Prospects, deposits and companies

Lithium minerals and compounds

Spodumene – LiAlSi₂O₆.

Spodumene is a monoclinic pyroxene with a density of 3.16. It is the most important lithium ore mineral because of its high lithium content, extensive deposits and easy processing.





Petalite - LiAl(Si₄O₁₀)





Lepidolite - KLi₂Al(Si₄O₁₀)(F,OH)₂ to K(Li1.5Al1.5)(AlSi₃O₁₀)(F,OH)₂



Lithium Conversion Table


To convert from:	to Li X	to Li2O x	to Li2CO3 x
Lithium Li (100% Li)	1.000	2.153	5.323
Lithium oxide Lithio (6.4% Li)	0.464	1.000	2.473
Lithium bromide LiBr (8.0% Li)	0.080	0.172	0.425
Lithium carbonate Li2CO3 (18.8% Li)	0.188	0.404	1.000
Lithium hydroxide monohydrate LiOH.H2O (16.5% Li)	0.165	0.356	0.880
Lithium chloride LiCl (16.3% Li)	0.163	0.362	0.871
Lithium fluoride LiF (26.8% Li)	0.268	0.576	1.420
Lithium hypochlorite LiOCl (11.89% Li)	0.119	0.256	0.633
Butyllithium C4H9Li (10.83% Li)	0.108	0.233	0.576




Deposits






The Lithium Triangle iis located on the borders where Chile, Bolivia and Argentina meet. Bounded by the Salar de Atacama, Salar de Uyuni and Salar del Humbre Muerto, the Lithium Triangle also takes in the northern ends of Chile and Argentina. Over 70% of the World’s economic lithium deposits are found in this one small location on Earth. As a result, these three countries dominate world lithium supplies thanks to the tectonic forces that shaped the South American continent. Geological subduction of the Pacific tectonic plate under the Chilean coast, together with the resulting tectonic uplift of South America, created large localised depressions which cause water to collect into lakes, instead of flowing into the sea. The lithium salts that dissolve out of the surrounding rocks gather in these great lakes.





Data Comparison of South American Salares in the Lithium Triangle


	Bolivia	Chile	Argentina
Salar Name	Uyuni	Atacama	Hombre Muerto
Altitude (km)	3.7	2.3	4.3
Area (km 2)	8,000	3,000	570
Li Concentration (%/wt)	0.0350	0.1500	0.0620
Mg/Li Ratio	18.6	6.4	1.4
Evaporation (mm/year)	1,500	3,200	2,300




 



Companies active in the Lithium Triangle


Salar de Atacama ( SQM, Chilean, Albemarle, American)

Salar Antofalla ( Albemarle)


Salar del Hombre Muerto (FMC, American)


Salar de Olaroz (Orocobre, Australian)


Salinas Grandes (Orocobre & others, Australian)


Salar de Cauchari (Lithium Americas Corp, Canadian, Advantage)


Salar del Rincon (ADY Resources, Australian)


Salar de Pastos Grandes, Salar Centenario-Ratones (ERAMET, French, Millenial Lithium)


Salar de Pozuelos, Salars Pastos Grandes, Salinas Grandes,  Rio Grande, Jama (LSC Lithium and Lithea Argentine, Korean)


Salar de Diablillos (Rodinia Inc., now Lithium X, Canadian)

Salar del Hombre Muerto East (Lithium One, Canadian and Galaxy Lithium, Australian)


Salar de Llullaillaco ( International Lithium Corp, Chinese-Canadian).


Salar de Los Angeles ( Lithium X, Canadian )


Salar Pocitos (Pure Energy, Southern Lithium, Great Thunder, Argosy Minerals)

Salar Mina Teresa ( Argosy Minerals)


Salar de Aguas Calientes, Salar de Pujsa, Salar de Quisquiro (Wealth Minerals, Canadian)

Salar Mariana (International Lithium)

Salar Maricunga (Bearing Lithium) 



Salars Arizaro, Incahuasi  (Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp)



Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest potential source of lithium, although it is not currently producing. Uyuni has a total surface area of 9,000 to 10,500 km² and contains a layer of halite with interstitial brine that is enriched in lithium, potassium, magnesium, and boron. Concentrations of lithium in this brine are reported in the literature range from 80 ppm to 4,700 ppm. COMIBOL has drilled two test holes, which identified 11 salt-brine layers separated by clay layers totalling 170 meters in thickness. Further evaluation is needed to determine the extent of these separate horizons that could produce lithium economically. A pilot mining and processing project was started in May 2008. Recent estimates for Uyuni’s lithium resources range from 0.6 to 9.0 Mt. Tahil’s estimate is the most conservative, at 0.6 Mt, whereas estimates by Anstett el al, Garrett, Clarke and Harben, Yaksic and Tilton,and Evans (2008), are between 5 and 5.5Mt. Evans (2009) and Risacher and Fritz round out the top end of the range, at 8.9 to 9 Mt.
President Evo Morales said in October 2017 that Bolivia will invest as much as $200 million to develop the Andean nation's lithium deposits and that La Paz would welcome private partners in the effort as long as they accept the government's claim to 60 percent of the revenues. At a news conference with international media, Morales referred to expressions of interest from Japan's Mitsubishi and Sumitomo, South Korean conglomerate LG and France's Bollore.








 
Average Li concentration map of Uyuni (g/L), average concentrations below 0.03% circled in red (adapted from Risacher and Fritz 1991).



The Salar de Atacama, in northern Chile, is a 3,000 km² desert salt basin and the world’s largest producer of lithium. Two companies, Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) and Rockwood Holdings, Inc., extract lithium from this brine. SQM has a claim of ~820 km² and two operations in the nucleus. It currently produces lithium from its south-western operation. Rockwood has a claim of ~137 km² and one operation in the south-east, part of which is devoted to lithium extraction. A buffer zone of around 100 km² separates the two companies’ claims. It contains a total lithium resource of about 6.3 Mt.










 


The Salar del Hombre Muerto is a 565 km² playa in Argentina with a 280 km² salt nucleus in its south-east section. The salar contains brines with concentrations ranging from 190 to 900 ppm lithium. Compared to Atacama and Uyuni, Hombre Muerto has lower concentrations of lithium but also very low levels of magnesium, which in high concentrations can cause problems in processing of brines to extract lithium.
 






Li brine analysis (g/L) across the Salar del Hombre Muerto; concentrations below 0.03% Li are in red (adapted from Risacher and Fritz 1991).


FMC Corporation obtained the rights to Hombre Muerto from the Argentine government in 1995. Production in 2008 was estimated at 3,115 tonnes of lithium metal, or 10,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate and 7,600 tonnes of lithium chloride. Recent estimates for Hombre Muerto’s lithium reserves range from 0.4 to 0.850 Mt.
  
Potash (KCl) is an important by product in the recovery of lithium from these brines



Project (Salar) and Potassium (mg/L)                                        Company


Mariana (Llullaillaco).....9400 to 11300        International Lithium Corp
Salinas Grande.................9547                                   Orocobre Limited
Sal de Vida ........................8051 to 8653                      Lithium One Inc
Rincon ................................8070                                         Sentient Group
Diablillos............................6206                                            Rodinia Lithium Inc
Olaroz ................................5730                                               Orocobre Limited
Olaroz-Cauchari ...........4900 to 5900     Lithium Americas Corp(and SQM)



Global distribution of closed basin potash-bearing brine deposits






Companies











Consultants Roskill estimates FMC, Albemarle, SQM and China's Tianqi Lithium Corporation together accounted for 66 percent of the world's lithium carbonate equivalent in 2016.






Producing deposits with less than 100,000 tonnes Li. (Clarke and Harben 2009; Yaksic and Tilton 2009)


Deposit	Country	Type	Li Resource (tonnes)	2008 Production (tonnes Li)
Lijiagou	China	Pegmatite	53,000	NA
Hupei	China	Pegmatite	42,000	NA
Cachoeira	Brazil	Pegmatite	23,000	14
Bernic Lake	Canada	Pegmatite	19,000	300
Mesquitila/Guarda	Portugal	Pegmatite	10,000	110
Ningdu	China	Pegmatite	NA	NA
Jinchuan	China	Pegmatite	NA	NA
Mina Feli	Spain	Pegmatite	NA	NA
Total:			147,000	424




 Advantage Lithium (TSX-V:AAL), is a Canadian based lithium explorer with projects in Argentina, Mexico and Nevada. The Company has a partnership with Orocobre - one of Argentina’s leading lithium producers - to develop its Cauchari asset, which hosts an inferred resource of 230 million cubic metres of brine at 380 mg/l Lithium and 3,700 mg/l potassium and includes a large exploration target. Orocobre is the largest single shareholder of Advantage Lithium. Samples collected during a preliminary pump test returned an average Li grade of 678 mg/l. Advantage received assay results from the preliminary pumping test on a well installed in the SE sector of the Cauchari JV. This well was installed with filter sections between 50 and 340 metres. Results have returned an average lithium grade of 682 milligrams per liter (mg/l) over the period of 48 hours, consistent with the initial average of 678 mg/l over the first 6 hours of this test. This is positive as it confirms lithium grades have been maintained throughout the pumping test, with an excellent Mg/Li ratio averaging 2.2/1 over the 48 hour test period. This lithium concentration and Mg/Li ratio are directly comparable to that defined during exploration at the now producing Olaroz project, 20 km to the north of the Cauchari JV (refer to the NI43-101 Technical Report on the Salar de Olaroz Lithium Potash Project by Houston and Gunn, May 13, 2011). Systematic double-packer sampling of individual filter sections will proceed shortly over the total 340m depth of the developed well. Advantage Lithium has also drilled lithium brines on all six of its drill holes at Clayton NE, Nevada - situated adjacent to Albemarle’s Silver Peak operation. The company intersected lithium brine with the first borehole and proved the existence of up to 218 ppm lithium. A second drill hole intersected 387.69 m with 243.66 mg/l, including several sections with higher grade material. Another drill hole intersected 426.72 m with 243.44 mg/l lithium, including a higher-grade section with 274.6 mg/l over 79.2 m. The Jackson Wash Project is situated 30 km south east of Clayton Valley, is an independent brine basin and analogous in sedimentary formations and underlying structures to Clayton Valley basin. To date these formations were not drill tested but in 2011 several soil samples were taken containing up to 117 ppm lithium. The Neptune Project is situated south west of Lithium X’s properties. One of the two holes drilled by Nevada Sunrise encountered grades averaging 156 ppm Li2O over 65.5 m. In September 2016 Advantage Lithium entered into a letter of intent with Radius Gold Inc. for an option to acquire up to a 70% interest in four lithium brine projects located in Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico. The four projects, covering a total of approximately 37,000 hectares, are located in large, salar closed basins, in geological settings analogous to the Clayton Valley. Historic exploration work in two of the project areas has already detected lithium grades of 283 ppm (La Union) and 189 ppm (La Viesca). In October 2016 Advantage Lithium announced the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Stella Marys project, Argentina. Stella Marys lies immediately adjacent to Orocobre’s Salar de Salinas Grandes lithium-potassium-boron brine project, which hosts a near-surface, low sulphate inferred resource estimate of 56.5 million cubic meters of brine averaging 795 mg/l lithium (for 239,200 tons LCE, (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) and 9,547 mg/l potassium and 283 mg/l boron. Orocobre’s shallow inferred mineral resource is immediately adjacent to and potentially extends onto the Stella Marys Project.







ADY Resources Limited, owned by Toronto’s Enirgi Group Corporation, operates in the Argentine province of Salta, a few kilometres from the Chilean border. ADY has ownership interests in a number of salars in the Argentine Puna and is developing a major lithium brine resource at its wholly owned Salar del Rincon located in Salta province. It has 20 evaporation ponds to process the lithium salts. By 2017, ADY Resources plans to build a factory capable of producing 25,000 tonnes per year, which would make it one of the world’s leading producers. ADY Resources Limited is a former subsidiary of Admiralty Resources NL.








Salar del Rincon


Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB), an American industrial company producing lithium chemicals acquired Rockwood Lithium which previously merged with Talison Lithium. It has lithium resources in the Salar de Atacama, Chile; Silver Peak, NV, USA; Greenbushes, Australia. In 2014 Albermarle Corp. agreed to pay $6.2 billion in cash and stock for Rockwood Holdings Inc. which included the Clayton Valley, Rockwood Lithium mine. The Silver Peak area is one of the oldest mining areas in Nevada as this area produced substantial amounts of silver, gold and other minerals. In 1967 the Rockwood Lithium mine began operations to mine lithium by method of low cost evaporation ponds and has produced lithium since then. This general area is surrounded by lithium-enriched tertiary rhyolite tuffs and lithium-bearing sediments, as well as active geothermal systems. Over time, the lithium has become mobilized from these sources and deposited into the ground water. In 2010 the Rockwood Lithium mine received a $28.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand and upgrade the production for battery grade usage. It is estimated that since initial production began the Rockwood Lithium mine produced over 150,000 tons of lithium and in ground reserve estimates of 382,000 tons of lithium. Australia’s largest lithium mine, Greenbushes, is majority controlled by China’s Tianqi Group. Tianqi owns a 51-percent stake in Talison Lithium, which runs the mine, while Albemarle now owns a 49-percent stake in the company via its acquisition of Rockwood. Talison Lithium also has a lithium brine project located in the Atacama Region III, in Chile. This prospective exploration project consists of seven salars (brine lakes and surrounding concessions). Five of the salars are clustered within a radius of approximately 30kms and are 100% owned by Talison Lithium and its Chilean partners. Tianqi Lithium Industries Inc. (SHE:002466) also bought 2.1 per cent of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (ADR)(NYSE:SQM) for $38 a share — more than a 50 per cent premium to the company’s share price. Tianqi is a direct competitor to SQM, and establishing a foothold in the company’s shares might be a precursor to the Chinese entity’s drive to gain control over Chile’s No. 1 lithium producer. Paying such a high premium over market suggests there is a great deal of strategic value to Tianqi in the acquisition. Tianqi Group HK Co., Limited is based in Hong Kong. Tianqi Group HK Co., Limited operates as a subsidiary of Chengdu Tianqi Industry Group Co., Ltd. Albemarle is planning to expand its lithium carbonate equivalent capacity to 165,000 tonnes by 2021 from 89,000 tonnes in 2017. Albemarle Corporation has developed a novel technology that would allow it to increase annual lithium production in Chile on a sustainable basis to as much as 125,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent without requiring additional brine pumping at its facility in the Salar de Atacama. The move is part of the company’s efforts to beef up efficiencies and sustainability of its Atacama operations. As a result, Albemarle has asked the Chilean Economic Development Agency, Corfo to increase its lithium production quota. Albemarle noted that it intends to construct and start-up additional lithium carbonate capacity in Chile in the early 2020s once the present expansion projects are completed and operate at full capacity. Projects currently underway are expected to raise the company’s total annual production capacity in Chile to more than 80,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent by 2020. Albemarle has been expanding production to help keep up with rising lithium demand: In early 2017, it announced that it received approval from the Chilean authorities to extract enough lithium to increase its annual Chilean battery-grade lithium carbonate production from 70,000 metric tons (MT) to 90,000 MT over the next four years. This modest increase came on the heels of a huge increase, as in early 2016, it received approval to hike this number from 24,000 MT to 70,000 MT. In March 2017, it announced an expansion at its joint venture in Greenbushes that will more than double that operation's lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) production capacity from 80,000 MT per year to more than 160,000 MT per year. Albemarle has a 50% interest in what's produced at this JV. This expansion is slated to begin in Q2 of 2019. Albemarle could also have a potentially very promising new lithium source coming on line in the future. In the fall of 2016, it announced an agreement with Bolland Minera S.A. for the exclusive exploration-and-acquisition rights to a lithium resource in Antofalla, within the Catamarca Province of Argentina. Albemarle said at the time that it believed this resource would be certified as the largest lithium resource in Argentina.







Alix Resources Corporation (AIX-TSX:V) is a Canadian exploration company with five lithium projects in Canada, the USA and Mexico. The Electra Project consists of two exploration properties in Sonora, Mexico, contiguous to Bacanora Minerals' Sonora Lithium Project. Alix's concessions target interpreted extensions of lithium-bearing clays extending from Bacanora Minerals' Sonora Lithium property. The White Basin property is located roughly 75 kilometres north-east of Las Vegas. Sampling on the property has returned values as high as 3,762ppm Li from six composite samples of the Horse Spring Formation. The Horse Spring Formation is Oligocene-Miocene in age and includes clay-rich, altered volcanic units with historic reports of elevated lithium. On May 1, 2017 Alix and partner Lithium Australia (ASX:LIT) announced preliminary results of metallurgical tests for the recovery of lithium from volcanogenic sediments at the Agua Fria prospect, part of the larger Electra project. Simple four hour, sulphuric acid leach tests, carried out at “room temperature” extracted up to 85% of the contained lithium. A very modest increase in temperature to only 50^o C has achieved lithium extractions of 94-99% in only 4 hours. The Preissac-Lacorne lithium properties contain numerous showings mineralized in Li (spodumene) ±Ta (tantalite) ±Be (beryl), and have been investigated sporadically by junior mining companies with various geophysical, geochemical and geological tools from the early 1950's until the present day. The Cross Lake property covers the Cross Lake pegmatite field, including the Liz Lithium prospect, located on Spodumene and Metis Islands in the south-western corner of Cross Lake. The granitic pegmatites form an 8 km-long, en echelon and lenticular swarm south of Cross Island dipping 45° north. The Jackpot lithium property, is located in the Georgia Lake Area about 140 km NNE of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The property has a historical resource on the Dyke No. 2 pegmatite zone, reported as 2Mt @ 1.09 LiO estimated in 1956 by Ontario Lithium Company Limited. The No. 2 pegmatite dyke, which was discovered by diamond-drilling, was intersected at intervals of 30 to 100 meters over a strike length of 215 meters and at intervals of 30-60 meters over a distance of 365 meters across strike. Dyke No. 2 is 4 to 20 meters thick, averaging 11 meters.




Alset Minerals Corporation (TSXV: ION) is a Canadian resource explorer that is focused on discovering and developing high grade lithium deposits. The company’s main project is in central Mexico, where it currently has a 100% interest in seven salars containing high-grade lithium and potassium. These salars are in the states of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi. In total, the seven salars cover an area of approximately 3,480 hectares (8,600 acres).Alset Minerals reported further results on 2 October 2017 from sampling of the Company’s 100% owned salars located in the states of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. All of these salars returned positive lithium and potassium results. Upon completing the drilling at the La Salada salar, a reconnaissance auger sampling program was initiated on 13 additional salars to investigate mineralization of soils in the first 1 metre layer. The Company is very encouraged by the results with all the salars being mineralized including some with very promising grades of lithium and potassium. Of the 13 salars sampled, 9 had average lithium grades exceeding 200ppm, with 4 salars averaging lithium grades of around 400ppm and higher. Santa Clara, the largest salar, had an average lithium grade of 392ppm with a high of 890ppm. At Chapala salar, lithium grades reached a high of 530ppm with an average of 416ppm. Hernandez salar returned a high of 670ppm and average of 556ppm. The highest maximum and average lithium grades came from the Caliguey salar with a high of 1820ppm and an average of 769ppm. Sampling also returned encouraging results for potassium (K). The average potassium grade for all 13 salars range from 1.20% to 3.38% K, with 9 of the salars exceeding an average grade of 2.00% K. At Caliguey, Santa Clara and El Salitral the average grade exceeded 3.38% K. Caliguey returned a maximum grade of 5.29% K, with an average grade of 3.38% K. Santa Clara, returned a maximum grade of 4.60% K. El Salitral returned a maximum grade of 4.28% K and an average grade of 3.78% K.






Altura Mining Ltd (AJM:AU) is developing the Wodgina Project in Western Australia. JORC Mineral Resource estimate of 25.157 Mt of mineralised spodumene pegmatites at 1.23% Li₂O (containing 310,000 tonnes of lithium oxide). The estimate comprises an Indicated Resource of 17.288 Mt @ 1.25% Li₂O and an Inferred Resource of 7.869 Mt @ 1.20% Li₂O. In Q2 2016, Altura signed a Binding oftake Agreement with China based group Lionergy Limited. On 22 February 2016, settlement of the share placement with Lionergy Limited took place. Altura received the A$3 million and these additional funds will primarily be directed towards the development of Altura’s 100% owned Pilgangoora Lithium project, including completion of the Feasibility Study scheduled for completion by the end of March 2016.


American Lithium Corp. (LI:CN) is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium deposits within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. American Lithium holds options to acquire Nevada lithium brine claims totalling 20,790 acres (8,413 hectares), including 18,552 acres (7,508 hectares) in Fish Lake Valley, Esmeralda County, and the 2,240 acre (907 hectare) San Emidio Project in Washoe County. The Company’s Fish Lake Valley lithium brine properties are located approximately 38 kilometers from Albemarle's Silver Peak, the largest lithium operation in the U.S. The highest grouping of assay values, 55 samples from the center of the North Playa, contains concentrations averaging 160 mg/L and a range of 100 ml/L to 300 mg/L


American Lithium Minerals, Inc. (AMLM) is an exploration-stage company. It is focused on the development of lithium and boron resources in Nevada. American Lithium has three lithium brine projects in the >Great Basin of Nevada>. The projects are located in the basins of Sarcobatus Deep, >Teels Marsh Deep and Fish Lake Deep>. The Company’s primary asset is the >Borate Hills >property in western Nevada, which covers an area of over 3,400 acres. The Borate Hills property features a deposit of 2750 parts per million of lithium (0.275%) and 1% boron. On January 5, 2010, the Company entered into an agreement with Gold Summit Corporation to acquire a 100% interest in five grass roots exploration brine projects mineral claims located in Nevada, the United States. On January 11, 2010, it entered into a property acquisition agreement to acquire a 100% interest in mineral claims located in Nevada, the United States, and to acquire a 100% interest in mineral claims located in Utah. On June 10, 2010, the Company entered into a property option agreement with >Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), whereby JOGMEC can earn a 40% participating interest in certain mineral claims located in Nevada, which is owned by the Company. In 2012 American Lithium Minerals Inc. entered into a binding Letter of Intent with Trivest Pty. Ltd. for the purchase by Trivest of 100% of their 60% interest in the North and South Borate Hills Property. American Lithium’s interest in the property was subject to a Memorandum of Understanding dated June 10, 2010 with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation whereby Japan Oil may earn a 40% participating interest in the property for $4,000,000 cash or in kind contribution to be invested directly in the North and South Borate Project through 2013. 

American Potash Corporation (APCOF) have been exploring for and developing Lithium and Potash resources in the Paradox Basin, SE Utah (UT) and SW Colorado (CO), USA for over eight years. Total Lithium + Potash exploration/development rights holdings in UT and CO of approximately 52,160 acres. American Potash control large Potash and Lithium exploration/development rights holdings covering over 40,000 combined acres in Utah Paradox Basin, SE UT. American Potash is the only explorer in the Paradox Basin with significant exploration and development rights to both Potash (K) and Lithium (Li), with about 13,200 acres of overlapping Lithium + Potash + Bromine (Br) rights in UT. American Potash recently (March, 2017) acquired 608 Federal Lithium (+ Br) placer claims covering 12,160 acres in the Colorado Paradox Basin, SW CO.

AMG (Advanced Metallurgical Group NV) (AMG:NA) is entering the lithium market with an investment of approximately $50 million in the construction of a lithium concentrate (also known as spodumene) plant at its existing Mibra mine in Brazil. Leveraging its existing mining infrastructure in place at Mibra (which has been in operation for almost 40 years), AMG’s goal is to be the low-cost producer of lithium concentrate globally. AMG can recover lithium-bearing materials from the existing and future tailings at its profitable tantalum operations at Mibra, with the ore extraction and crushing costs absorbed by the yantalum operations. AMG has successfully operated a lithium pilot plant since 2010, with more than 2.8 million tons of spodumene feed stock having been extracted. AMG has successfully operated a lithium pilot plant since 2010, with more than 2.8 million tons of spodumene feed stock having been extracted. Phase I of the project involves the construction of a lithium concentrate plant to produce 90,000 MT of spodumene per year, with operations expected to commence in the first half of 2018. Phase II would entail increasing the annual production of spodumene from 90,000 MT to 180,000 MT per year. Phase 3 of the project would see AMG expand its operations into downstream market via construction of a lithium chemical plant. The recent mineral resource estimate for Mibra (published in April 2017 and prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Guidelines) identified 20.3 million MT of measured and indicated resources, which includes lithium, tantalum, niobium, and tin.


