In a move toward making battery production more sustainable, Swiss mining conglomerate Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) has announced a US$75 million investment in Li-Cycle Holdings (NYSE:LICY).
The investment underscores Glencore's commitment to promoting circularity within the battery materials space and further solidifies its partnership with Li-Cycle, a lithium-ion battery resource recovery company.
Glencore made an initial US$200 million investment in Li-Cycle in June 2022, designating the company as one of its preferred recycling partners and laying the foundation for a long-term partnership.
This week's agreement amends the convertible note that Glencore purchased from Li-Cycle at that time.
Under the new deal, Glencore will purchase a senior secured convertible note from Li-Cycle with an aggregate principal amount of US$75 million. It is structured to mature on the fifth anniversary of the closing date, and is convertible into common shares of Li-Cycle at an initial conversion price of US$0.53 per share.
The liquidity injection from Glencore comes after Li-Cycle paused construction of its Rochester Hub project in October 2023. Due to rising costs, the company decided to take a step back to re-evaluate its approach. While the initial budget was set at US$560 million, Li-Cycle said in November 2023 that costs could range from US$850 million to US$1 billion.
Li-Cycle also said at the time that it is actively engaged in working with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to satisfy the conditions for closing a loan for gross proceeds of up to US$375 million.
In Tuesday's (March 12) announcement, Li-Cycle CEO Ajay Kochhar said Glencore's investment will support the company’s ongoing review of Rochester, and confirmed that it continues to communicate with the DOE.
“We are pleased to secure an additional $75 million investment from Glencore, following Glencore’s June 2022 investment, to improve our liquidity position while we continue our ongoing comprehensive review process," he said.
Li-Cycle's share price surged following the news, rising as high as US$0.85 on Thursday (March 14).
Battery recycling plays a pivotal role in mitigating environmental impact and reducing reliance on primary resource extraction. As demand for electric vehicle batteries continues to surge, recycling initiatives are becoming increasingly crucial in minimizing waste and conserving valuable resources.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Coniagas Battery Metals
Overview
Coniagas Battery Metals is a Canadian company focused on developing a world-class critical minerals project. The name Coniagas is an acronym for various symbols on the periodic table such as – cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), and arsenic (As). The company is formed from the spin-off of Nord Precious Metals’ (TSXV:NTH) Graal property in Quebec.
The company is focused on advancing the Graal nickel-copper-cobalt project towards production. Nearly 16,000 meters of diamond drilling (in addition to the 6,885 meters of historic drilling) has been completed at the project. The early-stage drill results have been encouraging, intersecting up to 1.12 percent nickel equivalent (NiEq) over 28.9 meters at depths of only 50 to 100 meters. The company plans to undertake an aggressive drilling program to expand the deposit area and deliver a maiden NI 43-101 resource report.
Geologist Claude Duplessis holding a drill core of massive sulphides containing nickel, copper and cobalt.
Coniagas is also planning to build a processing facility in Quebec utilizing its proprietary process known as Re-2Ox. It is a closed-loop hydrometallurgical process that extracts metals without any discharge or smelting, thereby exceeding environmental compliance standards. The processing facility will help Coniagas convert the mined minerals into battery-grade metals.
The Graal project represents a potential new nickel mine in Quebec with several advantages. First, the nickel at Graal is contained in sulfides that are easier and cheaper to process into battery grade nickel than nickel in laterite deposits. Second, mining at Graal will be an open pit, which is very economical compared to other nickel sulfide deposits found deep underground. Third, the project will also generate substantial copper and cobalt as by-products that will improve the project’s economic viability and deliver a low-carbon, environmentally friendly supply of critical metals for the energy transition.
The project’s location in Quebec also presents several advantages. The province is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction and ranked eighth most attractive jurisdiction worldwide for mining investment in the Fraser Institute’s 2022 survey. Furthermore, access to excellent infrastructure in terms of hydroelectricity, roads and ports is a huge positive.The Graal project fits perfectly into the Canadian government’s Critical Minerals Strategy that aims to create domestic supply sources of critical minerals in the country. Currently, the supply of these critical minerals is dominated by countries such as China, Russia, Indonesia, Peru, Chile and Congo, which either have rising tensions with the West or are characterized by political instability. Graal is in a much safer jurisdiction and is ideally positioned to become a reliable supplier of clean energy metals.
The demand for critical minerals required for energy storage and electric vehicle applications is expected to grow by around 30 times between 2020 and 2040, according to a report by the International Energy Agency. The report indicates copper demand to be 55 percent higher than the 2022 supply. Likewise, the 2030 demand for nickel is expected to be 67 percent higher than the 2022 supply, and for cobalt 147 percent higher than the 2022 supply levels. Coniagas is well positioned to benefit from this supply-demand imbalance and offers investors an excellent opportunity to participate in the clean energy transition.