Anson Resources Ltd (ASN:AU) has three projects, located in Australia and the USA. The company’s flagship asset is located in the Paradox Basin, Grand County, Utah. The project consists of 291 placer claims covering 2,334 hectares – 89 claims in which Anson holds a 10% interest and is earning up to 70% in two phases with the option to then acquire the remaining interest; and 202 claims staked by Anson. During the 1960s, numerous oil wells were drilled in the region and encountered over-pressurised brines in a unit of the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation named the Clastic Zone 31. Most wells were not analysed for lithium, but two holes within 1km of the south end of the claims (Robert’s Well and Long Canyon No.1) were tested for lithium. These tests showed a maximum lithium value of 1,700ppm and 500ppm Li respectively, noting that the higher lithium values were reported close to the Robert’s Rupture geological formation which runs through the Project claims. In addition, bromine, boron and iodine were found to be in high concentrations.







Ardiden Ltd (ADV:AU) has 4 lithium projects. The 100% owned Seymour Lake Lithium Project is located in Ontario, Canada. The project has over 4,000m of historic drilling from 2002 and 2009. Recent exploration and drilling has found that the lithium mineralisation is hosted in extensive outcropping spodumene-bearing pegmatite structures with widths up to 30m and grades of up to 6.01% Li₂O. In addition historical results show tantalum and beryllium grades of up to 1,180 ppm (Ta₂O₅) and 1,270ppm (BeO) respectively were intersected. Mapping and sampling programs by Ardiden successfully confirmed historical data and expanded the potential strike length of the previously drilled pegmatites up to 5km, further enhancing the previously delineated new pegmatite structures – all of which are located at or near surface. As a result of the early exploration and mapping success, Ardiden significantly expanded the Seymour Lake Project from the original five claims area totalling 923 Ha in two expansion phases. The Company staked an additional 29 claim areas, increasing the project area to 7,019 Ha.  Due to the continued identification of the multiple pegmatite exposures throughout Seymour Lake Project, Ardiden expanded the land-holding south and east in the project to cover these newly identified pegmatite structures and potential mineralisation extensions. The new claims will allow the Ardiden geological team to continue the mapping and exploration program. In 19 December 2016, Ardiden announced it had entered into an option agreement with Alset Energy Corporation to acquire 100% of the advanced Wisa Lake Lithium Project. The Wisa Lake Lithium Project is located 80km east of Fort Frances, in Ontario, Canada and only 8km north of the Minnesota/US border. The property is connected to Highway 11 (Trans-Canada), which is located 65km north via an all-weather road that crosses the centre of the project. The project is less than 3 hours’ drive from Thunder Bay, a leading regional mining jurisdiction in Ontario with key local infrastructure including a skilled mining workforce and excellent local logistics and infrastructure. It has strong potential to provide high quality product to supply growing North American demand and export markets. The Wisa Lake Lithium Project consists of five claims (1,200 hectares) and covers the historical Wisa Lake lithium deposit which has a historical (non-JORC compliant) lithium resource of 330,000 tonnes grading 1.15% Li₂O (Lexindin Gold Mines Ltd., Manager’s Report, 1958; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6285, Report of Activities 2012). In 1956, Lexindin Gold Mines Ltd. completed a total of 20 drill holes (backpack and AQ-sized core) over a strike length of 335m and to a depth of approximately 65m to define the Wisa Lake lithium deposit. The most easterly hole intersected a true width of 6.4m containing an estimated 20% of the lithium-bearing mineral spodumene suggesting the mineralization is open at depth and to the east. It should be noted that the historical resource estimate for the deposit was calculated prior to CIM National Instrument 43-101 or JORC (2012) guidelines and, as such, should only be considered from a historical point of view and not relied upon. A qualified person has not completed sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current Mineral Resources. Further exploration and drill testing programs are required to report in accordance with JORC (2012) guidelines. In early 2016, Alset Energy Corporation staked the project and completed a limited exploration, mapping and sampling program at the two mineralisation zones at the Wisa Lake lithium project. The grab samples collected from the North Zone pegmatite returned grades of up to 1.4% Li₂0, which are comparable to the grade of the non-JORC compliant historical resource of 330,000 tonnes grading 1.15% Li₂O. Grab samples were collected in the South Zone pegmatite, located 900m south and parallel to the North Zone pegmatite, which returned grades of up to a very impressive 6.38% Li₂O. Both the North and South Zone pegmatites were drilled in the 1950s but very little work has been completed since then. Alset Energy Corporation has collected and submitted approximately 60 grab samples for assay from various pegmatites occurring on the property. The North Zone pegmatite which was traced through surface exposures by Alset personnel for nearly 1.5km of strike length, which contains the non-JORC compliant resource of 330,000 tonnes grading 1.15% Li₂O and was defined by historical drilling over a strike length of 335m. The historical drill logs show that the deposit is open to the east and at depth and future drilling could substantially expand the historical resource. The South Zone pegmatite was also drilled in the 1950s, but not to the extent of the North Zone. This area of interest appears to have the highest spodumene content discovered on the property, with 6.38% Li₂O reported from a grab sample, and will be a key focus of the company's exploration and due diligence review. Additionally, Alset Energy Corporation discovered further spodumene-bearing dykes during their April 2016 exploration program. One dyke was located 100m south of the South Zone pegmatite and a further pegmatite exposure was mapped approximately 3kms to the West of the historic deposit in the North Zone pegmatite. The Root Lake Lithium Project comprises 1,013 Ha of mining claims and has over 10,000m of historic drilling. Mineralisation is hosted in extensive outcropping spodumene-bearing pegmatite structures with widths up to 19m and grades of up to 5.10% Li2O. In addition, tantalum grades of up to 380 ppm were intersected. Assay results from the limited maiden due diligence drilling program conducted at Root Lake have validated the historical results, confirming the quality and continuity of the lithium mineralisation at the McCombe pegmatite with grades up to 3.8% Li₂O obtained and also as seen from the metallurgical drill hole RL-16-06, which was drilled down dip for 70 continuous metres of mineralisation, with an average grade of 1.7% Li₂O. These results support the potential for the Root Lake Project to host multiple high quality spodumene structures. Considerable historical exploration for lithium was undertaken in 1956 at the McCombe pegmatite, which is located on two dikes and has been traced at surface for a strike length of approximately 550m. Capital Lithium Mines Ltd. completed a diamond drilling programme at the McCombe pegmatite on the Root Lake property in 1956, consisting of 55 drill holes for 10,442m. Capital Lithium Mines Ltd. outlined a 2,333,752 tonne deposit (NB: Not JORC or NI 43-101 compliant) with a grade of 1.3% Li₂O. This non-compliant deposit at the McCombe pegmatite covers less than 5% of the whole Project area. The McCombe pegmatite structure is hosted in a vertically stacked series of dipping pegmatite sills. The best exposed part of these pegmatite dikes, situated toward the west end, has been mapped historically. Dike 1 is the largest and is intermittently exposed for a strike length of 176m and maximum width of 15m. Dike 2 is lens-shaped in plan and measures 19m by 87m. The Root Bay lithium project is accessible via local logging roads north of Sioux Lookout and is located approximately 300km north-west of the regional centre of Thunder Bay. The project is strategically located approximately 5km to the east of the recently acquired Root Lake Lithium Project and consists of three claim areas, totalling 720 hectares. The project was staked by Ardiden as part of its regional exploration focus in and around the Root Bay spodumene-bearing pegmatite structure located in Claim 4282605. The outcropping Root Bay spodumene-bearing pegmatite structure was accidently discovered by a representative of the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (“MNDM”) in 2011. The newly discovered pegmatite is exposed on the eastern side of a logging road along the prominent ridge that follows the presumed trace of the Lake St. Joseph Fault. The exposed pegmatite is described as hosted by locally pillowed, mafic metavolcanic rocks. Initial observations by the MDNM states the dyke is characterized by coarse white albite, grey quartz and pale grey-green spodumene crystals up to 10cm long. The outcrop distribution of the pegmatite indicates that the spodumene dyke is perhaps 10m wide at this location along the limited, exposed contact of approximately 60m.
 


Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp(TSXV:LIT) is targeting high-quality lithium projects in Argentina for acquisition and development with a focus on supplying the lithium-ion battery market. The company has the option to earn a 100-percent interest in the Arizaro Lithium Project, located in the mining-friendly province of Salta—in the heart of South America’s prolific Lithium Triangle. Argentina Lithium is led by a team of experts experienced in the full-cycle of a lithium project from exploration and development through to processing and recovery. Dr. Daniel Galli, Director of Technical Operations, is a widely-recognized leader in Argentina’s lithium industry and was the driving force behind the development of processes for the production of lithium carbonate and battery grade lithium hydroxide from brines. Dr. Galli was instrumental in bringing the Rincon Lithium Project into production in Argentina. Argentina Lithium’s board of directors benefits from the knowledge and experience of members such as Nicolas Galli and Joseph Grosso. Galli has contributed to the development and construction of important lithium projects in Argentina including Orocobre, Enirgi and FMC. Mr. Grosso, one of the early pioneers of the mining sector in Argentina, is the Founder of The Grosso Group, which has a storied career in Argentina’s resource sector with a track record of success that includes three world-class precious metals discoveries. The company provided an update on exploration programs on its two active lithium exploration projects at the Arizaro and Incahuasi salars located in the Lithium Triangle in Argentina. Due to an increase in activities, a new Project Manager is being hired to manage exploration moving forward. The Company has recently expanded the property holdings at the Arizaro project in Salta province by an additional 7,030 ha. Geophysical and seismic surveying is the next step prior to a Phase II drill program to test for deep brines. At the new wholly-owned Incahuasi project in Catamarca province, the Company plans to move directly into a first drill program, and is now in the process of obtaining permits to do so.  The Company recently announced the acquisition of the property which controls the entire salar as well as initial surface sampling and VES geophysical results. The results included samples of 409 mg/l Lithium at surface. It is expected that the two properties will see up to 10,000 metres of drilling collectively.



Argonaut Resources NL (ARE.AX) is an Australian Security Exchange listed mineral exploration and development company with lithium projects in Ontario, Canada and South Australia plus copper and zinc projects in South Australia, Queensland and Zambia. The Crescent Lake Lithium Project is located 250 km NNE of Thunder Bay, north of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada. The project features two prospective areas: Falcon Lake and Zigzag. Additional claims covering the under-explored area between clusters of known spodumene pegmatites are also within the Crescent Lake Project. The Crescent Lake lithium deposits are hard rock, ‘complex-type/spodumene sub-type’ pegmatite deposits. The prospective areas are defined by two phases of drilling: historic diamond core drilling, undertaken in the 1950s; and limited modern diamond drilling completed in 2011, plus trench sampling. The pegmatites also feature elevated tantalum and are geologically comparable to the lithium tantalum pegmatite being mined at Tanco in Manitoba, Canada and Greenbushes in Western Australia. The known deposits outcrop and are potentially suitable for open-cut mining. Highlights of historic drilling at the Crescent Lake Lithium Project include: Falcon Lake has 8.1m at 1.48% Li₂O from 2.7m in drill hole W-3, 10.5m at 1.15% Li₂O from 34.5m in drill hole W-9, 14m at 0.99% Li₂O from 69.3m in drill hole CO-10-001, 7m at 1.07% Li₂O from 55.3m in drill hole CO-10-002, 11m at 1.10% Li₂O from 39.4m in drill hole CO-10-003, Zigzag has 6.1m at 1.08% Li₂O from 12.4m in drill hole CO-10-007. The Greenbush Lake Project is located approximately 150km north-west of Argonaut’s Crescent Lake Lithium Project and sits between East Pashkokogan Lake and Greenbush Lake in Ontario, Canada. The project is held via three mineral claims. The Greenbush Lake Lithium Project features a large, outcropping spodumene pegmatite with grades of up to 2.46% Li₂O within an area confirmed as having the required geological elements for spodumene pegmatite emplacement. The known spodumene pegmatite occurrence is 15m wide by 30m in exposed strike length. The actual strike length of the known pegmatite has not yet been determined as the exposure continues under sedimentary cover to the north and under lake waters to the south. The pegmatite has not been drilled. The property is yet to be explored by modern, systematic means. Economic concentrations of lithium in brine occur in circumstances where ground waters percolate through neighbouring lithium bearing rocks into a closed, continental basin that has not been subject to marine flooding throughout its geological history. Economic concentrations of lithium in brine occur in circumstances where ground waters percolate through neighbouring lithium bearing rocks into a closed, continental basin that has not been subject to marine flooding throughout its geological history. An arc of lakes, including Lake Blanche, to the north of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges has been independently defined as prospective by Geoscience Australia in a 2013 report titled ‘A Review of Australian Salt Lakes and Assessment of their Potential for Strategic Resources’. Argonaut, having assessed the potential of each lake on merit, determined that Lake Blanche has the best potential for economic lithium grades. In the event economic concentrations of lithium are contained in Lake Blanche’s brines, the lake has the potential to be an internationally significant source. No previous lithium brine exploration has been recorded in the Lake Blanche area although historic brine exploration has been undertaken at Lake Frome, to the south-east.


Argosy Minerals (ASX:AGY) is an Australian company with interests in the Rincon, Mina Teresa and Pocitos Lithium Projects in Argentina and the Erongo Project in Namibia. It is on schedule to produce lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) from its Rincon Lithium JV Project in the Salta Province of Argentina. Recent works at the project have involved progressing with obtaining regulatory permits and approvals to commence the additional pond construction and exploration drilling works. 


Ariana Resources plc (AAU.L) identifies and develops mineral resources, joint venturing its projects with experienced partners to advance them cost-effectively towards production. Asgard Metals Pty. Ltd. is an 100%-owned Australian subsidiary of Ariana, which was established by Ariana to focus specifically on technology-commodity opportunities. Asgard is focused on commodities used for renewable energy applications such as lithium and antimony. Asgard has interests in a lithium pegmatite project in the Pilbara region of western Australia in the vicinity of the Pilgangoora Project held separately by Pilbara Minerals Limited and Altura Mining Limited, which has itself been confirmed to contain the world's second largest hard-rock lithium resource in the world. In the past 12 months Asgard has completed two major deals to vend its licences to Dakota Minerals Ltd and Kingston Resources Ltd respectively.  In addition the Company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Metal Tiger plc for the review, exploration and development of lithium-tantalum opportunities in the Malay Peninsula, and specifically within Thailand and Myanmar. The first deal was made in December 2015 with Dakota Minerals Limited (ASX:DKO).  Asgard vended its licences at Pilgangoora to in exchange for A$147,000 in cash and 22,500,000 shares. Additional performance shares are to be issued in the event the project achieves specific milestones and Asgard will separately provide 12 months of consulting input to Dakota in exchange for a fixed fee payment of A$98,000 during 2016. The second transaction was a JV agreement to vend a package of tenements in Western Australia and the Northern Territory to Kingston Resources Limited as part of a broader deal involving Slipstream Resources Group. This package of tenements contains potential for lithium-tantalum bearing pegmatitic mineralisation in four areas in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. 






Ashburton Ventures Inc. (ABR.V) is a Canadian-based junior exploration with active mineral programs in Canada and Nevada, USA. It announced that it had received assay results from its recent work program on the 100% owned Elon claims located in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The property is directly beside Pure’s discovery and right beside the CV-6 hole recently completed by Pure. Lithium-X has also acquired a large land package directly to the west to now completely enclose the property in between them and Pure. Eleven samples were submitted to ALS Minerals in Reno, Nevada and all have come back with positive lithium numbers. The program consisted of surface sediment sampling from various locations across the property. The samples were crushed, split, a portion was pulverized and a one (1) gram aliquot analyzed by ALS Chemex method ME-MS61 (48 element, including lithium, four acid ICP-MS). The Thompson Bros. Lithium Property is located in Wekusko Lake, 20km east of the mining community of Snow Lake, Manitoba. The main highway to Thompson and Flin Flon, plus the railway to the Winnipeg and the seaport of Churchill passes 40 km south of the property. The property consists of 18 contiguous claims covering 1829 hectares. The lithium deposit is a spodumene rich pegmatite dike with a near vertical dip and a strike length of over 800 meters. The dike was originally drilled in 1956 by Combined Developments Limited, with three additional holes drilled by Carta Resources Limited in 1997; for a total of 30 drill holes. A resource calculation made by B. Ainsworth, P. Eng. in 1998, resulted in an "undiluted drill indicated mineral resource" of 3,968,000 tonnes with a weighted average value grade of 1.29% Li₂O to the 130 meter level, and an average width of 10 meters. A further 337,000 tonnes is indicated by the deepest hole (D.H. Car-97-2), to the 380 m level, which is over 200 meters from the nearest hole, and which cut a horizontal width of 8 m of 1.3% Li₂O. Thus, Ainsworth suggests a total drill indicated and possible total resource calculation of 4,305,000 tonnes of 1.3% Li₂O for the deposit (NON 43-101 Compliant), open to depth and along strike. The 1998 resource calculation is historical and not National Instrument 43-101 compliant as it was completed prior to the implementation of these requirements, and thus cannot be relied upon. A metallurgical evaluation of the spodumene deposit by Dr. W. Dressler of Laurentian University indicated that simple floatation would recover 92% of the spodumene and produce a concentrate grading 6.6% Li₂O or 89.2% spodumene. Carta Resources completed a business plan to develop the Thompson Bros. Lithium Deposit for the production of lithium carbonate, but a decline in lithium carbonate prices stalled the project in 1998.


Avalon Advanced Materials Inc (AVL.TO) is a Canadian mineral development company with a primary focus on the rare metals and minerals. Avalon’s Separation Rapids Lithium Project has the potential to produce high purity lithium compounds for two distinct markets: an industrial mineral product for glass-ceramics and a lithium chemical for energy storage. Since acquiring the property in 1996, Avalon has expended approximately $10 million on exploration and development work, primarily focused on the deposit’s lithium potential. Initial exploration work conducted in 1997-2001 included geological mapping, trenching, ground magnetic surveys, mineralogical studies and diamond drilling totalling 10,152 m in 69 holes. Subsequent work focused on tantalum potential and other potential industrial mineral products. Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, as currently delineated, total 8.0 million tonnes averaging 1.29% lithium oxide and 39% feldspar. Inferred Mineral Resources contribute an additional 1.63 million tonnes at 1.42% lithium oxide and 39% feldspar to a maximum vertical depth of 260 metres. The deposit is open in depth and along strike. Recent test work conducted by Lepidico Ltd. of Perth, Australia, using its patented L-Max® hydrometallurgical process technology, has successfully produced a battery grade lithium carbonate product from lepidolite sourced from the Separation Rapids property - another lithium mineral Avalon is currently quantifying.


Avarone Metals (AVM:CSE | W2U1:FRA) has entered into an agreement with an arms' length vendor to acquire a 100% interest in the Moab Lithium Project, which covers an area of 3200 acres of placer claims in the Big Smoky Valley, Nevada, directly adjacent to claims controlled by Ultra Lithium. Esmeralda County Nevada has seen resurgence in exploration activity, culminating with Pure Energy's identification of a NI 43-101 inferred resource of 816,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE)* at a cut-off of 20mg/L in brine. (*Technical Report (2015) Spanjers, MS. PG.) The primary target at the Moab Lithium Project is a horseshoe shaped gravity low anomaly that has been interpreted as an in filled basin. Exploration of the Big Smoky Valley by the USGS in the 1970's culminated in the drilling of two Reverse Circulation holes, both of which encountered anomalous concentrations of lithium that were highly similar to those encountered in the Clayton Valley, just to the south, and where the Silver Peak Mine is located. Hole BS-13, which is located just 2.4 kilometers east of the Moab project border was designed to test the same basin covered by the Moab Project and Ultra Lithium's Big Smoky Valley Project. Hole BS-13 was terminated at 200 m, and geochemical analysis revealed lithium in sediments ranging from 48ppm to 365ppm and averaging 160ppm. This is considered significant, as the cut-off grade used by Pure Energy for their resource calculation is only 20ppm.


AVZ Minerals Ltd (AVZ:AU)holds interests in exploration projects prospective for lithium, tin, tantalum and associated minerals located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including a 60% interest in the Manono Project a lithium-rich pegmatite deposit, 100% interest in the surrounding Manono Extension Project (lithium, tin, tantalum) and the Katanga Regional Project (lithium, base metals and rare earths). The Manono Project is owned by AVZ (60%), La Congolaise D’exploitation Miniere SA (30%) (Cominiere, a State-owned enterprise) and Dathomir Mining Ressources SARL (10%) (Dathomir, a privately owned company). The presence of lithium mineralisation in pegmatites at Manono has been confirmed to extend along strike of for more than 13km. Two large areas of pegmatite have been identified, with the northeast area, referred to as the Manono sector and the south-west area, referred to as the Kitotolo sector. Mapping within the two sectors has established that there are many pegmatites, representing separate intrusions, including six large pegmatites. The large pegmatites all contain spodumene mineralisation. The majority of the smaller pegmatites also contain spodumene and in some cases other lithium minerals. The two largest pegmatites (known as the Carriere de L’est Pegmatite and the Roche Dure Pegmatite) are each of similar size or larger than the Greenbushes Pegmatite in Western Australia. The thickness of the Roche Dure Pegmatite currently being drill tested is estimated to be at least 240 metres. Spodumene ranging between 5% to 25% of whole rock volume and minor cassiterite/coltan is clearly visible in sections of the core. The estimated base of weathering ranges between approximately 30 to 60 metres below surface with a short transitional zone and then fresh (unweathered) pegmatite below to a depth of at least 240 metres. AVZ’s current activities at Manono comprise mapping, surface trenching and diamond drilling. Recent results have confirmed high-grade lithium mineralisation over a strike length of four kilometres, with highlights including: 45.74 metres at 1.59% lithium from 50.5 metres at The Mpete pegmatite; and 65.86 metres at 1.51% lithium from 167 metres at the Tempete pegmatite. Assays have been received for five holes of the initial seven-hole drill program at the Manono project, which covers circa 188 square kilometres.The Manono Extension Project comprises two granted exploration permits (PRs 4029 and 4030) covering 242.25km² and surround the Manono Project licence. The Katanga Regional Project comprises seven exploration licences within the mid-Proterozoic Kibaran Belt in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo known to host lithium bearing pegmatites. AVZ has reached an agreement with Huayou International Mining (HONGKONG) Limited (Huayou) for Huayou to invest $13.02 million and acquire an 11% interest in AVZ. Its subsidiary Huayou Cobalt, is the largest cobalt chemicals producer in China.


Bacanora Minerals (TSX:BCN), a Canadian miner developing a lithium mine in Mexico, Sonora, first to enter in a conditional supply agreement with Tesla (NYSE:TSLA) The Sonora Lithium Project is comprised of the following lithium properties: La Ventana lithium concession, which is 100 percent owned by Bacanora, and the El Sauz and Fleur concessions, which are held by Mexilit S.A. de C.V. ("Mexilit"). The Megalit concession, which is held by Megalit S.A de C.V ("Megalit"), is not included in the Sonora Project Technical Reports at this time. Mexilit and Megalit are owned 70 percent by Bacanora and 30 percent by Rare Earth Minerals Plc (now Cadence Minerals plc). With an Indicated Mineral Resource estimate of 4.5 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (‘LCE’) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.7 Mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (‘LCE’), Sonora is regarded as one of the world’s larger known clay lithium deposits. Hanwa acquired an initial 10% interest in Bacanora following a private placement.Bacanora announced in November 2017 that its jointly controlled entity, Deutsche Lithium GmbH , has been granted a mining licence covering 256.5 hectares of its Zinnwald Lithium Project which is located in southern Saxony, Germany, close to the key German automotive and downstream lithium chemical industries. The 30 year Licence has been issued by the Saxony State Mining Authority (Sächsisches Oberbergamt) in accordance with §8 of the German Mining Act (Bundesberggesetz). Zinnwald is located in a granite hosted Sn/W/Li belt that has been mined historically for *n, tungsten and lithium. Recent testwork on Zinnwald concentrates has shown that a number of downstream lithium products can be produced from the Zinnwald ores, utilising chemicals and infrastructure available in the Dresden area. As part of the ongoing development of Zinnwald, a Feasibility Study is underway to develop a strategy to demonstrate the economic viability of producing higher value downstream lithium products for the European battery and automotive sectors and is expected to be completed in mid-2019.

Bearing Resources (TSXV:BRZ), now Bearing Lithium Corporation, a Canadian miner developing a lithium brine project in Chile. Through an agreement with Li3 Energy Inc. (OTCQB:LIEG), Bearing will acquire an undivided 17.7% interest in the advanced-stage Maricunga project located in Chile. The Maricunga lithium brine project represents one of the highest-grade undeveloped lithium salars in the Americas. Over US$30 million has been invested in the project to date and all future expenditures through to the delivery of a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) are fully-funded by it's joint venture partners. The Salar de Maricunga represents one of the highest-grade, undeveloped salars in the Amercias second in grade only to the Salar de Atacama, which accounts for 100% of Chile’s production or about 40% of global production. The project is located in Region III of Atacama in northern Chile, approximately 170 km north-east of Copiapo and adjacent to International Highway 31. The project is host to a JORC M&I resource of 1.7million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (“LCE”) at a grade of 1,143 mg/L lithium (Li) plus an Inferred resource of 0.4 million tonnes of LCE at a grade of 1,289 mg/L Li. The project is comprised of a number of tenements totalling 4,463 hectares, of which some are grandfathered under a previous mining code which may allow for the exploitation of lithium. Bearing Lithium announced in September 2017 that Li3 shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the transaction. At a shareholder vote held,, a total of 71.9% of shares were voted at the meeting of which 99% voted in favour of the transaction. The number of Bearing Lithium shares to be issued under the scheme will be approximately 16 million shares. Closing of the transaction is anticipated to occur immediately. Following completion of the transaction, Bearing Lithium will have approximately 46.5 million common shares outstanding, with former Li3 Energy shareholders representing approximately 34% of Bearing’s pro-forma share capital. Li3 Energy and its subsidiaries are now wholly-owned subsidiaries of Bearing. Bearing Lithium Corp. (TSX Venture: BRZ) (OTCQB: BRGRF) (FRANKFURT: B6K1) announced that it had entered into an option agreement dated September 25, 2017 with First Division Ventures Inc. , for First Division to acquire a 100% interest in certain mining claims held by Bearing located in Esmeralda County, Nevada First Division is a private company located in British Columbia. The terms of the Agreement provide that in order for First Division to exercise the Option, it must make a cash payment in the initial amount of $20,000 and issue 20,000 common shares to Bearing within 10 days of execution, and thereafter issue an additional 4,000,000 common shares to Bearing by the third anniversary of the Agreement. First Division must also carry out a $3,000,000 work program on the Claims prior to the third anniversary of the Agreement:$120,000 within the first year, $800,000 during the second year and $2,000,000 by the end of the third year. Following exercise of the Option, the Bearing will retain a 3% net smelter returns royalty. The NSR Royalty is not subject to a buy-back or repurchase right. The Maricunga joint venture is currently (October, 2017) working with equipment suppliers including Veolia, GEA, Andritz and FLSmidth to undertake pilot plant test work utilizing brine sourced from the Maricunga project. Brine from the project has now been concentrated to a 5% lithium solution, with the subsequent pilot plant test work to produce lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) and potash (KCl) expected by the end of the year (Q4/17). The test work is focused on optimizing the lithium and potassium production at the lowest cost process. Test work is well advanced and in the coming months, final adjustments will be made to optimise the brine polishing sequence, which will also be completed by year-end 2017. WorleyParsons has undertaken geotechnical sampling and site evaluation in the area where the evaporation ponds will be located to finalize pond design as part of the feasibility study. The project will use the conventional method of solar evaporation to pre-concentrate the brine before final processing into lithium carbonate and potash. The proposed location of the ponds is just north of the salar due to favourable local topography and availability of aggregate for pond construction.

Birimian Limited is one of the most active lithium exploration companies in western Africa. The Australian company has lithium and gold licences primarily in Mali, covering approximately 2,000 km2. The Bougouni licence hosts the known lithium deposit Goulamina. The first drilling activities returning high grade results including 52 m @ 1.70 % Li₂O, 40 m @ 1.84 % Li₂O and 23 m @ 1.96 % Li₂O. All the results were encountered in depths of less than 120 m and in part in a depth of only 10 m. Overall, Birimian obtained grades up to 2.20 % Li₂O with the first 14 drill holes including 18 m @ 2.10 % Li₂O. The Goulamina deposit extends over a distance of at least 700m with the resource still open in strike and to depth. In October 2016, the company announced a high-grade maiden resource of 15.5 million tonnes averaging 1.48% Li₂O. Six months later, in March 2017 the resource was upgraded to 27.8 million tonnes @ 1.42% Li₂O. The Goulamina deposit can be mined by open pit methods. This conclusion is based on results which were all derived from shallow depth. At the end of January 2017, the company prepared a first scoping study for Bougouni. According to the study the project can deliver an average annual production of approximately 190,000 tonnes of 6% Li2O concentrate over an initial 13-year life of mine. The initial capital costs are estimated US$ 47.2 million and the total capital costs are US$ 83.4 million. The average cash costs are estimated to be US$ 326 per tonne of concentrate. Birimian’s initiated Pre-Feasibility Study will be based on these numbers. Birimian sold the project to Shandong Mingrui Group for $107.5 million in 2017. 

Cadence Minerals plc (KDNC) invests in lithium exploration companies and REE projects. It has an interest in Macarthur Minerals Limited (“Macarthur”) In March 2016 Cadence Minerals made a strategic investment in Macarthur (TSX-V: MMS). During the year, it further increased its position to 16.58% by exercising its warrants. Subsequent to the year-end Cadence exercised its remaining warrants and increased its position to 20.3%. Macarthur has made progress on several fronts during the year. Within the lithium space, Macarthur has applied for a total of 1,449 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Pilbara lithium acreage is adjacent to and covers similar geological settings to the Pilgangoora lithium deposits, which host the advanced lithium projects of ASX listed companies, Pilbara Minerals Limited and Altura Mining Limited. Macarthur has reported that initial reconnaissance across a fraction of the Pilbara lithium acreage has been very encouraging, justifying continued assessment. During the year, Macarthur entered into three Memorandum of Understandings. The first with an ASX listed company for a farm-in and joint venture agreement for rights to lithium on their Sulphur Springs and Whim Creek Projects in the Pilbara, which is contiguous with some of Macarthur’s lithium acreage. The second with a Canadian lithium company for a farm-in to Macarthur lithium acreage at Ravensthorpe for a minimum expenditure of A$2 million to earn a 51% interest. The last was covering an area of 191 square kilometres in the Yalgoo region of Western Australia. The acreage on which rights to lithium are acquired is in proximity to Macarthur’s existing Edah Hill lithium acreage and consists of granted exploration licenses allowing immediate exploration for lithium. On October 21, 2016, Macarthur acquired the Stonewall Project located in both the Lida and Stonewall Flat Valleys, in southern Nevada. The Stonewall Project area is within 50 km of the Clayton Valley and has some similar geologic features the Clayton Valley, which hosts North America’s only producing lithium mine, Albemarle’s Silver Peak Lithium Mine. The Stonewall Project is strategically located in the Nevada lithium supply hub, 306 kilometres (191 miles) southeast of Tesla’s new Gigafactory and is located in the mining friendly Nye and Esmeralda Counties of Nevada and is serviced by excellent infrastructure with access to power, water, labour and is bisected by the Veterans Memorial Highway Number 95. The regional climate also favours natural and inexpensive evaporation for brine concentration and allows year-round work. Lithium has been located at Stonewall Project from a shallow auger drilling program conducted as part of due diligence, for the acquisition of the Stonewall Project. An initial shallow auger drilling program on the Stonewall Project for the purposes of collecting soil and brine samples for lithium was conducted. All holes contained lithium with sediment assays ranging from 34.6 parts per million (“ppm”) lithium (“Li”) and up to 145.5 ppm Li. On November 4, 2016, the Company completed staking an additional 360 claims covering approximately 6,975 acres (28.22 square kilometres) surrounding its Stonewall Lithium Project, increasing the Company’s footprint in the Lida and Stonewall Flat Valleys to a total of approximately 12,019 acres (48.64 square kilometres) covering almost all of the playa areas (i.e. ‘dry lake bed’) in both of the valleys. Subsequent to the year-end Macarthur announced that it intended to list its Iron Ore and Lithium assets located in Australia on the Australian stock exchange via an IPO. The prospectus was lodged in March 2017 and was for the issue of 50 million shares in Macarthur Australia at an issue price of A$0.20 per share to raise A$10 million. The minimum raise is for 25 million shares for A$5 million. Macarthur Australia on the ASX follows the successful, Pre-IPO raising for A$1.4 million. Funds raised in the IPO will allow Macarthur Australia to significantly advance its iron ore and lithium projects. Prior to the IPO, Macarthur Minerals has been issued 125 million shares or approximately 90% of Macarthur Australia for consideration for the sale of its subsidiaries, Macarthur Iron Ore Pty Ltd (“MIO”) and Macarthur Lithium Pty Ltd (“MLi”) to Macarthur Australia. MIO and MLi, respectively own the Australian iron ore and ‘hard rock’ lithium projects. Pre-IPO investors have been issued approximately 13 million shares or 9% of Macarthur Australia for A$1.5 million. Pre-IPO Macarthur Australia has a total of approximately 138 million shares on issue and on listing will have between 189 and 164 million shares on issue for a raise of up to A$10 million and a minimum of A$5 million. Post listing, Macarthur Minerals will retain between approximately 76% and 66% of Macarthur Australia. In December 2016 Cadence took a 7.7% stake in Auroch Minerals Ltd (“Auroch”). Auroch has a strong financial position with some A$ 8 million in cash and receivables. Auroch is an Australian ASX listed company which is currently focusing on the exploration of two key assets. The first is a joint venture to earn in 75% of the Alcoutim Project a significant Cu-Zn-Pb-Au-Ag opportunity in south-eastern Portugal located immediately along strike from the supergiant Neves Corvo Mine in the western half of the world famous Iberian Pyrite Belt. Drilling has already commenced on the first hole which is situated in the Foupana priority target, one of 5 priority targets to be drilled, a large magmatic centre with corresponding EM anomalies potentially representing massive sulphide orebodies. The Alcoutim targets occur along strike of the supergiant Neves Corvo Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag- Au mine operated by Lundin Mining Corporation. Auroch’s initial drill program will comprise three to five holes targeting geological environments similar to Neves Corvo in combination with significant geophysical anomalies along the Neves Corvo Trend. The second is some highly prospective lithium acreage in Namibia. This acreage forms the Karibib Lithium Project. The Karibib Lithium Project is situated in the same region as Namibia’s two historic lithium producing mines, Helikon and Rubikon. The company has five existing Exclusive Prospecting Licenses (EPLs) in the region and recently announced an Option and JV agreement to earn up to 90% of granted EPL 5751, which lies South West of Helikon and Rubikon. Auroch Minerals has applied five EPLs in the Erongo region of Namibia which expands the potential for Auroch to identify a commercial lithium resource. The EPLs are distinguished by the presence of significant historical lithium production within the geological terrain and include untested pegmatites with strongly fractionated geochemistry indicative of potential lithium tantalum mineralisation. Over 90% of Namibia’s previous lithium production has been sourced from these EPLs. The EPLs in the Karibib area of Namibia occur in the same geological terrain that hosts the Rubikon and the Helikon mines, Namibia’s two historical lithium producing mines. The Karibib area has seen little modern exploration and almost no drilling of the many lithium known occurrences. Cadence also had a 19% to 43% interest in Bacanora Minerals (Sonora Project, Mexico) and a 21% interest in European Metals Holdings ( Cinovec Project, Czech Republic).

Caeneus Minerals Ltd (ASX: CAD) is an Australian-based mineral exploration and development company established for the purpose of acquiring a portfolio of prospective exploration projects or near term development projects in Australia and United States. Caeneus Minerals Ltd is targeting lithium rich brines deposits in Nevada and also has highly prospective nickel sulphide deposits in Western Australia. The Lida Valley Project encompasses approximately 2,620 acres located in west-central Nevada, within 40km of the Silver Peak Lithium Mine of Albermarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), the only producing lithium mine located within North Americ The Lida Valley Project, like Silver Peak's Clayton Valley, is a significant regional Intermontane basin with a drainage area of approximately 150km², and is considered by Caeneus to be an ideal location for the development of lithium rich brine deposits. About two-thirds of the worldís lithium resources are within brines/salts. Capital and mining costs are typically far less in a brine deposit given the lithium can be extracted from a liquid. Historic exploration at Lida Valley identified gravity and resistivity anomaly(s) consistent with lithium rich brine deposits, including a gravity defined closed basin and conductive brine targets identified by resistivity survey(s). Further ground gravity details significant depth of basin and mapping, indicating both a stratigraphic and structural setting favourable for lithium brine deposits. The Lida Valley Project is now potentially drill ready. The Muddy Mountain Project encompasses approximately 2,542 acres located in south-east Nevada, about 50km north-east of Las Vegas. The Muddy Mountain Project is a potential high impact ‘district-scale’ lithium clay project. Lithium clay deposits (hectorites) display potentially cheaper operating costs compared to other hard rock projects such as pegmatites. Lithium clays are generally amenable to simple open-pit mining methods. The several kilometre trend within the Muddy Mountain Property represents an exploration target, with strongly anomalous lithium and boron (up to 1,000ppm Li) encountered from previous sampling. An analogy to the Muddy Mountain Project may include the nearby Kings Valley Project of Western Lithium Corporation (TSX: WLC) - 27 Mt @ 3,950 ppm Li); and the Sonora Lithium Project of Bacanora Minerals Ltd (TSX-V:BCN - 60 Mt @ 3,000 ppm Li). The association of boron at the Muddy Mountain Project also suggests potential similarities to the world class Jadar Project, Serbia of Rio Tinto Group (125.3 Mt @ 1.8% Li₂O, 12.9% B₂O₃). Both projects are located within close proximity to the US$5 Billion Tesla Motors Inc Gigafactory, which is currently under construction and proposed to go into large scale production of lithium-ion battery cells in 2017, as well as Faraday Future Corporation’s Electric Car Plant, north of Las Vegas, with the US$1 Billion first stage currently awaiting final approvals. Tesla has previously indicated they intend to source their raw material requirements (potentially including lithium, cobalt and graphite) exclusively from North America. The Scotty's South - Sarcobatus Flats Project consists of 200 claims totalling approximately 4,000 acres and is a desert playa lake located in Nye County, western Nevada along state route 95 approximately 110km south of Tonopah and 72km southeast of Clayton Valley, the location of the producing Silver Peak lithium brine mine. The valley associated with the project is over 30km long and 20km wide, and where streams from an approximately 2,000km² drainage basin empty. The source rocks are quartz-rich volcanics that contain anomalous amounts of lithium.  The area displays the presence of anomalous concentrations of lithium, encountered from preliminary surface sediment sampling programs in the region. Sampling of salt flats within the valley has previously found lithium values in salt samples ranging from 50 to 340ppm. Several important similarities exist between the settings of Sarcobatus Flats and a Clayton Valley type lithium brine deposit. The property is located in a closed structural basin, contain similar stratigraphy and occupies a lacustrine environment with similar regional hydrogeography and geochemistry to Clayton Valley. In essence, Sarcobatus Flats represents an under-explored analogue to Clayton Valley. Analysis of waters from springs in Nevada led to the identification of an area containing anomalous amounts of lithium northwest of the Clayton Valley area. Fish Lake Valley and Columbus Salt Marsh were found to contain waters having relatively high lithium and potassium concentrations. At least a part of these waters is probably derived from the leaching of tertiary rocks containing saline minerals. The high-lithium waters at Columbus Salt Marsh could be derived not only by the leaching of rocks with a high soluble lithium and potassium content but also by subsurface outflow from Fish Lake Valley. At Columbus Salt Marsh reconnaissance sampling indicated anomalous amounts of lithium in the shallow ground waters of the south-western part of the playa. The highest concentration of lithium in the ground-water samples is 64 mg/1. The relatively high lithium concentrations in this area could represent waters concentrated after leaching source rocks having high soluble lithium, similar to those present in the Fish Lake Valley area, or the high values may simply represent subsurface flow from Fish Lake Valley. New King Lithium Clay Project comprises an area of approximately 250 contiguous placer mineral claim blocks totaling approximately 5,000 acres within Humboldt County, Nevada, approximately 100 km north-north-west of Winnemucca and 35 km west-north-west of Orovada, Nevada in the western and southern sections of the McDermitt caldera. The Project claims are situated on the immediate western and southern extensions of and in a similar geological setting to Lithium Americas Corp’s (TSX: LAC) Lithium Nevada (formerly Kings Valley) Project. The Lithium Nevada Project contains one of the largest undeveloped lithium deposits in North America (Source: Lithium Americas Corp: Roskill Information Services, 12th Edition, 2013) with a 43-101 Compliant Mineral Resource of over 300 million tonnes (Measured & Indicated) at greater than 0.284% Lithium or greater than 1.5% lithium carbonate equivalent across two lenses of mineralisation. (Source: SRK Independent Technical Report for the Lithium Nevada Property, Nevada, USA, June 2016). New King areas directly abut the Lithium Americas Lithium Nevada Project with their mineral claims lying immediately to both the east and north of the New King. The Project is located less than 10km from the Lithium Nevada Project Stage One and Stage Two lenses, which are the host for the resources outlined above. Critically, New King areas lie outside the US Federal Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) sage-grouse habitat areas and also the nearby agricultural farmlands and ranches which limit the development of mining activities in the area to a narrow area of focus. New King is also of strategic relevance to the Tesla Gigafactory, located approximately 350km by sealed highway to the south west. Tesla and their partners are committed to $4-5 billion of investment in the Gigafactory until 2020.

Canada Lithium Corporation, together with its subsidiary, Québec Lithium Inc., engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties with lithium deposits in Canada. Mitsui & Co. holds the sales rights to lithium produced from Canada Lithium’s Quebec lithium project near Val D’Or, Que. The project is a large deposit with excellent infrastructure and favourable metallurgy. Quebec Lithium was an underground mine, surface concentration plant and a refinery from 1955 to 1965 which produced 272,000 tonnes of ceramic grade and chemical grade spodumene concentrates, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide monohydrate as well as a small quantity of lithium chloride and feldspar. At the time of the suspension of mining operations the ore reserve was 15 million tonnes at a grade of 1.14 % Li₂O calculated down to the 150m level. The actual recovered grade during the ten years of production was 1.25% Li₂O. Canada Lithium Corp. is working in conjunction with SGS Lakefield Research to complete metallurgical test-work for the production of spodumene concentrate, lithium carbonate as well as high grades and purities of lithium carbonate. Metallurgical processing test-work results completed to date have resulted in the production of a spodumene concentrate grading 7.17% Li₂O with an 80% recovery. The high-grade spodumene concentrate achieved with an 80% recovery is a material improvement over the approximate 50% recovery achieved at Quebec Lithium's operations from 1955 to 1965 and will result in lower operating costs. The Company has also produced lithium carbonate and is currently optimizing its processing methodology. Sirocco Mining Inc. (TSX:SIM) and Canada Lithium Corp.(TSX:CLQ)(OTCQX:CLQMF) jointly announced in 2014 that the new proposed name for Canada Lithium upon completion of the arrangement transaction between Sirocco and Canada Lithium will be RB Energy Inc.

Capital Mining Limited (CMY.AX) is engaged in exploration in New South Wales, Western Australia and Ireland with a number of lithium pegmatite projects. Capital Mining recently completed first phase exploration program at the Company’s Wolfhound Lithium Projects in the Republic of Ireland. The exploration program was reconnaissance in nature and targeted the priority Ballon and Borris prospects within the project area. Exploration was designed to identify and sample spodumene pegmatites in order to define and refine priority exploration targets for the next phase of field work at the project. The program was successful in confirming the presence of pegmatite material at both prospects. The initial results will help confirm the project area’s potential to host lithium-bearing pegmatites, and validates Capital’s exploration rationale at the Wolfhound Projects. Spodumene-bearing pegmatites have previously been identified at two locations by the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), and the Ballon prospect is located immediately adjacent to International Lithium Corp's (TSXV: ILC) Avalonia Lithium Project. ILC completed a successful 23 hole–1756 metre diamond drilling program at the Avalonia Project in 2016, which returned high grade intersections including; 2.33% Li2O over 4.62m, and 3.29% Li2O over 1.67m Capital entered into a Binding Agreement to acquire 100% of the issued capital of Wolfhound Lithium Limited, the owner of the Ballon, Borris and Tinahely Projects, in June 2016. Capital subsequently completed the acquisition of Wolfhound and all seven Prospecting Licences. Applications covering the project areas have been granted. The projects cover a total area of approximately 270km² in the prospective Leinster Granite in the south east of Ireland. 

Cazaly Resources Limited (ASX:CAZ) is a Perth based Australian diversified mineral exploration and resource development company. Cazaly and Lithium Australia Limited (ASX: LIT) have an agreement to combine their respective holdings for the exploration and development of pegmatite minerals including lithium minerals in the Goldfields region of Western Australia (the Goldfields Lithium Alliance or “GliA”). The agreement includes offers the Alliance rights to pegmatite minerals over any existing or additional ground secured within a 100km radius of Kalgoorlie for an initial period of 5 years. The Alliance includes LIT’s rights to the Coolgardie Rare Metals Venture (CRMV). The CRMV is a LIT initiative with Focus Minerals Limited (ASX: FML) and includes the historic lithium production centres of the Lepidolite Hill and Tantalite Hill mines. Under LIT’s terms of its agreement with FML, LIT has the rights to all metals derived from pegmatites on the property and will free-carry FML a 20% interest until a decision is made to commit to feasibility. Under the Alliance agreement CAZ will not be liable for any costs associated with metallurgical test work or feasibility studies for the CRMV which are to be borne solely by LIT Previously LIT announced the commencement of pilot plant testing at ANSTO Minerals (a division of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) Lucas Heights testing facility utilising approximately 650kg of lepidolite ore from Lepidolite Hill. The pilot plant consisted of leaching and impurity removal circuits. The design was based on test work conducted by ANSTO Minerals on similar ore to that processed during the continuous pilot plant run. The campaign produced a purified lithium-containing liquor, devoid of impurities. Further operations undertaken demonstrated the production of battery grade lithium carbonate. The lithium carbonate feed was produced by Lithium Australia’s Sileach™ pilot plant. The refinement of the lithium carbonate produced during piloting was undertaken using a bicarbonate–carbonate re-precipitation approach, widely adopted in the lithium chemicals industry. The quality of the lithium carbonate meets or exceeds the specification of battery grade lithium carbonate produced by one of the world’s largest suppliers of lithium chemicals, FMC Lithium. The ore was not subjected to pre-concentration with minimal feed preparation, which are key parameters for processing at low cost and bodes well for the potential economic extraction of lithium from the Alliance projects.

Clean Commodities Corp.(TSX-V:CLE) reported that it had successfully completed its inaugural field program at its Juliet Lithium Project, located adjacent to Critical Element Corp.’s Rose Lithium Project in Quebec, Canada. The recently completed field program identified a prospective mineralized boulder field with assays up to 1.65% Li₂O. The Corporation believes the boulders to be sourced in close proximity and from within tenure held by the company given the abundance, characteristics and metre-scale size of the boulders. The Torp Lake Lithium Project was acquired by Clean Commodities Corp. from North Arrow Minerals Inc. (TSXV:NAR) in 2016. The project covers 1,003 ha and is located only 35km from tidewater in the north Slave region of Nunavut. Importantly, the Torp Lake Project hosts the drill-ready McAvoy lithium-rich pegmatite. Past channel sampling work on this spodumene bearing pegmatite has returned 6.0 m grading 4.5% Li2O and 7.0 m grading 3.3% Li₂O. The channels were located 78 m apart and orientated perpendicular to the north-south strike of the pegmatite. The Phoenix Project was acquired by Clean Commodities Corp. from North Arrow Minerals Inc., in 2016 and consists of seven (7) mineral claims, covering 5,629 ha, located in the Northwest Territories. The project is approximately 70km southeast of the producing Diavik Diamond Mine and are less than 60 km from existing winter road infrastructure. The Phoenix Project hosts the Big Bird and Curley lithium-rich pegmatite deposits. The Big Bird pegmatite has been mapped over a 1,280m strike length with observable outcrop widths ranging from 8m to greater than 80m. Past drilling at the Big Bird pegmatite returned 1.24% Li₂O over 34.3m. The Curlew pegmatite has been mapped over a strike length of 400m with widths up to 20m. Past drilling at the Curlew pegmatite returned 1.72% Li₂O over 14.87m. The Whabouchi Lithium District, where the Dumont and Spodumene Lake claims are located, represents a large, systemically under explored belt with strong lithium exploration potential. The Dumont tenure is located 6 km south and east of the proposed Nemaska Lithium mine and was acquired for its large number of identified pegmatites and its highly prospective position to locate additional pegmatite bodies which may have spodumene lithium potential. It covers 14,548 ha, approximately 35km in length by up to 6km in width, and is orientated SW-NE. The Spodumene Lake lithium tenure is approx. 13km in length and up to 6km in width, and is road-accessible.