A secondary project, which may eventually be brought into the Coniagas portfolio, is the Lowney-Lac Edouard project in Quebec, a prospective nickel-copper property near Rio Tinto. The project is currently owned by Nord Precious Metals, which was the parent company of Coniagas.
Company Highlights
- Coniagas Battery Metals is a Canadian company focused on developing critical minerals such as nickel, copper and cobalt.
- Coniagas Battery Metals was demerged from its parent, Nord Precious Metals Mining (formerly Canada Silver Cobalt Works), which announced the separation of its business in two – Nord Precious Metals (focused on silver-cobalt) and Coniagas Battery Metals (focused on copper-nickel-cobalt).
- Coniagas’ flagship project is the Graal nickel-copper-cobalt property in Quebec, Canada, with excellent infrastructure in terms of low-carbon hydroelectricity, road access and proximity to major battery manufacturing facilities in eastern North America.
- Coniagas intends to use a proprietary Re-2Ox processing technology, a closed-loop hydrometallurgical process that extracts metals without any discharge or smelting, thereby exceeding environmental compliance standards.
- $6 million has been spent so far on the project with historic drillings that produced extremely encouraging results, with geologists excited that it has the potential to be a large mine. The company will focus on exploration drilling in 2024 to expand the mineralized deposit zone and deliver a maiden resource report.
- Critical minerals are in high demand, driven by their application in electric vehicles. Coniagas intends to develop into a supplier to the electric vehicle (EV) market.
- The Graal project fits perfectly into the Canadian government’s Critical Minerals Strategy that plans to create domestic supply sources of critical minerals in the country.
Key Projects
Graal Project
The red line in the MHY-Gravi zones indicates the location of the 6 km strike length.
The Graal project is the company’s flagship nickel-copper-cobalt asset in the Quebec region. Quebec is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction and offers a world-class environment for mining investments.
The project is near the Chute des Passes electricity plant and has good access by roads. It is close to the planned Arianne phosphate mine, and is only 200 kilometers from the ocean port of Saguenay on the St. Lawrence.
Initial exploration on the property has confirmed high-grade nickel-copper-platinum-group element (PGE) deposits. The company has discovered a 6-kilometer strike length mineralized with near-surface high-grade copper, nickel and cobalt, along with several intersections to the west in the Discovery Zone.
Based on the drill and geophysics results, the project has the potential for several high-grade near-surface deposits and significant deposits at depth. Previous drilling between 1996 and 2004, conducted by SOQUEM and Virginia Mines totaling ~6,000 meters, indicated a potential target of near-surface tonnage of 30 to 60 million tons with a grade range of 0.60 to 0.80 percent nickel, 0.30 to 0.50 percent copper, and 0.10 to 0.15 percent cobalt in the MHY zone. Furthermore, Nord Precious Metals drilled more than 16,000 meters between 2021 and 2022 identifying several drill targets.
The drill results from the 2021-22 program discovered some noteworthy intervals exhibiting high grades of nickel and copper. The program succeeded in discovering wider intervals and continuity of nickel-copper sulfides within the MHY Zone. The key highlights include 1.12 percent Ni Eq over 28.9 meters and 0.94 percent NiEq over 15.9 meters.
Moving forward, Coniagas will begin drilling 2,000 meters in shallow regions to extend mineralization within the MHY Zone. Additionally, it plans to undertake a metallurgical study and engage in consultations with First Nations with an estimated cost of $500,000. Building on this effort, Coniagas plans to deliver a maiden resource estimate.Lowney- Lac Edouard Project
This is a secondary project that may eventually be brought into the Coniagas portfolio. Situated to the south of the historically productive nickel-copper Lac Edouard Mine, the Lowney-Lac Edouard property is adjacent to an area where Rio Tinto, during a 2023 drilling initiative in the Savane region of a Midland Exploration property, uncovered high-grade nickel along with copper. The project is currently owned by Nord Precious Metals, the former parent company of Coniagas.
Management Team
Frank Basa - CEO
Frank Basa holds a BA in engineering from McGill University and is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario. He has over 35 years of experience in various aspects of gold mining and development. He also serves as the CEO of TSXV-listed companies Granada Gold Mine and Nord Precious Metals.
Aurelian Basa – Director
Aurelian Basa holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from Concordia University, Montreal. He has over 10 years of experience in the natural resources sector. He is associated with a platform that connects commodity traders to sources of critical metals. He also manages a digital content agency focused on public mining companies.
Ronald Goguen – Independent Director
Ronald Goguen has considerable senior leadership experience and has been associated with Colibri Resource Corporation, Major Drilling and Beaver Brook Antimony Mine.