Cohiba Minerals Limited (ASX:CHK) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with the primary focus of investing in the resource sector through direct tenement acquisition, joint ventures, farm in arrangements and new project generation. The shares of the company trade under the ticker symbol CHK. The Company recently acquired 100% of the shares in Charge Lithium Pty Ltd, which holds exploration licences in Western Australia. On 22 April 2016, the Company entered into a Heads of Agreement (HOA) in which the company has an option to acquire 100% interest in two exploration licence applications which comprise the Greenbushes Lithium project. The Project area is prospective for the potential discovery of lithium mineralisation and other associated minerals such as tin and tantalum. The two tenements the subject of the Applications have seen minimal modern exploration, and contain similar host geology to the nearby Talison Greenbushes Mine. In November 2016, the Company acquired 100% of shares on issue in Charge Lithium Pty Ltd. Charge Lithium is involved in the business of mineral exploration and has assembled a portfolio of lithium projects in the immediate vicinity of Australia’s largest and highest grade lithium deposits. Charge controls 100% of 5 projects (comprising 6 ELA’s and 1 granted exploration licence) within and around the Mt Cattlin, Pilgangoora and Greenbushes lithium provinces. Of these 5 projects, 4 are prospective for hard rock lithium deposits, whilst the fifth provides exposure to lithium brine via a large salar lake specifically identified by Geoscience Australia as being highly prospective for lithium in brine mineralisation. All projects are located in Western Australia and are free of environmental constraints that may delay grant of exploration licences.

Companhia Brasileira de Lítio produces and markets lithium carbonate. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Divisa Alegre, Brazil.

Companhia Industrial Fluminens , a subsidiary of AMG, extracts tantalum and, as a by-product, lithium from the Mibra spodumene bearing pegmatite deposit in Brazil. Clarke and Harben estimated a resource of 100,000 tonnes of lithium, though the average lithium concentration is not reported. In 2009 the company completed the largest project in its history by expanding its capacity to 50,000 tons per month of pegmatite, and as such becoming a major producer of tantalum in the world, where it already has one of the largest global reserves of the product. Mibra mine has 20.3 million tonnes of measured and indicated resources, an increase of approximately 38% compared to the previous Mineral Resource Statement completed in 2013. Those resources include lithium, tantalum, niobium and tin. This report is based upon drilling and research done during the 2016-2017 core drilling campaign and certain economic assumptions that reflect today’s current market prices and extraction costs.

Core Exploration Ltd (CXO:AU) is an Australian exploration company. Core’s NT Lithium Project includes the Mount Finniss Tin Tantalum Mine – the largest historically producing tin and tantalum pegmatite mine in the NT, and a further 25 historic tin tantalum pegmatite mines in the lithium rich Bynoe pegmatite field. Core has further expanded its dominant position in the NT tin/tantalum pegmatite fields through applications for 2,500 sq km of additional lithium prospective tenements in the lithium-rich Anningie and Barrow Creek pegmatite fields near Mt Peake. 

Cornish Lithium Ltd has been established to create a new lithium production industry in Cornwall, a mineral rich region in the South West of the UK. Numerous historical records that demonstrate the presence of lithium in underground hot springs in Cornwall, and with recent advances in extraction processes and other technologies advancing greatly in recent years, Cornish Lithium believes the time is right to exploit their commercial potential. Cornish Lithium have secured agreements with various holders of mineral rights to explore for, and to commercially develop, lithium bearing brines throughout areas considered to be highly prospective. The area over which Cornish Lithium has obtained rights represents the largest unified exploration programme Cornwall has ever seen.

Critical Elements Corporation (CRE:CN) is a junior mining company and Its Rose Lithium-Tantalum project hosts a current Indicated resource of 26.5 million tonnes of 1.30% LI₂O Eq. or 0.98% LI₂O and 163 ppm Ta₂O₅ and an Inferred resource of 10.7 million tonnes of 1.14% LI₂O Eq. or 0.86% LI₂O and 145 ppm Ta₂O₅. The conclusions of the Preliminary Economic Assessment indicate the operation would support a production rate of 26,606 tons of high purity (99.9% battery grade) Li₂CO₃ and 206,670 pounds of Ta₂O₅ per year over a 17-year mine life. Critical Elements began drilling the Rose property in late 2009. A total of 181 drill holes totalling 26,500 metres have been drill to date on Rose Deposit. Other than drilling, Critical Elements Corp. also performed some prospecting work on the Rose property. Prospecting was limited to the immediate vicinities of the known Pivert showing and the Rose deposit. The work consisted of a visual reconnaissance of pegmatites and sample collection, in addition to outcrop mapping at the Rose deposit only. Critical Elements Corp.'s exploration and drilling work since 2009 has yielded many significant drill hole intercepts that were used by InnovExplo to produce a better geological interpretation for the Rose deposit and to confirm the potential of the entire property area for new discoveries. Out of 181 drill holes at Rose, 175 returned significant mineralized values for Li, Ta, Rb, Cs, Ga or Be, and in most cases, for more than one of these elements. Mineralization is hosted within outcropping pegmatite dykes subparallel to the surface.


Crusader Resources Ltd (ASX: CAS) has signed a joint‐venture Shareholders Agreement and finalised the terms of associated documentation with Lepidico Ltd. The new company, to be known as Third Element Metals, is aiming to become a producer of the third element in the periodic table, namely lithium, with an immediate focus on Brazil. Under the agreement, which follows on from signing of the Memorandum of Understanding the shareholders have agreed to establish a 50:50 strategic joint venture to explore for and develop lithium resources in the Territory. Third Element Metals will have exclusive rights to use the L‐Max® technology, a patented technology to extract lithium from mica ores within the Territory. The company intends to develop and hold a portfolio of lithium projects and or royalty interests from sub‐licencing the technology in addition to deploying it to Crusader’s Manga prospect.

Crystal Peak Minerals Inc. (CVE: CA:CPM) is focused on the production of premium specialty fertilizers. Crystal Peak controls, directly or through agreement, mineral leases on more than 124,000 acres on its Sevier Playa property in Millard County, Utah. With a brine resource known to contain potassium, magnesium, sulphate, lithium, and a suite of other beneficial minerals, Crystal Peak is targeting the production of specialty fertilizers, initially focused on potassium sulphate ("SOP"), through the use of a cost-effective solar evaporation process. SOP and other specialty fertilizers are used in the production of high value, chloride-sensitive crops such as fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts. Crystal Peak is currently engaged in engineering and analysis designed to support a feasibility study, environmental permitting, and ultimately mineral production.

Cullen Resource Limited (ASX:CUL) Cullen Resources Limited engages in the mineral exploration activities in Australia. It primarily explores for gold, nickel, copper, cobalt, lithium, iron ore, and tungsten deposits. The company principally holds interests in the West Pilbara iron ore, Mt Eureka gold and nickel, Wongan Hills base metals and gold, North Tuckabianna base metals and gold, and Killaloe nickel projects in Western Australia. It also engages in the project generation of copper, lithium, cobalt, and zinc in Western Australia and Finland. The company is based in South Perth, Australia.has lodged four exploration licence applications over areas totalling ~280km2 that it considers prospective for rare metal, tin-tantalum lithium (Sn-Ta-Li) pegmatite mineralisation for further evaluation and prioritisation. One Cullen application includes the Kingston lithium prospect and two others include reported pegmatite mineralisation and ‘Tin-Tantalum-Lithium (Sn-Ta-Li) Target Group Commodity” occurrences (MINEDEX database)

 

Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V: CYP) is a publicly traded lithium and zinc exploration company advancing projects in the State of Nevada, U.S.A. Cypress' flagship Dean and Glory Lithium Mudstone / Brine Projects are located in the heart of the Clayton Valley lithium production and exploration area of Esmeralda County, Nevada. The Company's Dean Project is located to the immediate east of lithium brine wells belonging to the Albemarle Silver Peak Mine with Cypress' Glory Project located to the immediate south. Recent surface and drill exploration by Cypress at the Dean Project discovered an extensive 80 to 100 metre-thick blanket of consistent mineralization in excess of 1,000 ppm lithium over a two by four kilometer zone in a highly soluble uplifted mudstone. Cypress' Glory Project shares its western boundary with the resource area of Pure Energy Minerals project. Extensive sampling at Cypress' Glory Project has identified strong mineralization up to 3,800 ppm lithium over a wide 3 kilometer long zone in a highly soluble uplifted mudstone outcropping at surface. In August 2017 the company announced that it has cancelled the Glory Property Option Agreement, dated August 22, 2016, with Pure Energy Minerals for failure, by Pure Energy, to spend the required property exploration expenditures.

Dajin Resources Corporation (DJI.V) is a Canadian exploration company active in Nevada and Argentina and has been carrying out exploration at Teels Marsh since late 2014. Teels Marsh is located approximately 190 kilometres (120 miles) south-east of Reno, and 80 kilometres (50 miles) north-west of the Clayton Valley which hosts Albemarle Corporation’s Rockwood Lithium Mine, Teels Marsh is a dry lake very similar to the Clayton Valley property, being that they are both closed desert basins (playas) that were mined for borax starting in the mid 1800’s. In February 2015 Dajin confirmed the lithium potential of Teels Marsh. The results of the initial exploration program confirmed the presence of near surface lithium in dry and wet sediments within an anomalous zone up to 18,000 feet long in an east-west direction and up to 6,000 feet wide in a north-south direction (5480 m x 1820 m). A total of 74 sample locations were tested, at approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) intervals along east-west lines 1,600 feet (487 m) apart. With most of the analyses completed, the highest lithium assay value was 460 ppm. There were 28 assays that returned values greater than 150 ppm, 23 assays were greater than 100 ppm and only 5 assays were lower than 100 ppm. The Alkali Lake lithium project is located approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) north-east of Albemarle Corporation’s Rockwood Lithium brine-based lithium operation in the Clayton Valley, near Silver Peak, Nevada. Surface sampling in March and April, 2015, confirmed the presence of near surface lithium in the western basin. On August 8, 2016,, Dajin's wholly owned Argentinian subsidiary, Dajin Resources S. A., signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding with Lithium S Corporation ("Lithium S") whereby Lithium S will be granted an option to earn a 51% interest in Dajin's lithium properties in Argentina. Dajin Resource S.A. (Dajin) holds 100% interest in concessions or concession applications in Jujuy province of Argentina that cover regions known to or believed to contain brines rich in lithium, potassium and boron. The concessions total approximately 93,000 hectares (230,000 acres) in various drainage basins including 51,970 hectares (128,421 acres) of salar (salt lake) in Salinas Grandes and 41,068 hectares (101,481 acres) in Guayatoyoc salt lake basin. salar (salt lake) in Salinas Grandes and 41,068 hectares (101,481 acres) in Guayatoyoc salt lake basin. Salinas Grandes is approximately 70 km to the east of the recently completed lithium plants of Cauchari-Olaroz (Lithium America/Western Lithium) and Orocobre. Salinas Grandes/Guayatayoc salt lakes basin was chosen as Dajin’s principal focus for lithium exploration on the basis of data that are published in various scientific publications, indicating both permissive brine chemistries accompanied by lithium concentrations in surface and near surface waters that are within the range of lithium concentrations being produced elsewhere and enabling infrastructure. Anomalously high lithium concentrations, up to 1,600 ppm, in near surface brines present in specific regions of Salinas Grandes salt lake are believed to be due to recharge of the salt lake by seepage of paleo brines along faults bounding the sedimentary/structural basins. Dajin Resources S.A. has signed an agreement with the Cooperativa de Trabajo Minero Producción de Boratos Jujeños Ltda. (The Mining Cooperative for the Production of Borates, Ltd.) in Jujuy Province, Argentina (the “Cooperative”). The Cooperative holds the mining rights to two properties in the south-east part of Salinas Grandes. This agreement has a payment of $US60,000 which gives Dajin the exclusive right to explore the property during the term of three (3) years. At the end of the three years, Dajin has the right to Option the property for a thirty-year time period for a payment of $700,000. During production Dajin will pay the Cooperative a 3% royalty. In July, 2015, Dajin signed an agreement with the Cooperativa and Community of Tres Morros for the right to explore the San Jose and Navidad concessions. This agreement gives Dajin the right to explore the 4,300 hectare (10,625 acres) San Jose and Navidad concessions within the Salinas Grandes salar. The mining leases held by the Cooperative, “Navidad” and “San Jose”, cover a total area of 4,300 hectares (10,625 acres). An initial payment of $US20,000 has been made and the Cooperativa now must acquire the exploration permits to receive a further payment of $US40,000. These permits will be the first to be granted to Dajin for exploration work in Salinas Grandes, a salar where Dajin has staked ground of 80,248 hectares (198,000 acres). LSC Lithium Corporation has an earn-in agreement and paid $1,000,000 to Dajin with a commitment to expend another $2,000,000 on the Dajin holdings in Salinas Grandes, Guayatayoc and elsewhere in Jujuy Province in order to obtain a 51% interest in Dajin Resources S.A. In September 2017 Dajin Resources announced that it had signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Enirgi Group Corporation (Enirgi Group), headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Enirgi Group is a multinational conglomerate that has developed a new, efficient, cost effective technology for extracting Lithium carbonates from Lithium bearing brines using their Direct Extraction Process Technology (DXP Technology). With this technology, the use of invasive solar evaporation pond networks will not be required. Through their Innovation Division, based in Sydney, Australia, Enirgi Group is in the final stages of commissioning a commercial scale demonstration plant capable of producing one tonne per day of battery grade Lithium carbonate from their flagship lithium project at the Salar del Rincón located in the Province of Salta, Argentina (the "Rincón Project"). The MOU gives Dajin exclusive access to the Enirgi Group's DXP Technology and future processing facilities constructed in the United States. Dajin will be responsible for the sourcing and delivering of lithium bearing brine from their current and future projects in the United States. Upon the production of 20 tonnes cumulative battery grade lithium carbonate at the Rincón Project, signing a Definitive Agreement, consideration of provision to Dajin of Enirgi Group services, and having exclusive access to processing facilities, Dajin will issue to Enirgi Group common shares of its capital in an amount which represents 19.5% of the issued shares of Dajin (post-issuance), calculated based on the number of shares issued of Dajin outstanding as of the date of acceptance of a Definitive Agreement by the TSX Venture Exchange. Upon the completion of a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the construction of a processing facility and acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, Dajin will issue to Enirgi Group additional common shares of its capital in an amount which represent 10.5% of the issued shares of Dajin (post-issuance), calculated based on the number of issued shares of Dajin outstanding as of the date of the completion of the DFS.

Durango Resources (DGO:CN) is a Canadian development company with several prospective mineral properties in Canadian provinces. The main focus of the company is the NMX East Lithium Project adjacent to parts of Nemaska’s Whabouchi Project. The project consists of four licence areas. Two of the areas (the West Block and East Block) border directly Nemaska Lithium’s Whabouchi Project. The last resource estimate for Whabouchi in December 2016 indicates measured and indicated open pit resources of 36.62 million tonnes averaging 1.48 % Li2O and inferred resources 0f 7.189 million tonnes averaging 1.37 % Li2O. Whabouchi therefore hosts the second largest hard rock lithium deposit known worldwide and has the potential for additional resources. The East Block of Durango Resources’ NMX East Lithium Project is situated immediately east of the Whabouchi Project. The third block, the South Block, is situated approximately 7 km south-east of Whabouchi. With the exploration program in August 2016 Durango was able to identify three lithium bearing intrusions in the East Block approximately 3 km from Nemaska’s resource and in the South Block.

Enirgi Group is a Canadian privately held multinational conglomerate with six unique divisions that own and operate a portfolio of high-quality assets and operations located around the world. Enirgi Group's Chemicals Division is advancing the development of Enirgi Group's Salar de Rincon lithium project located in the province of Salta, Argentina. It plans to produce KCl, Na₂SO₄ and NaCl, in addition to lithium, which will be a by product. Enirgi Group is focused on developing innovative technologies to sustainably progress a number of development projects around the globe with the goal of becoming a leading low-cost, high quality producer of speciality chemicals and energy storage solutions. The DXP Plant utilizes Enirgi Group’s proprietary Direct Xtraction Technology (the “DXP Technology”) process to produce lithium carbonate directly from raw, unconcentrated brine in less than 24 hours without the use of a network of solar evaporation ponds. Enirgi Group is wholly-owned by Sentient Group. The Sentient Group Limited is an independent private equity investment firm specializing in the global resources industry with over $2.7 billion of assets under management in metal, mineral and energy assets across the globe.

Equitorial Exploration Corporation (EE1:GR) is developing three lithium projects in North America. The Little Nahanni Pegmatite Property is in the NWT, adjacent to the Yukon border and some 39km WNW of the Canada Tungsten mine. The prospect comprises 5,393 ha (53.93 km2) consisting of a system of branching swarms of dykes that extend over 13km exposed strike length and up to 500m width. Individual dykes within these swarms`are mostly 1-10m thickness. Natural exposure and drilling has demonstrated a vertical extent of 300m. Minerals of interest are spodumene, lithium micas, tantalite-columbite and cassiterite. Grades of up to 2% Li2O and 500g/t Ta2O5 are reported for individual dykes. The Tule Valley Project consists of 26 claims of 26 acres each and is located approximately 190 south westof Salt Lake City, Utah. The property straddles Juab and Millard counties. Access is by a all weather, hard surface highway from Delta, Utah and from Wendover, Nevada or by a paved road to the south. Further access is by gravel roads in fair condition. The Tule property is located 20 km south of Redhill Resources Honey Comb-Beryllium-Rubidium, Lithium and REE project. It is approximately 60km to the northwest of the Crystal Peak potash, lithium and magnesium project and 30 Km to the south west of Matererion’s Spor Mountain Beryllium Mine. Similar to that of Clayton Valley, Tule Valley is a closed basin and has a horst and graben structure. The Gerlach project is comprised of 89 claims, 720 hectares (1,780 acres), located in the San Emidio desert, 5 miles from Gerlach, Wahoe County, Nevada and 120 km north of Tesla Gigafactory #1. The property is located within the southern lobe of the Black Rock Desert, a graben feature of the Basin and Range geological province which is dominant throughout Nevada.
 

ERAMET (EPA:ERA) is developing a project to produce lithium from its deposit located in the Andean Cordillera of the Salta province, North West of Argentina. The Centenario-Ratones deposit contains a significant level of resources, supporting an annual industrial production level of 20,000 tons of lithium carbonate for decades. ERAMET has developed an innovative Direct Extraction Process to extract the lithium contained in the brine; this process is lower-cost and more environmentally-friendly than the conventional evaporation method of obtaining lithium. The proprietary technology was developed by ERAMET’s leading Research and Development Center, ERAMET Research (based near Paris, France) in partnership with the French Petroleum and Renewable Energy Institute (IFP Energies Nouvelles).

E3 Metals Corporation (ETMC/H:CN) is an exploration and development company focusing on driving the commodities and power in the new energy sector that is being driven by the paradigm shift in energy storage. E3 Metals Corp's properties are comprised of 61 Alberta Metallic and Industrial Mineral Permits, which includes the rights for lithium, totaling 477,898 hectares (4779 square kilometres) that can be further sub-divided into seven separate sub-properties, or groups of contiguous permits. E3 Metals' permits cover the highly productive Leduc Reef Trend, part of the Devonian reef and platform, that have been historically tested to contain elevated concentrations of lithium. Results range up to 135mg/L in the reservoir E3 Metals holds, within and directly adjacent to the permit areas. It is generally accepted that the Leduc Reservoir contains lithium enriched petro-brines as it regularly returns anomalous concentrations. E3 Metals' goal is to generate a mineral resource over one of our project areas within the next 12 months. Most of the data required to complete this exists and has been collected by the oil and gas companies exploring over the past 70 years in this area. E3 Metals intends to conduct a significant sampling program across all of our permit areas from currently available producing oil wells to identify and verify the concentrations of lithium across the reservoir.

European Lithium Ltd, (EUR:AU) an Australian company, is focused on the development of its wholly owned Wolfsberg Lithium Project which is located in Carinthia, 270km south of Vienna, Austria. The Project is located 20 km east of Wolfsberg, an industrial town, with established infrastructure, including access to the European motorway and railway network. Discovered by Minerex, an Austrian government company. Following extensive exploration, technical and commercial studies a pre-feasibility study was completed in 1987. Minerex completed exploration work that comprised initial surface geology mapping, 9,940m³of surface trenches, 16,727m of diamond drilling from surface and underground and 1,389m of underground access decline and drifts. Trial mining was successfully undertaken by Boliden Contech. The resource was restated to be compliant to JORC Code (2012) as 3.7 million tonnes inferred at 1.5% Li2O at a 0.75 % Li2O cut-off grade. The project comprises 22 original and 32 overlapping exploration licences and a mining licence over 11 mining areas issued by the Austrian mining authority. The 5-year term of the original exploration licences has been extended by the mining authority to 31 December 2019. The mining licence can be held in perpetuity provided its conditions are maintained. The Wolfsberg project benefits from significant exploration, extensive metallurgical testing, mining and pre-feasibility studies conducted by its past owners, which may allow European Lithium to fast track the development of the Project which has the potential to become a major producer of lithium in Europe. Construction could start by early 2019 and production by the end of 2020.

European Metals Holdings Ltd (EMH:AU) listed in Australia and the U.K, is developing the Cinovec lithium-tin project in the Czech Republic., reportedly the largest lithium resource in Europe. Based upon the Preliminary Feasibility Study undertaken, the Company declared a maiden Probable Ore Reserve of 34.5 Mt @ 0.6 5% Li₂O.

Exterra Resources Ltd (EXC:AU) acquired an option to purchase a 90% interest in the Moolyella Lithium Project within the Archean Pilbara Craton. Rock chip values of up to 1.82% lithium have been recorded within the tenement area.The Moolyella Project is located 23 kilometres east-north-east of Marble Bar and consists of one exploration licence application covering 86 km2 holding a substantial position within one of the most prolific historical tin and tantalum producing districts of the Archaean Pilbara Craton. Tin/Tantalum mining operations have been carried out on the Moolyella tin field from their discovery in 1898 until 1986.

 

Fairmont Resources Inc (FMR:CN) is a Canadian resource company specializing in the development of lithium and industrial minerals projects. The company has, among other projects, a promising lithium project in Quebec. Fairmont Resources has a 100 % interest in the Rome Lithium Project in Quebec. It is comprised of two separate licence areas which border in the north and south Jilin Jien’s Québec lithium mine. The mine hosts a measured and indicated resource of 41.5 million tonnes averaging 1.09 Li2O as well as an inferred resource of 17.7 million tonnes averaging 1.10 % Li2O. Fairmont Resources’ licence areas also border Jourdan Resources’ Vallee Lithium Project. Drill holes totalling over 4.000 m resulted in the discovery of over 100 pegmatite and aplite dykes. Jourdan Resources identified up to 1.19 % Li2O over 5.50 m in these dykes. The Rome Lithium Project is surrounded by projects with high grade lithium resources. As recently as September 12, 2016 a new lithium discovery by St. Georges Platinum was reported 3000m due west of the Rome Lithium property, returning values as high as 2.58% Li2O.

Far Resources Ltd’s (CSE:FAT) (FSE:F0R) (OTC:FRRSF) Zoro lithium claim is situated in west-central Manitoba within the historic Snow Lake mining camp. The Company has signed a letter of understanding to acquire lithium-bearing pegmatite dykes on adjacent Claim Jake 3558 including a 350 metre wide strip along the north-east edge of claim Jake 3558 and a portion of adjacent claims Bert 6304 and Bert 797 that are contiguous with the Zoro1 claim. This acquisition will expand the property from 0.5 km² to 3.0 km², a 600% increase in highly prospective ground. To date, assay results from the lithium-bearing dykes on the adjacent property, are characterized by high grade historic assays. The company announced in October 2017 it had finalized its recently announced drill program focused on Dyke 1 within its Zoro Lithium Property in the Snow Lake area, Manitoba. An aggregate length of 710 metres of NQ core was drilled to assess areas of Dyke 1 where no modern drilling had been previously undertaken. Light green spodumene typical of this mineral in Dyke 1 was intersected in drill intercepts of 40.5 m, 39.8 m, 23 m, 19.8 m and 7.5 m. A total of 207 spodumene-bearing core samples have been sawn from the core and prepared for shipping for lithium and related element assays to ISO-certified Activation Laboratories of Ancaster, Ontario.

First Lithium Resources Inc.(TSXV:MCI) is an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties primarily in Canada.

FMC Corporation (NYSE:FMC), is an US -based diversified chemical company also focusing on lithium compounds from the Salar del Hombre Muerto In 2004 and in 2011, FMC Lithium began construction of a 30 percent capacity expansion at its Argentina brine resource. FMC's lithium hydroxide capacity rose 80 percent in 2017 to 18,000 tonnes a year, and it has plans to boost that to 30,000 tonnes by the end of 2019. In May 2017, it announced a three-phase expansion plan to triple its annual production capacity of lithium hydroxide to at least 30,000 MT by 2019. The first part of the three-phase expansion started coming on line in the second quarter. FMC claims that it's the most vertically integrated company in the lithium industry. It owns its lithium source, the Salar del Hombre Muerto in Argentina, and processing and production facilities, where the lithium carbonate that is produced from lithium chloride is further refined into such products as lithium metals and lithium hydroxide, bromide, and hypochloride.

Frontier Lithium (FL.V) is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite - 8.2 million tonnes of what is the highest grade lithium deposit in North America. The PAK Lithium Project encompasses 6,976 hectares located 175 kilometers north of Red Lake in north-western Ontario. First discovered by Ontario Government geologists in the late 1990’s, the property includes the Pakeagama Lake granitic pegmatite which has highly anomalous values of lithium, cesium, tantalum, and rubidium. The PAK deposit is a lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) type pegmatite containing high-purity, technical-grade spodumene (below 0.1% iron oxide). The deposit is exposed at surface and has a known strike length of 500 meters with an estimated true width varying from 14 meters to 125 meters with a sub-vertical orientation of the pegmatite. It has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 7.89 million tonnes of 1.73% Li₂O equivalent (eq.) and Inferred Resource of 295,600 tonnes of 1.35% Li₂O eq. which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe₂O₃).The deposit remains open to depth and along strike to the north-west and south-east. Exploration work conducted throughout 2013 to 2016 shows the PAK deposit could be a potential near-term supplier of high-purity technical-grade lithium concentrates from the mineral spodumene that is preferred by the ceramic and glass market which consumes approximately one-third of total global lithium production. Pre-feasibility study for a lithium mine with by-products of tantalum and muscovite mica concentrates is targeted for completion in Q3 of 2017. Expenditures of CAD $4 million on the project to date resulting in extremely low lithium acquisition costs of exploration at $21.66/contained Li₂O eq. tonne. Flotation test work was performed from a representative 500 kg master composite mineralized sample. Locked cycle flotation produced lithium concentrate grades of 7.13% lithium oxide (Li₂O) with a corresponding Li₂O recovery of 79.4%. The program also included high intensity magnetic removal of iron that resulted in concentrate iron oxide levels of 0.1% Fe₂O₃. 

Galaxy Resources (GXY.AX) is an Australian company with resources in Australia, Canada and Argentina. Galaxy is currently advancing plans to develop the Sal de Vida lithium and potash brine project in Argentina. The maiden JORC-compliant Reserve estimate of 1.1 million tonnes of retrievable lithium carbonate equivalent and 4.2 million tonnes of potassium chloride (potash or KCI) equivalent. The company also owns the Mt Cattlin spodumene mine near Ravensthorpe in Western Australia and the James Bay lithium pegmatite project in Quebec, Canada. The Mt Cattlin spodumene project, is located two kilometres north of the town of Ravensthorpe in Western Australia. The Mt Cattlin mine operations included open-pit mining of a flat-lying pegmatite ore body. The flat-lying nature of the ore body allows mining to proceed at a constant strip ratio once the ore is uncovered. Mining is carried out using excavator and truck operations, delivering to a conventional crushing and HMS gravity recovery circuit. Contract mining is used for grade control drilling and earthmoving operations (drilling, blasting, load, haul and ancillary work) for the open-cut mining operation. The processing plant at Mt Cattlin is located to the west of the pit, approximately 2 kilometres north-west of the Ravensthorpe town site. The plant consists of a 4-stage crushing circuit producing a -6mm product from ROM ore at a treatment rate of 1 million tonnes per annum. The crushing plant provides feed to a fine ore bin and this fine ore bin feeds the concentrator on a continuous 24 hour per day basis. The concentrator consists of reflux classifier, dual size steam, two stages of Heavy (or Dense) Media Separation (HMS) cyclones, with mechanical of the intermediate sink product. The final spodumene concentrate is stacked on a pad adjacent to the plant area, drained and prepared for trucking to port and bulk shipment to China. The James Bay lithium pegmatite project in Quebec, Canada contains indicated resources of 11.75 million tonnes grading at 1.30% Li₂O and inferred resources of 10.47mt grading at 1.20% Li₂O. The James Bay deposit occurs at surface and resource modelling indicates that the resource is amenable to open pit extraction.

Global Geoscience Ltd (GSC:AU) The 100%-owned Rhyolite Ridge project is a large, shallow lithium-boron deposit located close to existing infrastructure in southern Nevada. The project lies 25km west of Albermarle’s Silver Peak lithium mine. The outcropping deposit is amenable to open pit mining at low strip ratios. High-grade lithium-boron mineralisation is the focus of the Rhyolite Ridge Pre-Feasibility Study as it represents potentially the highest value material combined with a low-cost, simple processing route. This is due to the low-clay, low-carbonate and high-searlesite content of the rock, which make the mineralisation amenable to low-cost acid leaching at ambient temperature and pressure. Lithium-boron mineralisation is hosted within two sedimentary basins located four kilometres apart: South Basin (9 km2) and North Basin (20 km2).  The minerals in the host rocks are dominated by the searlesite (boron-bearing), sepiolite (lithium-bearing), K-feldspar, calcite and dolomite. At South Basin, high-grade lithium-boron mineralisation occurs in 20m to 50m thick, sub-horizontal sedimentary layers. The upper-most layer is 20 to 30m thick and outcrops along the western margin of South Basin over a strike length of approximately 3km. Drilling at South Basin has defined an Indicated and Inferred Resource of 460 million tonnes at 0.9% Li2CO3 and 2.6% H3BO3), containing 4.1 million tonnes of lithium carbonate and 11.9 million tonnes of boric acid. The Resource is open in most directions and is likely to increase in size with additional drilling. The Mineral Resource includes a high-grade lithium-boron zone of 137Mt at 0.9% Li2CO3 and 7.2% H3BO3, with 75% in the Indicated category. Global Geoscience is conducting metallurgical testwork to establish the process flowsheet. Metallurgical testwork announced in May 2017 confirmed the potential for a simple, low-cost acid-leach process to produce lithium carbonate and boric acid at Rhyolite Ridge. This testwork focused on a flowsheet involving crushing, grinding and flotation followed by agitation (tank) leaching. Due to the high recoveries obtained, a number of other potentially lower cost (capital and/or operating costs) acid leach options are being evaluated. Key findings from the recent testwork are: High grade lithium-boron rich mineralisation occurs in thick (20-50m), consistent and flat lying sedimentary layers within the deposit.  Mineralogical and geochemical continuity is very high across the deposit including between outcrop and at depth in drill core. Calcite and dolomite (carbonate minerals which would otherwise consume acid during the leaching process) can be removed via flotation prior to leaching.  The carbonate minerals are floated off while the boron and lithium bearing minerals sink and report to the flotation tailings.  Flotation recoveries for lithium and boron are above 95%. Lithium and boron can be leached at ambient temperature and pressure using sulphuric acid with high recoveries and low acid consumption. This testwork strongly indicates that Rhyolite Ridge can become cost-competitive, major producer of lithium carbonate and boric acid with scalable production options.
 

Great Thunder Gold Corporation (GTG:CN) has 3 lithium projects in Quebec. The Nemaska Lake property is made up of four map-designated cells covering 213 hectares. Geological mapping by Nemaska Lithium geologists on behalf of Tucana Lithium in 2011 revealed the presence of many pegmatite outcrops, with only five of them sampled. This pegmatite discovery was reported in the National Instrument 43-101 Abigail property report written for Tucana Lithium by Mr. Theberge. The property is easily accessible, being located only 2.5 kilometres north of Route du Nord, the main road which joins the village of Nemaska to Chibougamau. The property also borders Nemaska Lithium’s Whabouchi property and Durango Resources’ NMX East property. The Bouvier property is located within the Preissac-Lacorne plutonic complex of the Abitibi greenstone belt, in the Saint-Mathieu municipality of Figuery township. The geological setting and structure of the volcano-sedimentary assemblages form an ideal host for lithium-rich pegmatites being located between the Northern Manneville deformation zone and the northern edge of the fertile Lacorne monzogranite pluton. The Chubb lithium property is situated within the Preissac-Lacorne plutonic complex of the Abitibi greenstone belt — the complex forming one of the best prospective areas for lithium mineralization. The plutonic complex generated the Quebec lithium mine for which Canada Lithium reported measured and indicated resources of 29.3 million tonnes grading 1.19 per cent lithium oxide (Li₂O) and 20.9 million tonnes of inferred resources grading 1.15 per cent Li₂O, respectively, according to a technical report by Canada Lithium filed on SEDAR on June 8, 2011.

Hannans Reward Ltd (ASX:HNR) has lodged seven applications for exploration permits over a historic lithium mine and tenure prospective for pegmatite-hosted lithium mineralisation in the Skellefteå-Boliden district of northern Sweden. Hannans first exploration permit application covers Sweden’s most well-known lithium occurrence, the Varuträsk pegmatite located near Skellefteå, Västerbotten, Sweden. Lithium was mined at Varuträsk by Boliden during the period 1936-46 through open cut and underground mining and is known to host lithium and cesium minerals, and also has occurrences of niobium minerals. During 1983-84 Swedish Geological AB completed mapping, moraine sampling, trenching and diamond drilling at Varuträsk which resulted in the identification of a new pegmatite lens located approximately 1km north of the previously mined pegmatite. The full potential of the original pegmatite and the additional lens discovered in 1983-84 remains unanswered (for example, it does not appear that deeper drilling was ever conducted to determine the potential for economic occurrences of lithium beneath the lowest mined level). Varuträsk and its surrounding area clearly warrant further exploration for economic deposits of lithium and cesium minerals. Hannans’ remaining exploration permit applications cover a number of mapped pegmatites and Skellefteå-type granites prospective for lithium and cesium bearing minerals.

International Battery Metals (CSE:IBAT; OTC: RHHNF) has a proprietary advanced technology that could push lithium into the production stage rapidly. It has signed an LOI with North American Lithium (NAL) to acquire all its lithium extraction process intellectual property and be restructured with NAL becoming an integral part of the company. Iin July 2017, IBAT signed an option agreement to purchase 37,500 acres in the Woodbury Carper Lithium Resource Project in Illinois. This is a shallow-drilling lithium resource development opportunity in the U.S. heartland, and it’s on easy-to-permit and easy-to-drill land. It’s already got several existing wells capable of producing large volumes of lithium-rich brine, and a salt-water disposal well to get rid of brines after extraction. The Company announced in October 2017 that it had commenced the testing and evaluation of the optioned Woodbury Carper Lithium Resource Project being 37,500 acres of oil and gas leases located in Cumberland and Jasper Counties Illinois. Through this initial program, the Company will advance its objectives of quantifying the lithium content of the brine on the optioned properties and exploring the application of different extraction methodologies.

International Lithium Corp. (ILC:CN) is a lithium resource developer with lithium prospects in Argentina, Canada and Ireland. It is 15% owned by TNR Gold Corp (TNR:TSX). International Lithium Corp. has recently reinforced its relationship with strategic partner Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co Ltd, from China, through an increased equity stake of 17% to further advance the core ILC projects. The Company’s primary focus is the Mariana lithium-potash brine project in Argentina. The 160 square kilometre Mariana project strategically encompasses an entire mineral rich evaporite basin that ranks as one of the more prospective salars, or ‘salt lakes’ in the region. A study, undertaken by South Africa’s Synexus using raw brine from the Salar de Llullaillaico location of Mariana, indicates that the selective recovery of lithium directly from raw (filtered) brine, with the simultaneous rejection of other cation and anion species, using a proprietary lithium selective separation process, is possible. The lithium resource developer said in an update to shareholders that, based on initial estimates, the membrane separation technology could achieve higher recoveries than natural evaporation, even with relatively low concentrations of lithium. Further, membrane separation has the potential to enable a considerable increase in production rate compared with evaporative ponds. The Mavis-Fairservice property in Canada consists of a package of nineteen adjacent mineral claims currently being explored by International Lithium Corp (ILC).  These include thirteen unpatented mining claims (the Mavis claims) and six patented mining leases (the Fairservice Property). Of 20 holes drilled, 17 intersected one or more intervals of pegmatite greater than 2 metres and up to 78 metres in drill width.  Thirteen (13) of the 17 drill holes intersecting pegmatites greater than 2 metres width returned notable lithium grades. Coarse grains (>5cm) of spodumene, the main lithium ore mineral, were common. The Raleigh Lithium Project has historic high grade intercepts in shallow dipping, flat lying pegmatites. The Forgan Lake project has historic high grade channel samples of 2.57% Li₂O over 6.4m, 4.23% Li₂O over 7.25m and 1.98% Li₂O over 7.6m. The Avalonia Lithium project is comprised of eight prospecting licences totalling 292 square kilometres centred 80 km south of Dublin straddling Counties Carlow and Wicklow in south-eastern Ireland. The Property encompasses an extensive NE-SW oriented 50 kilometre long rare metals pegmatite belt situated within the East Carlow Deformation Zone along the eastern side of the Leinster Granite. Since acquiring the licences in 2009, International Lithium Corp has conducted a series of exploration programmes to advance the project. Pegmatite intersected at Aclare containing 2.23% Li₂O over 23.3m including 3.43% Li₂O over 6.0m. width) confirms historical results. Multiple pegmatite dyke intersections and 1.50% Li₂O over 5.60m at Moylisha are consistent with historical results and confirm the prospectivity of the area. Step out drilling, 500m south of historical work at Moylisha, intersected lithium and other rare element mineralization within multiple, closely spaced, parallel pegmatites.

Jourdan Resources (TSXV: JOR.H) is a Canadian junior mining company focused on the development of lithium projects. Jourdan Resources has a 100 % interest in the Vallee Lithium Project in Québec. It borders in the west and north-west Jilin Ji-en’s Québec Lithium Mine, which is in the pre-production phase and will produce 20,000 tonnes annually of battery grade lithium carbonate from April 2017 on. This mine hosts a measured and indicated re-source of 41.5 million tonnes averaging 1.09 % Li2O as well as an inferred resource of 17.7 million tonnes averaging 1.10 % Li2O.The spodumene pegmatite dykes that will be mined by Jilin Jien continue on to Jourdan Resources’ licence area. Jourdan Resources drilled several drill holes on its licence area in the past. 21 drill holes totalling more than 4.250 m on the Vallee Lithium Project resulted in the discovery of over 100 pegmatite and aplite dykes in 2011. Jourdan Resources identified up to 1.19 % Li2O over 5.50 m in these dykes. In addition, the following results were received: 1.19 % Li2O over 5.50 m, 1.05 % Li2O over 4.31 m, 1.03 % Li2O over 4.63 m, 2.68 % Li2O over 0.85 m. All drill locations are about 2 km from the planned 14.9 year pit and approximately 1 km from the planned 30 year pit of Jilin Jien’s Québec Lithium Mine. Highlights from infill sampling of the 2011 drilling, completed in the summer of 2017 include 1.30m @ 1.53% Li₂O in hole VAL11-19 and 1.65m @ 0.93% Li₂O in hole VAL11-19. Historic results are in the range of up to 2.97 % Li2O but have to be confirmed. As recently as September 12, 2016 a new lithium discovery by St. Georges Platinum was reported 5000m due west of the Valle Lithium Project,returning values as high as 2.58% Li2O.

Kairos Minerals Ltd’s (ASX:KAI) Mt York Lithium-Gold Project is located on and in the vicinity of an extensive lithium-tantalum bearing pegmatite dyke swarm. Kairos’ Mt York Lithium-Gold Project is located on and in the vicinity of an extensive lithium-tantalum bearing pegmatite dyke swarm. Peer activity in the immediate area, commonly described as the Pilgangoora region, includes Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) and Altura Mining (ASX:AJM), which have both discovered significant lithium and tantalum resources in recent times. The Wodgina East Project is located 90km south-east of Port Hedland, and lies in the heart of the emerging mining centre for lithium and tantalum, in close proximity to several existing and emerging strategic metals operations. It is strategically situated immediately adjacent to Global Advanced Metals’ Wodgina Tantalum Mine, one of the world’s largest hard rock tantalum resources, and is located ~17km to the south-west of the lithium projects held by Pilbara Minerals and Altura Mining.

Kidman Resources Ltd (ASX: KDR), a precious and base metals company holds the Earl Grey Lithium Deposit (128Mt @ 1.44% Li₂O) as well as the 1 Moz Mt Holland Gold Project located centrally within the Forrestania Greenstone Belt near Southern Cross of Western Australia. In December 2016, Kidman released its maiden resources establishing the Earl Grey resources as a World Class Lithium Deposit. With over 61% contained in the Indicated category, Kidman announced the Maiden Combined Mineral Resource of 128Mt at 1.44% Li₂O for 1.84Mt lithium oxide (4.54Mt Lithium Carbonate Equivalent). The Resource is based on an area measuring 1.4km by 900m; However, drilling has intersected the pegmatite 600m north of the current Resource boundary. An additional Exploration Target of 75 – 100Mt at 1.3 – 1.5% Li₂O identified in a zone of pegmatites extending for at least 600m north from the boundary of the resource, and remaining open. SQM is taking 50% of the Mt Holland Lithium Project in Western Australia for US$30 million in cash, staged payments of US$80 million and a US$21.5 million convertible loan note. The mine is expected to start producing in 2019 with the proposed refinery complete two years later.

Kingston Resources (ASX: KSN) is an ASX listed metals exploration company advancing four prospective lithium projects. Kingston’s 77km² Mt Cattlin Project is its priority exploration target Within the project area, the Deep Purple South Prospect lies 14km south-west of the established Mt Cattlin lithium mine (GXY, GMM) and 15km from the town of Ravensthorpe, providing an ideal infrastructure setting. Historic sampling by Galaxy Resources has yielded rock chips containing up to 4.48% Li2O at the Deep Purple South target. This has been followed up with more recent sampling by Kingston which has returned a number of high grade rock chips containing up to 3.23% Li₂O. Recent geophysical assessment has identified extensive potential pegmatite targets with equivalent geophysical responses to the Deep Purple South Prospect within the broader Mt Cattlin Project. Further mapping and sampling at Deep Purple South has helped refine drill targets,  which are expected to be tested in the coming months. Greenbushes tenement adjoins the southern border of Talison’s Greenbushes mine, the largest hard rock lithium mine in the world. The site contains a series of mineralised pegmatites which have intruded along the Donnybrook-Bridgetown shear zone. On the Kingston tenement area this remains relatively unexplored providing a ready target for an exploration program. he Northern Territory’s neighbouring Bynoe Pegmatite Field and Wingate Mountains Pegmatite District Both projects are within the 180km long Litchfield Pegmatite Belt, which lies in close proximity to Darwin. The Bynoe Pegmatite Field is the largest known pegmatite field in the Northern Territory, it is approximately three times the size of the Pilgangoora field in WA, creating an opportunity for globally significant discoveries. The region was historically mined for tin and tantalum, but remains significantly under explored in more recent times particularly for lithium. Kingston holds a number of tenements within the Alcoota Pegmatite Region and the Barrow Creek Pegmatite Field within the Arunta Region. The sites are located approximately 200km north of Alice Springs.

Kodal Minerals plc (KOD), the mineral exploration and development company focussed on West Africa, announced the results of the diamond core drilling completed at the Ngoualana prospect, located at the Company's Bougouni lithium project in Southern Mali ("Bougouni" or the "Bougouni Project"). The Bougouni Project consists of two concessions, the Kolassokoro and Madina licences, which cover a contiguous area of 500km2. The project area is located approximately 180km south of Bamako, the capital of Mali, with excellent access to the project via sealed road from Bamako. Regional geological studies were undertaken in 2008 to assess the lithium mineralisation of the Bougouni-Sikasso region of southern Mali and identified areas of high potential.  The studies were completed by consultants CSA Global (“CSA”) and were commissioned and funded by the World Bank as part of the SYSMIN economic development programme. Kodal commenced a detailed geological study and rock chip sampling programme in September 2016. The results from this work have highlighted the high-grade lithium mineralisation at Bougouni, and identified new zones of pegmatite mineralisation with initial assays including 2.03% Li2O and 1.96% Li2O within Bougouni.  The exploration programme completed was a reconnaissance programme which has now identified three new high priority areas with high-grade lithium mineralisation and extensive pegmatite zones that have had no previous exploration or systematic testing. A total of 51 samples are reported in this batch from Bougouni (44 sample locations and 7 QAQC samples). The assay range for the samples varies from a minimum of below detection limit (0.005% Li) to a maximum result of 2.03% Li2O.  Samples are reported as Li% and converted to Li2O% by multiplication of a factor of 2.153. Samples were analysed by ALS Laboratories, with sample receipt at ALS Bamako Mali, sample preparation at ALS Ouagoudougou, Burkina Faso with final analysis completed at ALS Vancouver, Canada. Samples analysis was completed with a four acid digest and final detection by ICP-AES method. The Company commenced a 2,000m reverse circulation ("RC") drilling programme in November 2016 targeting high-grade lithium mineralisation within the Bougouni Project.  The RC drilling programme consisted of 18 drill holes for 1,323m completed (six holes for 415m at Sogola, eight holes for 712m at Ngoualana and four holes for 196m at Kola) with all geological logging and sampling completed. Drilling has consisted of reverse circulaon ("RC") drilling and diamond drilling, with a total of 76 RC drill holes for 10,260 metres completed and 5 diamond drill holes for 362 metrescompleted. In particular, the Ngoualana prospect within the Bougouni Project looks extremely exciting with the strike length of the mineralised zone currently confirmed at 650 metres. This zone remains open along strike and has yielded multiple high-grade intersecons including 28 metres at 1.96% lithium oxide.

Krakatoa Resources Ltd (AX:KTA) holds a 100% interest in the Dalgaranga Tantalum-Niobium Lithium Project, located 80km north west of Mount Magnet in Western Australia. Historical infrastructure including significant access tracks, tailings dam, water monitoring bores and ore stock piles (with remnant oversize material). The Mac Well Project has a land area of 66.9km2, covers the pegmatite occurrence, and is located 10km west of Krakatoa’s Dalgaranga Project. The Mac Well Project area contains outcrops of metamorphosed basic rocks enclosed by granitic migmatite. South of the project area, the migmatites become more porphyritic. 

Latin Resources Limited (LRS:AU) is an Australian-based mineral exploration company and has secured over 101,450 hectares of exploration concessions in the lithium pegmatite districts of Catamarca and San Luis Provinces, Argentina. The company also has a portfolio of projects in Peru and is actively progressing its Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold and Copper Porphyry projects in the Ilo region with its joint venture partner First Quantum Minerals Ltd. On 31 May 2016 the Company announced it had made claim applications over 70,000 hectares in seven exploration tenements in the Catamarca Province, prospective for lithium pegmatites. Following extinction of a series of abandoned claims by the Mining Authority of Catamarca, Latin has applied for additional exploration tenements over 7,051.6 hectares that were surrounded by the initial exploration tenement applications in two areas, Vilisman and Ancasti, each with past Lithium mining activity and that together host in excess of twenty Lithium bearing pegmatite deposits documented by various authors in publications made over the last 50 years. Combined estimates of spodumene content within 15m of surface of 12 of these deposits subject of the latest claim applications are in excess of 120,000 t (Acosta et al 1988, Balmaceda & Kaniefsy 1982 and other non-JORC foreign publications). These lithium bearing pegmatite deposits have a history of small scale past production, having been intermittently exploited for lithium minerals, and associated beryl, tantalum and feldspars during the 1950’s and 1970’s. Analysis of four samples collected by Latin geologists of exposures of spodumene in old mine workings in three pegmatite deposits within the new claim applications reported grades of 6.6%, 7.1%, 6.3% and 4.9% Li₂O respectively. Latin Resources has claim applications over 24,769 hectares in six exploration concessions and one vacant Lithium mining concession within the Conlara and Estanzuela pegmatite fields have been lodged at the mining authority in the San Luis Province, Central Argentina. The six exploration concessions each surround pegmatites dykes known to have been mined in the past for Lithium minerals (as spodumene or lepidolite) and/or other related minerals including quartz, feldspar, beryl, tantalite (tantalum mineral) and colombite (niobium mineral). Latin has also claimed the “Maria Del Huerto” mining concession, comprising three parallel dykes where spodumene was mined between 1936 and 1940. The main working at “Maria del Huerto” measures 110 m x 15 m and has been excavated to only 10 m depth. Spodumene crystals of up to 1 m in length have been recorded. Drilling of “Maria del Huerto” planned to commence in 1st Quarter 2017.