William D. Macdonald – Independent Director
William Macdonald has held several senior leadership roles and has been associated with Landdrill International, Colibri Resource Corporation, Canadian Gold Resources and LEM Manufacturing.
Dianne Tookenay – Independent Director
Dianne Tookenay holds a Certificate in Mining Law from the Hall Law School, a Master of Public Administration from Manitoba University, and a Bachelor of Administration from Lakehead University. She is a band member of Brunswick House First Nation in Ontario and is associated with Nord Precious Metals and Granada Gold Mine.
Remantra Sheopaul – CFO
Remantra Sheopaul holds a B.Com. in accounting from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly, Ryerson University). He has rich experience in various aspects of finance. He works with Marrelli Support Services and is also a CFO of Granada Gold Mine, Canada Carbon, Angel Wing Metals and Metalite Resources.
Vincent Maltais – Corporate Secretary
Vincent Maltais holds a bachelor’s degree in law and philosophy and political science from Montreal University. He is a lawyer at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin where he practices business law and advises companies on M&A and public corporate financing.
This article was written in collaboration with Couloir Capital.
Lithium Universe Launches Share Purchase Plan
Lithium Universe Limited (“Lithium Universe”, the “Company” or ASX: “LU7”) is delighted to announce the opportunity for eligible shareholders of the Company to participate in an equity raising via a Share Purchase Plan (SPP), targeting to raise up to $A3.0 million.
Highlights
- Share Purchase Plan (SPP) offered to raise working capital and reward former Mogul Games Group Limited and IPO shareholders
- SPP at an issue price of $0.02 per share
- Represents a 9.09% discount to the closing price of $0.022 per share on 12 March 2024 and a 9.09% discount to the 5-day VWAP prior to this announcement
- Funds applied to engineering studies and working capital requirements
- Eligible shareholders to take advantage of a unique business model
- Focused on lithium conversion for multinational players together with the continued exploration of suite of lithium and rare earth assets
- Closing the lithium downstream conversion gap in North America
- Option agreement to acquire an industrial site in Bécancour, Québec
- Site has capacity for three trains with a total of 48,000 tpa LCE
Presently, approximately 900 gigawatts (GW) of cathode/battery projects are under consideration for the North American continent, featuring prominent players such as Tesla, LG Energy, Northvolt, POSCO, Ford, GM, and Toyota, among others. This translates to a demand for 800,000 tons per annum (tpa) of lithium chemicals.
North America lacks operational lithium converting refineries, with only approximately 100,000 tpa of lithium chemicals in planned capacity. Recognizing this lithium processing gap, LU7 is poised to address this need. The Company’s unique QLPH strategy focuses on the opportunity to convert spodumene offtake for multinational players, facilitating the conversion process closer to their supply chains in North America, rather than solely relying on China. It is also envisaged that any run of mine ore generated by the Company’s mineral assets in Canada would form part of the spodumene mix feeding the QLPH in the future.
Mr. Iggy Tan, Chairman of Lithium Universe said“The Company is looking to raise working capital and reward previous Mogul Games shareholders and new shareholders for their continual support by pricing the SPP at the price of the Lithium Universe IPO completed in August 2023 (via a re-compliance listing). Despite the decline in lithium prices affecting numerous industry players, Lithium Universe is full steam ahead. We view the current short-term dip in lithium prices as an advantageous window to finalize feasibility studies for the QLPH before the onset of the next cycle. These moments present tangible opportunities for our organization and we invite current shareholders to position themselves for the next lithium cycle. I look forward to achieving several significant milestones in 2024 for the QLPH strategy. We are well advanced on the key engineering studies which will form the basis for the Company moving towards funding, construction and development”.
Share Purchase Plan Details
The SPP will enable existing shareholders who are recorded on the Company’s share register at close of market on 12 March 2024 (Record Date), with a registered address in Australia or New Zealand to participate (Eligible Shareholder). Eligible Shareholders will be permitted to purchase up to $A30,000 ordinary shares in the Company (subject to any scale back), without incurring brokerage or transaction costs. All shares issued under the SPP will rank equally with existing ordinary shares of the Company.
The SPP is being undertaken under ASX Listing Rule 7.2, exception 5 and as such, the issue will not take up any of the Company’s placement capacity and will not require shareholder approval.
New shares issued under the SPP will be offered at $0.02 per share (SPP Price), representing a 9.09% discount to the closing price of $0.022 per share on the Record Date of 12 March 2024, and a 9.09% discount to the volume weighted average price of the Company’s shares calculated over the last 5 days on which sales in the shares were recorded prior to the date of this announcement.
This article includes content from Lithium Universe Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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