Leading Edge Materials Corp. (TSXV: LEM) announced in November 2017 results from the first five holes drilled as part of the second program of drilling completed at the Company’s 100% owned Bergby lithium project in Sweden. Bergby lies in central Sweden, 25km north of the town of Gävle, secured by three exploration licenses that cover a total of 1,903 Ha. The site is close to infrastructure, with major roads, rail and power supply passing immediately adjacent to the claim boundaries.Results from infill and step out holes have included the thickest mineralized interval intersected to date of 19.5m @ 1.12% Li2O (lithium oxide) in hole BBY17020. Key Results: BBY17019 intersected 12.6m @ 0.83% Li2O, from 21.1m depth, BBY17020 intersected 19.5m @ 1.12% Li2O, 184ppm Ta2O5 (tantalum oxide), from 13.6m depth, BBY17021 intersected 1.0m @ 0.96% Li2O, from 15.4m depth, BBY17023 intersected 8.2m @ 0.14% Li2O from 57.1m depth, BBY17024 intersected 8.1m @ 0.23% Li2O, from 56.1m depth Holes were drilled in the southern area of the prospect to infill and test down dip from previous drilling.  Of particular note, hole BBY17020, the second most mineralized hole drilled at Bergby to date, was both thicker and higher grade than holes on adjacent 50m sections (which graded 6.40m @ 0.64% Li2O and 16.35m @ 1.00% Li2O).  Furthermore, lithium mineralization in hole BBY17021 was discovered in an intermediate volcanic unit, rather than the pegmatite which had been the subject of all previous exploration and assaying. The drill program is now complete, with 15 holes drilled for a total of 991.0m.  Bergby has now been tested by a total of 33 drill holes to a maximum depth of 131.1m over an approximate 1500m strike length. The true thickness of mineralized intervals is interpreted to be approximately 90% of the sampled thickness.

Liberty One Lithium Corp. (LBY.V) (LRTTF) announced results from its geophysical survey at its Pocitos West property in Argentina . The Company has detected a probable brine horizon extending throughout the entire 29 km length of Liberty's mining property, suggesting the potential for lithium to exist beneath much of the Company's 160 km2 licensed area. The survey also indicates that the depth of the conductive horizon is as much as 150 meters thick in a number of target locations. The company conducted a Vertical Electrical Soundings ('VES') survey which detects variations in subsurface conductivity. As brine is highly conductive, it was the key subsurface target. Measurements collected at 11 stations along the 29 kilometer north-south extent of the tenements, based on comparative results with local and similar rock types bearing brines, indicates the possibility of a continuous, buried conductive horizon, contiguous with the salar lake beds. Thus, the entire 160 km2 of the property appears to contain subsurface brine, which suggests the potential for lithium mineralization throughout the property. The geology and controls of mineralization in the immediate area of the Liberty One Lithium property in the Paradox Basin are reasonably well known as a result of mapping and extensive oil and gas drilling. The presence of the adjacent Cane Creek mine which has been producing potash for 45 years uses a similar process as envisioned for mining lithium at Liberty One indicates that this form of production should be feasible. The recovery of lithium and other products from the supersaturated brines should also be feasible since globally, similar brines are the primary source of the world’s lithium. While not yet sufficiently well-defined for mining purposes, the lithium resource appear to be extensive, based on historic oil and gas well data, and on brine studies from the 1960’s. Available data, indicates clearly that mineralization exists and represents a substantial resource as shown by the drilling, sampling and geologic modeling done by prior operators on the property.

LiCo Energy Metals Inc (LICV) is a grassroots Canadian company that conducts exploration for metals used in the production of lithium-ion batteries. The Glencore Bucke Property situated in Bucke Township, 6 km east-northeast of Cobalt, Ontario, consists of 16.2 hectares and sits along the west boundary of LiCo’s Teledyne Cobalt Project that covers the southern extension of the former producing 15 Vein on the past-producing Agaunico Mine Property. Historically, the Agaunico Mine produced 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver during the mining boom of the early 1900’s..In the early 80’s the Glencore property was explored by 36 surface diamond drill holes totalling 3,323 m. The drilling program outlined two separate vein systems hosting significant cobalt and silver values. The two zones are known as the Main Zone, measuring 152.4 m in length, and the Northwest Zone, measuring 70.0 m in length. The Main Zone had a north-south strike, which is hypothesized as the southern extension of the #3 vein from the Cobalt Contact Mine. The Teledyne property is located within a historic mining camp that dates back to 1903. This was one of the world’s largest silver camps in the early 20 th century. Historically, an estimated 18,000,000 kg of silver and 14,000,000 kg of cobalt has been produced here. The previous owner, Teledyne Canada Ltd., completed a diamond drilling program consisting of 6 surface drill holes in 1979. Another 22 holes were drilled from the underground to confirm the previous surface drilling in 1980. The initial program supported a development ramp of 2,300 feet to reach the delineated orezone, with the face of the ramp just 70 feet east of the orezone. 4 of the 6 surface drill holes intersected ore grade cobalt (>0.10% Co); individual cobalt grades to 10.6%. Additionally, 18 of the 22 underground drill holes intersected ore grade cobalt (>0.10% Co); individual cobalt grades to 10.2%. The average grade/core width from the 22 holes equalled 0.57% Cobalt/ 1.6 metres core width. This zone remains open to the south with a further 650 metres of potential mineralized strike length on the Teledyne property, and represents an excellent target for a future drilling campaign. Based on the 1979-1980 drilling results, probable and inferred reserves accessible from the current ramp are estimated to be in excess of 100,000 tons at 0.45% Co. The Purickuta Project consists of 160 hectares and is one of a few "exploitation concessions" granted within the Salar de Atacama, home to approximately 37% of the world's Lithium production. The property is contained within an existing exploitation concession owned by Sociedad Quimica y Minera ("SQM"), and lies approximately 3 km north of the exploitation concession of CORFO (the Chilean Economic Development Agency). About 22 km southeast of the Purickuta Concession, both SQM and Albemarle Corp. have large-scale production facilities within the CORFO concession mentioned above. These two facilities collectively produce over 62,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent annually and account for 100% of Chile's current lithium output. LiCo Energy Metals. has entered into an option to acquire 100%, net 3% smelter royalty to acquire 348 claims in the Dixie Valley Exploration Project in Churchill County, Nevada. Hot Springs and other active geothermal features are found along a 30 km long fault system on the west side of Dixie Valley. The six Dixie Valley claim blocks cover the majority of the Humboldt Salt Marsh playa located in Dixie Valley, Churchill County, Nevada. There are 348 placer claims in total, covering about 2,817 hectares (6,960 acres) of playa and alluvial fan. Hot Springs and other active geothermal features are found along a 30 km long fault system on the west side of Dixie Valley. Numerous geologic studies have been conducted on the geothermal system during production drilling and as a test case for geothermal exploration methods. Of seven characteristics of Lithium Brine deposits outlined in the USGS deposit model, all seven are found in Dixie Valley; however very little exploration work has been directed at lithium in this area. The lithium target model for Dixie Valley is a Clayton Valley style playa brine type deposit. LiCo Energy Metals has entered into an option agreement whereby the Company may earn an undivided 70% interest subject to a 3% Net Smelter Return Royalty in the existing Black Rock Desert Lithium Project that consists of 199 placer claims (3,980 acres/1,610 hectares) in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada. The Agreement is "non-arms’ length" and so constitutes a related party transaction, as the Company’s President and CEO is also the President and CEO of Nevada, and is subject to TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") approval. The Property covers an area of playa underlain by a moderately deep basin interpreted from gravity and seismic surveys indicating a maximum thickness of valley-fill deposits of about 1,200 m/3,600 ft. A high salt content prevents any significant vegetation from growing on the playa surface. Locally, the basin is being fed in part by boiling springs and siliceous sinter containing strongly anomalous Lithium values (5mg/l) that flank the property on the west side.

Liontown Resources' (LIS.BE) exploration portfolio comprises projects in Australia and Tanzania: The Bynoe Lithium-Tantalum Project in the Northern Territory, a former tantalum mining area that was not previously recognised for its lithium potential.The Kathleen Valley lithium-tantalum Project in Western Australia, where high-grade lithium and tantalum have been recorded from outcropping spodumene-bearing pegmatite. The Mohanga Lithium-Tantalum Project located close to Dodoma in central Tanzanian where high grade lithium and tantalum values have been recorded from rock chip sampling of pegmatites.

LITHEX RESOURCES LIMITED’s (LTX) tenements near Marble Bar (Moolyella and Shaw River) cover areas which were mined extensively for tin with secondary tantalum and niobium for nearly 100 years. Operations ceased in the mid 1980’s. In addition, to the west of Marble Bar Lithex has tenements located on rock units with potential to contain tin, tantalum, lithium and rare earth mineralisation and which are positioned in the Pilbara near the Wodgina tin/tantalum mine operated by Talison Minerals and Mt Cassiterite deposits and in the Gascoyne the Arthur River tantalum –niobium mine operated by Tantalum Australia.

LSC Lithium Corporation (LSC.V) has assembled a large portfolio of lithium brine projects in Argentina. Exploration and development properties include Pozuelos, Pastos Grandes, Salinas Grandes (Salta), Salinas Grandes (Jujuy), Rio Grande and Jama. The Pozuelos Property is located in the Puna region of northwest Argentina, approximately 230 km west of the city of Salta and 150 km east of the Chilean border. Based on exploration work undertaken by LSC in 2017 grades were found to be consistently 500 to 600 mg/L Li down to 180m. LSC has commenced and is undertaking a program of geophysical, diamond drilling and pump tests to confirm the prior exploration work by Lithea Inc. and to develop sufficient exploration data for an initial NI43-101 compliant resource report. LSC acquired its interests in the Salinas Grandes tenements in 2016. Some of the tenements were previously owned, and exploration work was conducted by, ADY Resources Limited on behalf of Enirgi Group (ADY Resources is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Enirgi Group). LSC also has a 51% interest in a joint venture with the Argentine subsidiary of Dajin Resources Corp. (TSX:DJI) to explore and develop lithium brines on tenements and applications for tenements covering ~137,000 hectares in salar Salinas Grandes, laguna Guayatayoc and the Western Claim Block. LSC Lithium announced in November 2017 it had entered into a binding letter of intent to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of Alqa Lithium S.A., the sole owner of the Mina Teresa project covering 2,595 hectares in the Salar de Salinas Grandes in the Province of Jujuy. LSC will acquire Alqa for cash consideration totalling payable to the shareholders of Alqa in three instalments. Closing of the acquisition is expected to take place on or about , but no later than the end of 2017. Mina Teresa (227-C-2004) is strategically located immediately adjacent to LSC's tenements Cristina (139-S-2003), San José (57-C-2002) and Mahoma (183-Z-2004). Following the transaction, LSC's land package on the Salar de Salinas Grandes in will increase by 2,595 hectares, totalling 37,910 hectares and representing over 50% of the salar surface of Salinas Grandes.

 

Li3 Energy, Inc. (LIEG:US) is focused on further exploring, developing and commercializing the "Maricunga Project" in Chile, which consists of two adjacent properties: i) 60% controlling interest in SLM Litio 1-6 (1,438 hectares), and ii) the Cocina Mining Concessions (450 hectares) acquired in April 2013. The NI 43-101 Compliant Measured Resource Report on SLM Litio 1-6 proved that the SLM Litio 1-6 mining concessions have attractive lithium and potassium grades and recommended the project to advance to the Feasibility Study stage. Yaksic and Tilton reported a value of 220,000 tonnes of lithium reserves for this deposit, at an average concentration of 0.092% Li. The Company applied for a permit for the extraction of lithium from SLM Litio 1-6, however the Chilean ministry of mining has since suspended its process of awarding such permits. The Company intends to continue to seek a permit for the exploitation of lithium in the future. Presently, the Company is developing its plan to develop the SLM Litio 1-6 for potash production in conjunction with its development of its lithium prospect, Cocina, which is contiguous to SLM Litio 1-6.

Limtech Lithium Industries, Inc. engages in the exploration and development of economic mineral deposits. The company also engages in the production of high purity lithium carbonate and value-added lithium by-products. The company produces lithium carbonate of different degrees of purity, such as the battery, electrolyte salt, glass and crystal and pharmaceutical grades of lithium. The company's customers include pharmaceutical, electronic, electrochemical sectors; and manufacturers of batteries and high performance chips. The company was formerly known as Limtech Lithium Metal Technologies Inc. and changed its name to Limtech Lithium Industries, Inc. in January 2003. Limtech Lithium Industries, Inc. was incorporated in 1969 and is headquartered in Shawinigan, Canada.

Liontown Resources Limited (ASX:LTR) is an Australian mineral exploration company with a portfolio of exploration assets including lithium and gold projects in Australia and Tanzania. The Mohanga Project comprises three contiguous tenements covering a total combined area of approximately 177km² located in central Tanzania approximately 40km NNE of the capital Dodoma and 400km WNW of Dar es Salaam. The Project is in the south eastern part of the Archaean Tanzanian Craton where it comprises a WNW-NW trending sequence of metasediments (quartzite, quartz-feldspar schist and graphitic schist), amphibolite schist and quartz-feldspar gneiss intruded by granite. A number of lithium-bearing pegmatites had been recorded by historic (1962) government mapping and reconnaissance rock chip sampling by Liontown geologists returned significant lithium (>1% Li₂O) and tantalum (>0.05% Ta₂O5) values. Exploration work by Liontown has identified high-grade spodumene-related lithium and tantalum mineralisation at the Tresor prospect where a mineralised pegmatite zone at least 500m long has been defined. The Kathleen Valley Project comprises 15 granted Mining Leases and one Exploration Licence Application, covering a total area of 75km² and is located ~45km NNW of Leinster (Western Australia), in close proximity to modern transport, energy and camp infrastructure. The project contains a historically documented spodumene-bearing pegmatite swarm extending over an area of 3.5km by 1km. While previous workers recorded anomalous lithium and spodumene from the swarm, which is obscured to the north by transported cover, there had been no drill testing prior to Liontown acquiring the Project. In February 2017, Liontown completed a maiden RC drilling program which tested the northern extension of the main targets areas. This drilling intersected strong lithium and tantalum mineralisation. The Bynoe Project comprises five tenements covering a total area of 88km² located ~20-50km SSW of Darwin, Northern Territory. In July 2016, Liontown announced the discovery of spodumene-bearing pegmatites including the Sandras and BP33 pegmatites. Best results, which included intercepts of 42m @ 1.0% Li₂O from 93m and 24m @ 1.1% Li₂O from 70m, were returned from the Sandras’ prospect where a pegmatite up to 40m thick and at least 300m long has been defined from surface with strike extensions obscured by transported cover. In September 2016, Core Exploration Ltd. announced it had intersected lithium mineralisation at BP33, directly along-strike to Liontown’s BP33 pegmatite intercept.

Lithium Americas Corporation (LAC:CN) previously Western Lithium Corporation, a Canadian/Argentinian miner, producer and supplier of lithium, with large-scale assets located Argentina and Nevada, USA. On March 28, 2016 Lithium Americas announced a strategic investment by SQM to advance the Cauchari-Olaroz project in Jujuy, Argentina. Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A (SQM) and Lithium Americas created a Joint Venture with equal shareholder interests. Development plan work commenced immediately after the announcement to advance Cauchari-Olaroz project with target production of 50,000 tpa of LCE. The Lithium Nevada project is situated within the south end of the McDermitt caldera located in Humboldt County, Nevada. It lies within a well-preserved Miocene collapse structure in north-western Nevada near the southern Oregon border. The lithium deposits occur within sedimentary and volcano-sedimentary rocks in the moat of a resurgent caldera. To date, there are no analogous deposits in operation worldwide. The hectorite clay deposits at Hector, California have similar mineralogy, but the geological setting is significantly different.

Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) believes disruptive lithium chemical production will power the energy revolution that is transforming the world as we know it. To that end, the Company has developed SiLeach™, an exclusive technology that can process all lithium silicates into battery-grade materials without the need for ‘roasting’. The Electra project (LIT 49%, Alix resources Corporation 51%) Sonora, Mexico, is a farm-in and joint venture in which LIT can earn up to 65% of the project from its partner Alix Resources Corporation. LIT is currently working towards lifting its 49% equity to 65%. LIT has formed a technology alliance with MetalsTech Limited (‘MTC’) in Quebec, Canada The latter company aims to identify, acquire, explore and develop high-grade hard-rock lithium projects in Quebec, Canada. LIT was a seed investor in MTC, with a view to establishing a partnership and collaborative agreement for the use of LIT’s proprietary lithium-extraction technologies, including further development of the technology specific to the spodumene at MTC’s projects in Quebec. A technology licence agreement exists between the companies and LIT was issued a further 1 million shares when MTC listed on the Australian Securities Exchange on 24 February 2017. LIT now holds a total of 2 million shares (2.62%) in MTC, with the ability to increase that holding subject to certain milestones under the technology licence agreement. LIT has entered into a memorandum of understanding (‘MoU’) and now a joint venture agreement with unlisted Tin International AG (a subsidiary of German-listed Deutsche Rohstoff AG) to form the Tin International Joint Venture, which pertains to the Sadisdorf deposit in Saxony, Germany. To date, Tin International AG has received a one-off payment of €50,000 and 1.72 million LIT shares. LIT has the right to earn 15% of the proposed incorporated joint venture company by spending a total of €750,000, either on exploration or as a cash payment to Tin International AG by 30 June 2018. By investing a further €1.25 million over a 3-year period, LIT earns the right to increase its interest in the joint-venture company to 50%. Tin International AG (TIN), a subsidiary of Deutsche Rohstoff AG (ETR: DR0), dated 28 February 2017 and 6 April 2017, Lithium Australia NL (LIT) announced that it has signed the Joint Venture Agreement with Tin International following the completion of a due diligence by LIT on the Sadisdorf project and by TIN on the Sileach™ process respectively. The Joint Venture will initially focus on the Sadisdorf Project which is located in the Erzgebirge of Saxony, Germany , where tin mining has been widespread since the Middle Ages.The Joint Venture aims to extend and upgrade the existing Sadisdorf JORC (2012) resource (3.36 Mt inferred resource grading 0.44% Sn at a cutoff of 0.25% Sn) initially by the addition of lithium data to quantify a poly metallic Resource. TIN and LIT intend to expand that resource by further drilling in the first year of the Joint Venture. The tin ore body is thought to contain the order of 15% zinnwaldite. LIT and Pilbara Minerals Limited (‘PLS’) have entered into an agreement to establish a Sileach™ joint venture on a 50:50 basis, the aim being to produce lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide from a Sileach™ processing plant fed by spodumene concentrates from PLS’s Pilgangoora project, Pilbara, Western Australia. LIT and Venus Metals Corporation (‘VMC’) have an agreement to jointly explore certain exploration licences (and current applications) in Australia. LIT will undertake exploration primarily with respect to evaluating the lithium mica potential of the area controlled by VMC, using, among other things, advanced proprietary exploration techniques developed by LIT and the LIBZ^® technology provided by SciAps (USA). Using the latter, real-time lithium assays can be undertaken in the field. The area the subject of the joint venture contains abundant pegmatites, which will be evaluated both for their lithium potential and for the possibility of both parties benefiting from any lithium mica occurrences within the project area. LIT has applied for four exploration licences – 102 square kilometres (‘km²‘) in total – covering prospective geological terrain 80 km south-west of Marble Bar in Australia.. Historic workings within the project are documented as containing the lithium minerals lepidolite, zinnwaldite and spodumene. Despite the reported lithium mineralisation, there has been no focused exploration to date to evaluate the lithium potential of the ground. LIT has agreements with Focus Minerals Limited (‘FML’) and Cazaly Resources Limited (‘CAZ’) to explore lithium prospective holdings in the southern Goldfields region of Western Australia. The area contains extensive pegmatite swarms and has a long history of tantalum mining. Under the terms of the Coolgardie Rare Metals Venture (‘CRMV’)with Focus Minerals Limited (‘FML’), LIT will sole-fund exploration to the point of committing to a definitive feasibility study within 5 years of the commencement date, at which time the CRMV will be replaced by a contributing joint venture (80% LIT, FML 20%). In May 2016, LIT and CAZ announced the formation of the Goldfields Lithium Alliance (‘GLiA’), in which they would combine their present and future lithium mineral interests within a 100 km radius of Kalgoorlie, initially for a period of 5 years. The alliance will significantly enhance the technical and land management resources available to advance lithium projects within the Goldfields region. Equity in the GLiA will be 50% LIT, 50% CAZ. The GLiA will encompass all LIT and CAZ interests within the designated area, including the Coolgardie and Widgiemooltha projects, thereby providing LIT with immediate access to further prospective ground. Coolgardie project – comprising CAZ’s Kangaroo Hill tenements, this project adjoins the CRMV. Having recently completed reconnaissance fieldwork within the tenements, CAZ has confirmed the presence of pegmatites. Widgiemooltha project – this covers an area of approximately 81 km² unexplored for lithium to date. The project does, however, host extensive pegmatites identified by the Geological Survey of Western Australia. The Seabrook Rare Metals Venture (‘SRMV’)(LIT 80%, Tungsten Mining NL 20%) consists of five exploration licences located 385 km east-north-east of Perth. Tungsten mineralisation is associated with extensive skarn mineralisation that exhibits strong alkali metal halos, similar to those around lithium pegmatites identified further south. LIT’s 100% owned Ravensthorpe lithium project consists of one exploration licence located within a 20-km long structural corridor that also contains the Mt Cattlin lithium and tantalum mining operations of Galaxy Resources Limited. LIT plans a 35-hole reverse circulation drill programme during 2017 to test for lithium mineralisation at the Horseshoe pegmatite. LIT’s 100% owned Greenbushes project comprises four exploration licences, another five exploration licence applications and seven prospecting licence applications. Located 200 km south of Perth – adjacent to the world’s largest lithium mine, which currently produces around 40% of global lithium supply – the LIT tenements overlie some 50 km of the prospective Donnybrook-Bridgetown Shear Zone, a regional structural feature that controls pegmatite emplacement at the nearby Greenbushes operations of Talison Lithium Australia. LIT’s 100% owned Gascoyne project consists of five granted exploration licences. Lithium, rubidium and niobium geochemical anomalies, as well as tantalum, tungsten and tin occurrences, have been documented within the holdings. These early-stage prospects, which have not been explored in recent times, will be the focus of preliminary geological reconnaissance, to assess the lithium potential of the area. At Lake Johnston, LIT holds the rights to lithium discovered within the area of two exploration licences held by Lefroy Exploration Limited (‘LEX’). In return, LEX has taken gold and nickel rights over ground held by LIT. Ground reconnaissance at the tenements has confirmed the presence of extensive swarms of lepidolite-bearing pegmatites with assays to 3.94% lithium oxide (‘LiO2‘). A strategic move to jointly evaluate the known lithium potential of the Lake Johnston region in southern WA as a source for feedstock supplying into a locally - sited lithium concentrate plant, has been announced by advanced lithium processing technology developer, Lithium Australia NL and Poseidon Nickel Ltd (ASX: POS). Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) announced LIT and POS will undertake due diligence and negotiate key commercial terms to underpin a proposed final agreement to jointly explore for lithium hosted pegmatites on tenements held by both Poseidon and LIT at Lake Johnston and Ravensthorpe. LIT’s early-stage Cobalark project lies 670 km north-east of Perth and 60 km east-south-east of Meekatharra. LIT has applied for two exploration licences covering 355 km² over the interpreted Cobalark structural corridor, which is characterised by scattered, late-stage Archean biotite-adamellite granitoids, intruded in places by muscovite pegmatites with the potential for greisen-style mineralisation along the contacts. LIT has established a substantial ground position in Queensland’s emerging lithium exploration and development sector with three projects in the Cape York region – the Cape York, Amber and Cobree projects, which have a combined area of 2,699 km². Cape York and Amber are early-stage exploration plays covering large areas of leucogranites (light-coloured granitic rocks thought to have been derived from the partial melting of sedimentary rocks) in an environment favourable for pegmatite emplacement. Extending over an area of 1,380 km², the Cape York project tenure was acquired to explore the margins of a leucogranite in an environment geologically favourable for late-stage alteration and pegmatite emplacement. The four permits comprising LIT’s Amber project, which have a combined area of 994 km², secure a favourable tectonic setting over fertile granitic intrusions. Although no lithium exploration has been recorded to date, the region exhibits the geological hallmarks of many of the world’s most prominent lithium provinces. Comprising a single permit covering 325 km², LIT’s Cobree project lies 100 km east-south-east of Ingham. Several mineral occurrences have been recorded in the area, including tungsten, gold and tin. Of significance to LIT, however, is the lithium potential of a new type of mineralisation found at the Bitumen and Cobree prospects central to the tenure. LIT’s attention was drawn to reports of bulk rock concentrations of up to 0.5% LiO2 in samples collected in a 1989 field survey of the Bitumen occurrence. There has been no subsequent follow-up exploration of any significance. At Bynoe, LIT has established a foothold in the Bynoe Pegmatite Field, located 50 km south-south-west of Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. Close to infrastructure, LIT’s exploration licence is part of the wider, 200-km long Litchfield Pegmatite Belt, which has been intruded by a suite of highly differentiated S-type granites, the probable source of the pegmatites and mineralisation. Only very recently has the possibility of significant lithium mineralisation there been considered. In line with its strategy of pursuing potential lithium development opportunities throughout Australia, LIT has made application for two exploration licences on Kangaroo Island, some 100 km south-south-west of Adelaide, the state’s capital. LIT’s focus is the pegmatite intrusives into the Tapanappa Formation. These form dykes and sills of predominately feldspar-quartz-muscovite, with varying amounts of topaz, tourmaline, graphite, citrine and apatite. The project contains the Dudley mine, which was operational during the 1890s and early 1900s; it was mined for gem tourmaline, ceramic-grade feldspar, silica and kaolin for brick-making. On 30 August 2017, Lithium Australia announced the intent to procure advanced Li-ion battery cathode production technology, by way of the acquisition of the Very Small Particle Company Limited (VSPC). Successful acquisition of VSPC will provide LIT with access to the technologies required to participate in all sectors of the energy metal cycle. VSPC is an Australian materials technology company established in 1999 to develop and commercialise a unique manufacturing process to produce complex metal oxides at the nanoscale. The versatile process produces metal oxides that are superior compared to competitor materials in terms of complexity, reproducibility and small size. This small size of particles and corresponding high surface area of the cathode material shortens the distance over which lithium ions must travel, making for a powerful battery capable of high-speed power delivery.

Lithium & Energy Corp (TSXV:LIT) announced in November 2017 that it had acquired a 100% interest in, or has under application, mineral rights totalling 23,700 hectares covering the entire Incahuasi Salar and basin in Catamarca Province, Argentina. The salar ls situated within the “Lithium Triangle” of Argentina and Chile, and has characteristics prospective for lithium-rich brines. Initial sampling of near-surface brines has returned up to 409mg/L lithium, and geophysical surveying indicates the potential for lithium-rich brines at depth. The Company is now in the process of planning a detailed exploration program at the project. The Salar de Incahuasi is located in the northwest of Catamarca Province at approximately 3260 metres above sea level, in the southern half of the “Lithium Triangle”. Access to the Incahuasi salar is by gravel road, approximately 34 kilometres southwest from the town of Antofagasta de la Sierra.  The salar is approximately 17 kilometres long north to south, and 2.5 kilometres wide, and divided into a north and south section.  The geological environment at Incahausi is similar to other salars in the Puna region where lithium and potash are found. The northern portion is flatter, partially covered with surface water, with crusts of halite and ulexite.  The central part of the salar has a slightly lower altitude, causing surficial waters to converge in this area. The southern portion of the salar is covered by terrigenous sediments including sand, clays, halite and sodium-sulphates. The project currently consists of 13,711 hectares in seven properties covering 90% of the existing salar surface. These properties are wholly-owned by the Argentine subsidiary of the Company, with no royalties. Applications have been made for approximately 10,000 hectares of additional property, which will complete the coverage of the salar to the south and extend the Companies holdings to cover the entire basin to the north.

 

Lithium Corporation (LTUM) is currently exploring two wholly owned prospects located in the State of Nevada, USA and two prospects in British Columbia, Canada. On each of the Nevada prospects, the Company has defined a lithium-in-brine anomaly. At the Company’s flagship Fish Lake Valley property, near economic grades of lithium, potassium and boron have been discovered within a zone that measures one square mile in size. The Company conducted a short drill program here during Fall 2012, and intends to do more work on this prospect during 2016. Lithium Corporation staked a 1600 acre block of claims in the San Emidio Valley during September of 2011. These claims cover the most prospective portion of the playa where ongoing sampling has determined anomalous concentrations of Lithium occur in sediments, and in brines. he North Big Smokey lithium brine exploration property is located in Big Smokey Valley (sometimes referred to as Big Smoky Valley), Nye County, Nevada and is approximately 230 kms (143 miles) east of Reno.

Lithium Power International (LPI:AU) has entered into a 50% JV with Minera Salar Blanco and Li3 Energy to explore and develop the high-grade Maricunga lithium brine project in Chile. It has a measured, Indicated and Inferred resource to 2.15 Mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 5.6 Mt potassium chloride (KCl). The salar is located 170km north-east of the mining town of Copiapo and 250km from the Chilean coast. In addition, it is adjacent to International Highway 31, which connects northern Chile and Argentina. The Maricunga project lies to the south of the Atacama Salar, which contains two lithium brine operations controlled by SQM and Albemarle, which together sit at the bottom of the global lithium cost curve, given their high grade.Lithium Power released a maiden 2.15Mt LCE resource earlier in 2017 , on Salar Maricunga (earning into 50%), one of the larger undeveloped resources held by juniors in the space. The company will be releasing a maiden PEA/scoping study (±25%) , which like peers of similar size we expect to show a DCF valuation variably in excess of a billion dollars. Lithium Power’s cornerstone asset is a licence package in the Maricunga salar in Chile. Lithium Power owns 50% of the Maricunga JV project, with the other half split between a Chilean investor (32%) and Li3 Energy (18%). LPI’s stake is subject to a US$7.5m earn-in payment in three tranches by September 2018, taking total payments to US$27.2m by that time. Thereafter, JV partners will contribute proportionally. Through its Argentinian subsidiary, Lithium Power holds a total of 6 granted tenements in the Centenario lithium brine salar within the Salta province of the Puna Plateau. In total, the 6 granted tenements cover an area of 61.52km2. In addition, there is 1 further tenement in the grant review stage. The majority of the other tenements in the Centenario salar are owned by Eramet, a public French mining & chemical company. The site is approximately 165km west of the city of Salta, the provincial capital, and 180km east of the Chilean border. The Centenario salar is approximately 60km in length, with its long axis trending approximately north-south. The salar is in the same province as other lithium brine operators such as Orocobre, FMC, and Western Lithium. Lithium Power exploration tenements cover 203km² across the Pilbara region of northern Western Australia. The Pilgangoora-Houston Creek Project is the largest of the three Pilbara tenements. Pilbara Minerals (PLS.ASX) project contains one of the world’s largest spodumene resources and one of the largest tantalite resources. In addition, Altura Mining (AJM.ASX) have also defined a significant rare metal pegmatite resource in the Pilgangoora area. These two deposits lie just 2.5km and 3.5km east from LPI’s Pilgangoora-Houston Creek tenement. Lithium Power holds granted exploration tenements extending over 400km2 in the Greenbushes region of southern Western Australia. They are adjacent to the world’s largest hard rock lithium mine, owned and operated by Tianqi/Talison. The tenement portfolio at Greenbushes comprises the Balingup project, a large tenement extending north and west of Talison’s mine and the Brockman Highway project, which is south of Talison’s mine and divided by the Brockman Highway. 

LiTHIUM X (LIX.V.) is a Canadian lithium resource explorer and developer Its Sal de los Angeles project is situated in the Salta Province, Argentina. The project is comprised of 8,156 hectares covering the nucleus of Salar de Diablillos with approximately C$19 million having been invested in the property by previous operators, including $16.2 million in work completed at Sal de los Angeles between 2010 to 2015. It contains high grade brine with a a NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate of 1,037,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent of Indicated, and 1,007,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in Inferred category. Lithium X announced in October 2017 it had successfully completed the consolidation of the Sal de los Angeles project so that it now controls 100% of the mineral titles contained within the brine bearing regions of the Diablillos basin. The consolidation involved the acquisition of 2,700 hectares of claims from Borax Argentina S.A. replacing the usufruct lithium rights previously held by the Company over the Borax claims and an agreement to acquire a further 700 hectares currently owned by South American Salars S.A. for a total consideration of 650,000 common shares of Lithium X, USD $1,000,000 and a 1% Net Revenue Royalty (NRR) over the SDLA project. LiTHIUM X is also exploring the district-scale 33,846 hectares Arizaro project located in one of the world’s largest and least explored salars thought to contain elevated lithium brine values. LiTHIUM X believes there is the potential to increase and enhance brine processing at Sal de Los Angeles, Lithium X’s flagship project, by combining with brine products from Arizaro. The entire salar is staked with other current land holders in Arizaro including Eramet, Sentient and REMSA (Salta Government). LiTHIUM X also owns 19.9% of Pure Energy Minerals.Lithium X announced in September 2017 the results of a recently completed drill program at its wholly owned Sal de los Angeles project, which covers 95% of the Salar de Diablillos, Salta province, Argentina. The drill program consisted of three exploratory diamond drill holes targeting undrilled portions of the basin north of the existing brine resource, and two sonic drill holes in known areas to enhance porosity and stratigraphic data. Three diamond drill holes were completed to bedrock depths covering the northern basin extension defined by the previously completed seismic survey. The first hole drilled in the center of the northern basin extension intersected 564 mg/l Li over 179.5 metres starting at 84 metres below surface. The horizon is comprised of a single aquifer dominated by sands and gravels down to the basement interface at 244 metres, where highly fractured bedrock material hosts brine down to 263.5 metres. Brine sampling was conducted using drive point technology to ensure in-situ sampling and corroborated using a packer system. The two other holes were drilled on the edges of the northern basin extension and intersected the same sand and gravel dominated aquifer. The drill holes intersected brine intervals of 400 mg/l over 7.5 metres and 581 mg/l over 68 metres. Average magnesium to lithium and sulphate to lithium ratios in the three drill holes range from 3.5 to 4.1 and 9.1 to 14.0 respectively, showing very similar brine characteristics to established resource brines. These drill holes successfully demonstrate brine continuity throughout the northern portion of the basin all the way to the basin margins. Two sonic drill holes were completed within known resource limits. One hole was drilled just north of the salar surface where the proposed well-field is contemplated. The hole was drilled to the rig’s maximum depth of 179 metres, encountering brine from 47 metres below surface to the end of the hole. The 132 metres intersection averaged 571 mg/l Li with the bottom 54 metres averaging 637 mg/l Li. Magnesium to lithium and sulphate to lithium ratios averaged 3.5 and 9.6 respectively over the 132 metre brine column. The other hole intersected a single aquifer dominated by sands and gravels, lithologies typically possessing favourable pumping conditions. 

Lithium X Energy announced in November 2017 that it had closed its previously announced agreements with Borax Argentina S.A. and South American Salars S.A. and their parent company, Orocobre Limited collectively . The Orocobre Agreements involved the acquisition of 2,700 hectares of claims from Borax Argentina S.A. replacing the usufruct Lithium rights previously held by the Company over the Borax claims and an agreement to acquire a further 700 hectares currently owned by South American Salars S.A. for a total consideration of 650,000 common shares of Lithium X , USD $1,000,000 and a 1% Net Revenue Royalty over the SDLA project.  The Lithium X Shares are subject to a 4-month hold period expiring on March 8, 2018 under applicable securities laws.

Macarthur Minerals Ltd (MMS:CN) is an Australian exploration and development company with lithium exploration interests in Australia and Nevada. In addition, Macarthur Minerals has two Iron Ore projects in Western Australia; the Ularring hematite project and the Moonshine magnetite project.

Marindi Metal Limited (BMY:AU) was formed in mid-2015 via the merger of Brumby Resources Limited and Marindi Metals Pty Ltd. Marindi has a primary focus on exploring, acquiring and developing conventional base metal and “battery metal” (e.g. lithium, vanadium, cobalt) projects in Australia. The Company’s primary assets are the Newman Base Metal Project located approximately 60km south west of Newman in Western Australia, the Yalco and Caranbirini Zinc Lead Projects in the MacArthur River region of the Northern Territory, and the Forrestania Lithium Project located in the Forrestania Region of Western Australia. Marindi first began applying for ground in the Forrestania region of Western Australia at the beginning of 2016 prior to it becoming one of the premier addresses for Lithium in the world. The definition of a substantial resource by Kidman Resources Ltd at the nearby Earl Grey Deposit of 144mt and 1.44% Li₂O and subsequent investment by S.Q.M validates this belief. Marindi plans to commence exploration on its holdings once formal grant has occurred, which is currently anticipated in September 2017.

Maximus Resources Limited (MXR:AU) was registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on 17 December 2004 and was officially listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on 26 October 2005. Maximus commenced a review of the extensive Spargoville database and has highlighted the potential for Lithium mineralization within its tenement boundaries at the Lefroy and Landor prospects. The Lefroy prospect appears to be situated within a similar structural setting to that hosting the Neometals Mt Marion Lithium project. The Lefroy prospect was first investigated by Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) in 2006 as mining commenced at the Wattle Dam gold mine. The prospect was identified from a routine 200m x 40m gold and nickel exploration auger drilling program. Multi element assays from this auger program returned approximately 100 times background results for Tantalum and Niobium, along with elevated Lithium values. A further 313 auger holes were completed by RMS to follow up these early encouraging results. In addition, outcropping pegmatites were recorded. RMS concluded that rock chip sampling, and if appropriate RAB drilling was warranted to further advance this prospect. However this further work was not undertaken. Maximus has identified further areas of pegmatites on its tenements that Geological Survey of WA geologists mapped and consider similar to those hosting the Mt Marion Lithium project. These pegmatites have yet to be tested by drilling for Lithium. Maximus subsequently announced it had discovered a significant Lithium bearing Pegmatite at Target 1 on the Lefroy Prospect. The discovery was made during the Company’s first dedicated Lithium exploration field program designed to test a series of targets generated from auger drill results by previous explorers, detailed aerial photography interpretations and geophysical imaging. The discovery at Target 1 shows Lithium bearing mica (lepidolite) over a strike length of 200m with results averaging 3.55% Li₂0, and a peak value of 4.97% Li₂0. The results of the XRD analysis confirm that spodumene is present in these drillholes. The spodumene bearing pegmatite confirmed by these XRD results is located approximately 750m south-east of the lithium rich pegmatite discovered at Target 1. Recent field work has identified lithium bearing pegmatite at Target 3, some 150m north of Target 1, and initial sampling results are awaited. The company is highly encouraged by the confirmation of spodumene as well as lepidolite returned from earlier sampling over a wide area. There is no doubt that the Lefroy Prospect contains highly sought after LCT pegmatite’s and lies along strike to the south of the Mt Marion Lithium Deposits, demonstrating the location’s prospectivity.

Mesa Exploration Corp. (TSX-V:MSA US: MSAJF) is a mineral exploration company exploring a portfolio of metal properties in the western United States. Mesa has recently acquired two lithium exploration projects, Blue Wing and Buena Vista, located in the center of two large closed basins in Nevada. The Company also has three potash projects in Utah near operating potash mines and gold, silver and uranium projects in Utah, Nevada and Arizona.

Metalicity Limited (MCT:AU) is an Australian exploration company, located in Perth, Western Australia, with a focus on the discovery, development and acquisition of resource projects. It has lithium exploration licence applications (ELA’s) and granted exploration licence's (EL's) in the Pilgangoora, Greenbushes, Yalgoo and Lake Cowen district, WA, covering a large area of 2,320km². Lithium minerals including spodumene recorded in various target areas. Lynas Find North is located 8 km along strike from Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora Li deposits and also its Lynas Find Li project (7.3Mt@1.25%Li₂O). The pegmatites have been identified witihin the Project, but no previous sistematic exploration has been undertaken over what is considered highly prospective continuation of the greenstone belt measuring 10km by 4km. High grade intersects including 21m at 2.64% have been recorded 500m south of the newly acquired tenement. Lake Cowan is located 5 km south of the Bald Hill Tantalum Mine (Alliance Mineral Assets Limited). The pegmatites in the Bald Hill area are known to contain the lithium mineral, spodumene. Recent auger drilling program have indetified a high priority target, Salt Creek Prospect. Assay results include elevated levels of lithium caesium and rubidium. Archaean Mount Belches Formation metasedimentary units intruded by granites and pegmatites dominate the geology of the area. The pergmatites host tin and tantalum mineralisation with limited exploration focussed on lithium until recent activites by Tawana Resources Limited ('Tawana') and MCT. Initial field and desktop exploration identified outcropping pegmitite dykes in the area while limited historical drilling indicated anomalous lithium in assays from bottom of holes samples.  Greenbushes East  is located in the Greenbushes region southern WA, the Company holds 3 prospective tenements north, east and south of Greenbushes (Talison Lithium) where the largest and highest grade deposit of hard rock lithium in the world is being mined. Pilgangoora East is located 20km east of the Pilgangoora Lithium deposits (Pilbara Minerals Ltd and Altura Mining Ltd). The Pilbara minerals deposit is the third largest hard rock lithium deposit in the world. 

MGX Minerals (CSE: XMG/ FKT: 1MG/ OTC: MGXMF), a diversified Canadian mining company engaged in petrolithium projects in western Canada and the United States. It has acquired acreage that establishes it as Canada's biggest holder of lithium brine assets with around 809 371 hectares' worth in North America. Much of it is in the Paradox Basin, in Utah. MGX's advantage is that it can bring on production quickly and at a relatively low capital cost using brine waste water in oilfields. Economics are favourable as lithium production effectively boosts the oil price. American Potash Corporation (AMP) entered into a strategic partnership agreement with MGX Minerals Inc. whereby MGX may acquire certain interests held by the Company via an agreement to acquire Power Metals Corp. Paradox Basin JV rights with AMP. The partnership will be using the latest in drilling and extraction technologies to explore and develop the Company's lithium brines totalling 13,520 acres of prime ground in the Paradox basin Utah. MGX processes waste water from two mines and six oil and gas sites across North America, but says they already have a lineup of clients waiting for the company to ramp up production. The pilot plant capable of processing a cubic metre of liquid per hour, is not only faster but also cleaner. It allows for a 70 per cent recovery rate of the lithium carbonate contained in oil field brine, and the byproduct is just clean water. MGX Minerals announced on September 21 2017, that it has been provided with an update regarding ongoing drilling at its Case Lake Lithium Joint Venture with Power Metals Corp. Drilling has successfully intersected significant mineralization at the Company’s Case Lake Lithium Joint Venture. The Case Lake drill target area consists of a pegmatite dyke swarm: North, Main and South Dykes as well as multiple unnamed pegmatite dykes. Drill hole PWM-17-08 intersected 35.22m of continuous spodumene pegmatite as part of the Main Dyke with very coarse-grained spodumene crystals up to 10 cm long. A total of 12 drill holes have been completed to date. With the exception of hole 3, all drill holes intersected spodumene bearing pegmatite. Assays are pending. The drill program targeted downdip extension of North, Main and South Dykes in an area of known mineralization, strike extension and in previously untested areas such as the South Dyke.

Millennial Lithium (ATWGF:US) is a Canadian development company focused on lithium projects in Argentina and Nevada. The company’s flagship project is Pastos Grandes a lithium project in Argentina’s north-western province of Salta. Pastos Grandes is a salt lake which is part of a row of similar lakes which stretch across the provinces Salta and Catamarca. The project is located at a distance of approximately 50 – 60 km from the lithium projects of Lithium X, Lithium Americas, Galaxy Resources and Orocobre. In the middle of September 2016 Millennial Lithium acquired 100 % of an exploration licence covering 1,219 hectares from the private lessor Jorge Moreno. As consideration for the project area covering 1,219 hectares, Millennial Lithium will pay in total US$ 2.2million,issue 500,000 of its shares plus additional shares worth US$ 500,000 payable and issuable in increment. In addition, Millennial Lithium has to spend US$ 1.6 million for exploration activities within one year. Furthermore, the project is subject to a 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty which Millennial Lithium can buy back for US$ 3 million. Millennial announced in October 2017 that it had completed the payments and executed the transfer deed to acquire the core mining properties for its flagship Pastos Grandes project. In the meantime, an application was granted to a state-owned mining company for additional 2,233 hectares of land. Applications for the use of additional 4,236 hectares were filed with the pro-vincial government in Salta. This area has not seen any exploration activities to date. In the years 2011 and 2012, the previous leaseholder Eramine Sudamerica SA invested over US$ 4 million in the exploration on the 1,221 hectare part of the overall project. Historic sampling showed primarily very high grade lithium of 400 to 600 milligram per litre (mg/l) with some samples containing up to 3,000 mg/l. Consequently, Eramine Sudamerica SA drilled six exploration holes in total to determine the extension of the brine as well as the aquiferous layer. In this context pumping tests were performed. In addition geophysical studies and acoustic tests were developed. Also evaporation tests in a pilot plant were carried out on site. Eramine Sudamerica SA analyzed in three of its own brine samples lithium grades of 602.2 – 665.9 mg/l and 6,342 – 7,146 mg/l potash. n the fall of 2016 the first drill campaign began at Pastos Grandes. The first drill hole (to a depth of 192m) encountered three brine-bearing horizons with densities ranging from 1.19 g/cm3 to 1.22 g/cm3. The second drill hole (to a depth of 352m) encountered eight intervals, each one meter long. This drill success lead to a third drill hole.To date lithium grades of up to 471 mg/l were identified in these drill holes.The management under President & CEO Kyle Stevenson anticipates the production to begin in approximately three years and an extraction of 10,000 to 15,000 tons of lithium per year due to the good infrastructural location and the simplicity of the potential mining operation. At the end of September 2016 Millennial Lithium announced that the company will acquire an additional lithium project called Cauchari East. Cauchari East covers an area of 2,990 hectares on the eastern side of the Cauchari-Olaroz Salar, adjacent to Orocobre‘s producing Salar de Olaroz and Lithium Americas Corp.‘s advanced stage Cauchari-Olaroz project. In February 2017, Millennial Lithium announced the signing of an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Pocitos West Project, consisting of 15,857 hectares. The project is located on the Pocitos Salar in Salta Province, Argentina, and is adjacent to Pure Energy Minerals Ltd.’s acquired project area. The 60 km long Salar was previously explored in the 1970s whereby up to 417ppm lithium und 15,300ppm potassium was discovered at shallow depths. In 2010 near surface collected brine samples cont-ained between 300 ppm and 600ppm lithium. n addition to Pastos Grandes and Cauchari East, Millennial Lithium owns another lithium project called Lincoln in Big Smoky Valley, Nevada. The licences are in immediate vicinity to claims of Ultra Lithium Inc. and Avarone Metals Inc. In June 2016 on Avarone Metals Inc.’s Moab lithium project located west and adjacent to Lincoln Avarone not only confirmed the presence of lithium close to the surface but also boron and potash. Also, in June 2016 Ultra Lithium proved the presence of two potential lithium bearing brine targets at their South Big Smoky Valley brine lithium project south of Millennials licences. In line with rock sampling and auger drill tests, the company found up to 53 mg/kg lithium, 270 mg/kg boron and 6,100 mg/kg potash in October 2016.
Millennial Lithium reported a maiden lithium and potassium resource statement for its Pastos Grandes brine project in the Salta province of Argentina in November 2017. The NI 43-101 resource statement includes 2,131,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 8,141,000 tonnes of potash equivalent in the Measured and Indicated Resource categories, with an additional 878,000 tonnes of Li2CO3 and 3,263,000 tonnes KCl in the Inferred Resource category.

Nemaska Lithium Inc (NMX:CN) is a Canadian company developing in Quebec a pegmatitic deposit with proven and probable reserves of 20 million tonnes at 1.53% Li₂O. 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. The company recently announced a recap of milestones achieved at both the Whabouchi mine and the Shawinigan plant. After producing sufficient spodumene concentrate from the DMS modular mill at Whabouchi to feed the Phase 1 Plant in Shawinigan. To date, about 1,100t of spodumene concentrate were produced with an average grade of 6.2% Li₂O from a bulk sample of about 10,000t of ore. Over the course of this exercise, a total of 23,000t were blasted and crushed at the Whabouchi mine, leaving 13,000t of ore with an average grade of 1.75% Li₂O in inventory which will be used in the start up of commercial operations.

Neo Lithium Corporation (TSX VENTURE: NLC) (OTCQX: NTTHF) announced a maiden resource estimate for the Tres Quebradas lithium brine project (“3Q Project”) in Catamarca Province, Argentina. An independent measured, indicated and inferred resource estimate has been completed under the supervision of Canadian-based Groundwater Insight, Inc., which will be included in a technical report to be released within 45 days in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”). The resource estimate was conducted along the entire salar and brine lakes of the 3Q Project covering an area of 8,183 ha covering the Northern Target, as defined in the Company’s current technical report entitled “Technical Report on the Tres Quebradas Lithium Project, Catamarca Province, Argentina”, dated June 6, 2016 (the “2016 3Q Report”), and the Southern Target, described in Neo Lithium’s press release dated February 28, 2017 and March 20, 2017.

NeoMetals Ltd (ASX:NMT) is an Australian company developing the Mt Marion Project in Western Australia with a JORC-compliant resource of 23.24Mt @ 1.39% Li₂O in 6 deposits all open along strike and at depth.

Nevada Energy Metals (TSXV:BFF) (OTCQB:SSLMF) (Frankfurt:A2AFBV) is an exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of lithium brine projects in Nevada. To date, a number of prospects have been investigated and approved for immediate acquisition. A100% option-out agreement, 3% net-smelter royalty of the Dixie Valley Project (348 of 910 total claims covering 7,363 hectares/28.4 square miles) to LiCo Energy Metals (LIC.TSXV), covering the majority of the Humboldt Salt Marsh playa in Churchill County, Nevada; acquisition of 100% of the Big Smokey Valley Project (160 placer claims covering 3,200 acres/1,295 hectares) located in Nye County, Nevada; a 70% option-out agreement, 3% net-smelter royalty of the Black Rock Desert Project (199 claims covering 3,980 acres/ 1,610 hectares) to LiCo Energy Metals (LIC.TSXV) located in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada; a 70/30 farm-out option JV to American Lithium Corp (LI.TSXV) on 77 claims in Clayton Valley, approximately 250m from the Rockwood Lithium mine, the only brine based lithium producer in North America; acquisition of 100% in the Teels Marsh West project (100 claims covering 2000 acres/809 hectares) in Mineral County, Nevada; acquisition of 100% ownership in the San Emidio Project (155 claims, 3,100 acres/1,255 hectares) near Empire, Washoe County, Nevada.

Nevada Sunrise Gold Corp. (CVE:NEV) is a junior exploration company focused on properties in Nevada USA. Nevada Sunrise has acquired a 100% interest in the Neptune , Clayton NE , and Aquarius projects, all lithium brine exploration properties located in the Clayton Valley, near the Silver Peak lithium mine. Other lithium projects located in prospective desert basins proximal to the Clayton Valley include Jackson Wash , Gemini and Atlantis. Nevada Sunrise announced on November 8, 2017, that the Company and its exploration partner Advantage Lithium Corp. (together, the vendors have signed an asset purchase agreement to effect the sale of the Clayton Northeast project ("Clayton NE") to Pure Energy Minerals Limited of Vancouver, B.C., Canada (TSXV: PE) Clayton NE is located adjacent to the Silver Peak lithium brine mine in Esmeralda County, Nevada, the only producing lithium mine in North America. The purchase price for Clayton NE is 7.0 million common shares of Pure Energy. The PE Shares will be issued to the vendors by Pure Energy on closing of the transaction which is expected to occur on or before November 30, 2017. Prior to closing, Advantage Lithium intends to fully exercise its option to earn a 70% participating interest in Clayton NE. At closing, Nevada Sunrise will receive 2,100,000 PE shares, representing its 30% interest in Clayton NE, and Advantage Lithium will receive 4,900,000 PE shares.

New America Energy Corporation. (NECA:US) is an US development stage company that is developing a technology for ethanol-methanol gasoline which is prepared from light oil, naphtha, straight-run gasoline and key additives. It has now become involved in mineral exploration through its Clayton Ridge lithium project near Silver Peak, Nevada, and is sourcing potential mineral exploration/exploitation opportunities in Africa.

92 Resources Corporation (TSX.V: NTY) announced that it had acquired three prospective hard-rock lithium properties located in the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada. The properties (known as Corvette, Eastmain, and Lac du Beryl) consist of a combined 115 mineral claims, totaling approximately 5,953 hectares (14,710 acres) and complement the Company’s existing portfolio of assets. Prior to acquisition, each project was the subject of a brief due-diligence site visit, which included the examination and sampling of known pegmatite occurrences. A diligence site visit to the Company’s 100% owned Corvette Property has returned samples of 3.48% and 7.32% Li2O from spodumene bearing pegmatite exposed at surface. Although only a small area of the Property was evaluated during the one-day site visit, two large, sub-parallel trending spodumene pegmatites were discovered, with a total of four (4) grab samples collecte Three (3) samples were collected from the larger pegmatite, with dimensions of approximately 150 m length and up to 30 m across, with spodumene crystals up to ~1 metre in length. The samples assayed 0.80%, 3.48%, and 7.32% Li₂O. Management notes the samples were select grab samples and may not be considered representative of the entire pegmatite. However, the 7.32% Li₂O sample does highlight the very coarse-grained nature of the observed lithium mineralization. A single grab sample was collected from the second pegmatite, located approximately ~75 m to the north, with an approximate exposed dimension of 100 m by 2 m. This pegmatite was also spodumene bearing and returned 1.22% Li₂O, as well as anomalous tantalum of 90 ppm Ta₂O₅. Although only a small area of each property was evaluated during the site visit, pegmatite outcrop was confirmed present on each property. Moreover, a significant spodumene bearing pegmatite was discovered and sampled at Corvette, with spodumene crystals up to ~1 metre in length, within an outcrop measuring approximately 150 metres by 30 metres. The Hidden Lake Lithium Property consists of two mineral claims, totalling approximately 1,100 hectares. It is located just north of Highway 4, approximately 40 km northeast of the city of Yellowknife, NT. The property is highly prospective for spodumene-bearing lithium pegmatites. The lithium potential of pegmatites within the Yellowknife area was first recognized in the mid-1950’s, when a number of the region’s pegmatites were sampled and found to contain highly anomalous concentrations of lithium. Prior to 1955, small shipments of lithium ore were reported for two deposits within the region. It was also at this time that several pegmatites were identified at the Hidden Lake Property. The Pontax River Lithium Property encompasses the southwestern portions of an approximately 100 km long belt of meta- volcanics, which may be considered part of the Eastmain River Volcanic Belt. The Eastmain belt is host to numerous gold occurrences, while the region is centrally located to a number of high profile lithium deposits (Galaxy Resources James Bay Deposit, Nemaska’s Whabouchi Deposit, and Critical Element’s Rose Deposit).

Novo Lítio Ltd (Dakota Minerals) (ORODA:AU) is an Australian ASX and Frankfurt-listed Company which aims to become a sustainable European lithium carbonate/lithium hydroxide supplier, from its Northern Portugal operations. The Company has a significant cash position from the sale of its Australian lithium discovery, and is fully funded to the completion of its Definitive Feasibility Study at the Sepeda Lithium Project, Barroso-Alvão district, Northern Portugal. Sepeda has a maiden Mineral Resource of 10.3Mt @ 1.0% Li₂O. The Company aims to be producing technical grade concentrate by early-2019, which will help to fund lithium carbonate/lithium hydroxide plant construction, with first production of lithium carbonate planned for early 2020. The company also holds exploration leases in areas prospective for lithium (spodumene) in Sweden, covering 126km^2. The Spodumenberget (Spodumene Mountain) prospect contains multiple historical records of spodumene samples from pegmatite outcrops grading >1% Li₂O.

NRG Metals Inc. (TSX-V: NGZ) (OTCQB: NRGMF) has two projects in Argentina.

The Hombre Muerto North Project located in Salta and Catamarca Provinces, package of 3,287 hectares is comprised of the Alba Sabrina, Tramo, Natalia Maria, Gaston Enrique, Viamonte and Norma Edit concessions, all located in the Salar del Hombre Muerto in north-western Argentina. NRG Metals announced in October 2017that it had entered into a Letter of Intent with Chengdu Chemphys Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. located in Chengdu, China, regarding the further exploration and development of the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project. It has received permits to drill the Salar Escondido lithium project (formerly called Carachi Pampa) in Catamarca province, Argentina. The Salar Escondido project comprises mining concessions totaling approximately 29,180 hectares (72,100 acres) located 280 km southeast of the provincial capital of Catamarca. The project area is strategically located within the Lithium Triangle, in close proximity to one of the largest known lithium deposits in Argentina, and within the Puna Region, an elevated plateau which lies on the eastern side of the Andes Mountains.

Orocobre (ASX:ORE) is an Australian company dual listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:ORE) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:ORL) Orocobre’s operations include the Olaroz Lithium Facility in northern Argentina, Borax Argentina, an established Argentine boron minerals and refined chemicals producer and a 35% interest in Advantage Lithium. In partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) and JEMSE, Orocobre has built and is now operating a brine-based lithium operation at Olaroz with a Stage One design production rate of 17,500 tpa lithium carbonate. In August 2017, Orocobre announced that production exceeded 11,000t LCE in fiscal year 2017 of a total nameplate 17,000t LCE capacity. Although the company has not achieved nameplate production capacity it should be able to achieve it in fiscal year 2018. In addition to an increase in operational performance, the company has outlined a strong roadmap which highlights doubling production capacity at Olaroz and building a lithium processing plant in Japan with Toyota. In the first half of 2017, the company executed an agreement with LSC Lithium for the sale of exploration tenure at certain Argentine lithium properties in exchange for $7million, with $4million payable at closing and $3million at later dates. The transaction has since been completed. Also in the first half of 2017, the company announced the completion of the sale of certain exploration non-core Argentine properties to Advantage Lithium (OTC:OTCQX:AVLIF) in consideration for 46,325,000 million shares. Based on current market pricing for Advantage Lithium shares the value of the transaction exceeds $23million. Orocobre will remain as a joint venture partner on certain assets.

Peninsula Mines (ASX:PSM) is an Australian listed exploration company developing opportunities for mineral discovery within South Korea and has a lithium project there.

PepinNini Minerals Ltd (PEIMF:US) is an Australian, ASX listed, exploration company with lithium projects in Argentina. In June 2016 PepinNini wholly owned Argentine registered entity PepinNini SA applied for and in July was granted 8 mining leases in Salta Province of north west Argentina covering 15,890 hectares(ha) over 7 different salars(salt lakes) with the potential for Lithium Brine occurrences. Preliminary sampling in Salar de Pular has confirmed the presence of Lithium brines and further exploration is underway in the other salars to test for the presence, depth and quality of Lithium brine bearing aquifers. PepinNini SA has continued to accumulate ground in the province and now hold 12 mining leases with continuous tenure (100% PepinNini SA) of 26,355 hectares or 263.6km2. Five major project areas have been defined and vertical electrical sounding(VES) geophysical surveys over the project areas will be undertaken late October. Once brine aquifer presence has been confirmed and depths defined, drilling and brine sampling will be undertaken, followed by trench sampling and pump testing.

Piedmont Lithium Ltd (PLL) is an emerging lithium company focused on the development of its 100%-owned Piedmont Lithium Project in North Carolina. From the 1950s to 1990s, two major lithium mines the Hallman Beam and Kings Mountain mines) operated in this region as well as two significant lithium processing facilities (Albemarle and FMC) which continue to supply lithium products to U.S. customers today and are located within 20km of the Piedmont Lithium Project.The Company has increased its lithium mineral rights by 188 acres through additional land option and acquisition agreements signed with local landowners in the Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt. Piedmont, through its 100% owned U.S. subsidiary, Piedmont Lithium Inc., has entered into exclusive option agreements and land acquisition agreements with local landowners, which upon exercise, allow the Company to purchase (or in some cases long-term lease) approximately 903 acres of surface property and the associated mineral rights. The new properties optioned have been secured on substantially the same terms as the Company’s existing option agreements.

Piedmont News: Piedmont Lithium Drills 18.04 Meters of 1.01% Li2O at Piedmont Project in North Carolina, USA

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (PLR.F)

An Australian exploration company, Pilbara Minerals’ 100%-owned Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project, located 120km from Port Hedland in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, is one of the biggest new lithium ore (spodumene) deposits in the world. The most recent Ore Reserve estimate, published in January 2017, comprises a Proved and Probable Ore Reserve of 80.3 million tonnes grading 1.27% Li₂O and 123ppm Ta₂O₅ (tantalite) and 1.08% Fe₂O₃.

Pioneer Resources Ltd (PXD) is an Australian exploration company with the advanced Mavis Lithium Project and Raleigh Lithium Project in Ontario Canada, and the prospective West Australian Donnelly Lithium Project, Pioneer Dome Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum Project and Phillips River Lithium Project. The Mavis Lithium Project, located in north western Ontario, Canada, covers an area of 2624 hectares. The Project is well located to relevant infrastructure, being 19 km from Dryden and 300 km from Thunder Bay on adjacent to the Trans Canadian Highway. Pioneer has an Option Agreement and Strategic Alliance with International Lithium Corp (TSX.V: ILC) to earn up to an 80% interest in the Mavis Project. Diamond drilling has intersected high grade lithium in spodumene-pegamatites >800m strike length at the Fairservice Prospect. Outcrops vary in strike length from 11m to >240m and range in thickness up to 12m within an initial 4.8 km long target zone. Diamond drilling commenced December 2016. Multiple additional, undrilled lithium pegmatite targets. Pioneer has discovered pegmatite-hosted lithium mineralisation in rock chip samples at its 100%-held Pioneer Dome Project. The Project, near Norseman in Western Australia, is located 130 km south of Kalgoorlie. The Project is situated 200 km north of the Port of Esperance with access via the Goldfields Highway. Water and gas pipelines also pass through the Project. The Project covers an area of approximately 341km² comprising six exploration licences plus a mining lease which has been pegged over the Sinclair Caesium Zone. At least 13 clusters of pegmatites, including LCT pegmatites, have been identified along a 20 km strike length. Approximately 7000 soil samples have been used to identify 9 priority and 15 mid-rank targets. Mapping and additional sampling required to generate drill targets. The inaugural 5000m RC programme at the end of 2016, identified both high grade Lithium and Caesium. The Project demonstrates strong potential for the discovery of a significant spodumene deposit and will be a focus for future drilling – such a discovery would be a major value driver. The high grade Caesium prospect has been named Sinclair Zone, and the Company is currently drilling to test extensions of this zone, and a Mineral Resource Estimate is underway. The Raleigh Lithium Project is located 75 km southeast of Dryden, Ontario, and 60 km southeast of the Mavis Project. There are multiple lithium pegmatite targets, which will be targeted in diamond drilling to commence First Quarter 2017. The Donelly Lithium Project is located in the world class Greenbushes Mineral Field in south-west Western Australia. It extends from 12 km to 60 km southwest of the world class Greenbushes Lithium Mine, and comprises two exploration licence applications covering a total area of 220 km². The Donnelly Project is considered prospective for lithium contained in spodumene-bearing pegmatites of the Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum (LCT) geochemical family. The 100%-held Phillips River Lithium Project is located approximately 100 km east of the Mt Cattlin Lithium Mine, Ravensthorpe, in Western Australia. The project comprises three exploration licence applications that cover approximately 340 km² that are considered prospective for lithium spodumene-bearing pegmatites. Initial work will be to undertake detailed soil geochemistry in the areas of very anomalous lithium results returned from roadside sampling completed by a previous tenement holder. Pioneer 90%, Milford Holdings Pty Ltd 10%. Located 100 km southeast of Gascoyne Junction, the Bogadi project covers a very large, 25 km by 8 km, lithium-rubidium-niobium-tantalum-phosphorus geochemical anomaly. The anomaly may represent an ‘unconventional’ sedimentary lithium deposit. On grant, broad-spaced drill holes will test for the source of the geochemical anomaly.

Plateau Uranium Inc (MCYWF:US) has adjacent mineral claims totalling over 1,000 sq. km in Peru. It reported in November 2017 that its New Falchani Lithium and Uranium discovery in Peru intersected 61.2 m of 0.79% Li2O and 56.0 m of 511 ppm U3O8. Portofino Resources Inc. (TSXV:POR) is a Canadian mineral resource company with lithium and gold projects in the Americas. Portofino Resources has the right to acquire up to an 85 percent interest in two 3,000-hectare lithium brine projects located in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. Both projects are situated near key producers and advancing projects. Project 1 is immediately southwest of FMC’s producing Salar del Hombre Muerto and Galaxy Resources Sal de Vida project, and is southeast for Albemarle’s Antofalla project. Project 2 is approximately 10 kilometers from the Chilean border and just north of Neo Lithium’s 3Q project which is one of the highest-grade and lowest-impurity salars in the world. Both properties are highly prospective, yet under explored. Historical exploration work completed in 2012 by the vendor included geological mapping, surface and auger sampling, and grade distribution analysis for lithium and potassium. At Project 1, results of the surface and auger sampling averaged 257 mg/L of lithium and 8,710 mg/L of potassium while Project 2 averaged274 mg/L of lithium and 7,521 mg/L of potassium. On October 17, 2017, the Company announced that it is finalizing details to an amended agreement pursuant to acquiring an 85% interest in a lithium brine salar project in Catamarca, Argentina. The project is located between Neo Lithium Corp’s 3Q project to the south-west and the Antofalla salar currently being developed by Albermarle Corporation to the northeast.

POSCO (NYSE:PKX)

has developed their own secretive lithium extraction technique, since 2010, possibly using leaching. It is reported to have an 80-90 % lithium recovery rate when using it on brine, and taking just 8 hours. POSCO have had several failed attempts at partnering up with a lithium project - initially in Bolivia, then Chile, then with Lithium Americas in Argentina. In February 2016, POSCO stated that it planned to build a large scale lithium processing plant in Argentina, which would utilize a lithium supply contract with Lithea Inc. of Argentina, the company owning the mining rights of Pozuelos Salt Lake in Argentina, securing the stable permissions to access the lake. They hope to produce 40ktpa of LCE by end 2017, and 135ktpa of LCE by 2020.

Poseidon Nickel Limited (ASX:POS) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) to complete due diligence and negotiate key commercial terms that will underpin a final agreement. The parties plan to explore for lithium hosted pegmatites on tenements held by both Poseidon and LIT at Lake Johnston and Ravensthorpe. The combined tenement package at Lake Johnston will cover an area of approximately 1,000 km2 significantly improving the prospectivity for discovering lithium mineralisation.

Power Metals Corporation (TSX-TWM) has petro-lithium brine licenses as well as a hard rock project. As part of its broader Alberta Lithium Brine Project, the new South Leduc Brine project area, which independently exceeds 450,000 acres, offers significant and cohesive scale and operational efficiencies, particularly when compared to small, geographically-diffused approaches. The sheer district scope of the project area, approaching 70 kilometers on an east-west basis and up to 38 kilometers on a north-south basis may assist with eliminating and addressing multi-party drainage conflicts commonly associated with smaller geographical brine districts in other jurisdictions. Historic Lithium Sampling up to 135 mg/L. The Case Lake spodumene pegmatite swarm is located 80 km east of Cochrane and 100 km north of Kirkland Lake, NE Ontario. Power Metals announced in September 2017 that ongoing drilling had successfully intersected significant lithium mineralization at the Company's Case Lake Property. Power Metals has an 80% interest with its 20% working interest partner MGX Minerals Corp. The Case Lake drill target area consists of a pegmatite dyke swarm: North, Main and South Dykes as well as multiple unnamed pegmatite dykes. Drill hole PWM-17-08 intersected 35.22 m of continuous spodumene pegmatite as part of the Main Dyke with very coarse-grained spodumene crystals up to 10 cm long. A total of 12 drill holes have been drilled to date. With the exception of hole 3, all drill holes intersected spodumene bearing pegmatite. Assays are pending. The drill program targeted down dip extension of North, Main and South Dykes in an area of known mineralization and the east and west along strike extension of the three Dykes in areas with no previous drill holes. This drill program has also successfully drilled the first ever holes on the South Dyke. Power Metals announced in October 2017 that prospecting had discovered spodumene in the East Dyke pegmatite on the east side of Case River, 450 m southeast from their current drill program. Power Metals has an 80% interest with its 20% working interest partner MGX Minerals Corp. (CSE:XMG). Historic work on the East Dyke suggested that spodumene was not present on this pegmatite dyke. The East Dyke has a known strike length of 750 m and consists of white K-feldspar-quartz-muscovite pegmatite and garnet aplite similar to the Main Dyke currently being drilled. This is a significant increase in the potential lithium mineralization on the Case Lake Property.

Prospect Resources Limited (ASX:PSC)> is a Southern Africa focused Lithium and Gold mining and exploration company based in Perth with operations in Zimbabwe. Prospect’s flagship project is the Arcadia Lithium Project located on the outskirts of Harare in Zimbabwe. The Arcadia Lithium Project represents a globally significant hard rock lithium resource and has been aggressively developed focusing on near term production of petalite and spodumene concentrates. Following completion of the Pre Feasibility Study in June 2017, the Company is now focusing on securing offtake and funding plans for development of Arcadia towards production, anticipate in the 3Q of 2018. Key outcomes of the PFS include a Life of Mine (LOM) of 15 year Life of Mine based on an Ore Reserve of 15.8Mt grading 1.34% Li₂O and 124ppm Ta₂O₅. Cash costs of USD 260/t lithia concentrate produced are envisaged over the LoM and a low start up CAPEX of USD 52.5 Million is envisaged. The Company is also evaluating the development of an integrated lithium chemical plant at Arcadia.

Pure Energy Minerals Ltd’ (PE.V) Clayton Valley Project is located directly south of the evaporation ponds of Albemarle’s Silver Peak Mine and covers 3,865 hectares. Geophysical and geological studies suggest that the brine hosting basin exploited by Albemarle extends for about 10 km onto Pure Energy’s land package. The deepest point in the basin is estimated at 1,500 metres and it occurs on Pure Energy’s claims. This is definitively a closed independent basin, a prerequisite for accumulation of these lithium brines and successful lithium mining. Pure Energy reported a maiden inferred resource in July 2015 containing approxi-mately 816,000 tonnes of LCE (lithium carbonate equivalent) at an average grade of 102 mg/L lithium. In spite of basin depths of 1,500 metres, the first phases of drilling only included samples down to approximately 500 metres depth, so there is likely to be exploration potential beneath that depth. Of great advantage is the magnesium/lit-hium (Mg:Li) ratio, which must be relatively low, otherwise mining of the lithium resources is not economical. In Pure Energy’s CVS Project the ratio is 2:1, among the lowest of all the known lithium brine projects worldwide! In addition, the potash/lithium ratio is around 18:1. This is not a problem, rather there is a possibility for future by-product potash, which could improve project economics. Pure Energy is testing the separation of the alkaline earth elements (magnesium and calcium) using membranes. In a second step, lithium is recovered into an ultra pure lithium sulphate solution through solvent extraction. In a third and last step, the lithium sulphate solution is converted into a concentrated ultra pure lithium hy-droxide solution via electrolysis. From here, the ultra pure lithium hydroxide is crystallized. The new technology that Pure Energy is testing has the potential to produce lithium with a much lower impact on the environment and with greater efficiency than the conventional technology. The large evaporation ponds that are the signature of the current brine producers consume massive amounts of water, as none of the groundwater is conserved or re-injected back into the ground after lithium recovery. In addition to the visible scars on the landscape, these ponds can impact wildlife and air quality. The process of lithium recovery by evaporation ponds can be quite slow, sometimes requiring up to two years to recover the lithium. The ultimate recovery of lithium from this older technology is also relatively low, in the neighbourhood of 50%. Given the projections of future shortages in supply, slow and inefficient lithium processing may put more pressure on the supply chain. The Tenova Bateman – Pure Energy approach could achieve much higher lithium recoveries, and the footprint of the anticipated industrial plant is much smaller than that of evaporation ponds. Typical of any real-time industrial process, lithium recovery by solvent extraction should be much faster than evaporation technology – hours vs months. At the end of August 2016 Pure Energy announced the expansion of the Clayton Valley Project. The company signed an option agreement with Cypress Development for the acquisition of a 70% interest in the claims. The claims border the Clayton Valley Project in the east and cover an area of around 1,520 acres (615 hecta-res). Cypress has conducted exploration work on the claims during 2016, reporting lithium values as high as 2,600 ppm. In addition, Pure Energy stacked claims covering 220 acres (some 90 hectares) in the north-western area of the Valley. With that, Pure Energy’s land position in the Clayton Valley increases to more than 4,450 hectares. In March 2017 Pure Energy announced that the company has secured the Terra Cotta concession comprising 13,000 hectares on the Pocitos Salar in Argentina. The Pocitos Salar, Salta region is directly accessible by Highway 17 and has access to a gas pipeline and rail line. For the acquisition of a 100% interest in Terra Cotta, Pure Enery has to pay in instalments US$ 4.0 million and issue 6 million of its shares over a period of 24 months. Historic samples contained between 100 ppm and 300 ppm lithium as well as between 1,000 ppm and 7,000 ppm potassium. The company is currently planning initial exploration activities. Pure Energy announced in October 2017 positive initial results from the geophysical exploration program at its Terra Cotta Project (TCP or “the Project”) located on the Pocitos Salar in Salta Province, Argentina. Preliminary reviews of the geophysical data show extensive zones of high electrical conductivity that may indicate the presence of correspondingly high-density brine. The geophysical survey delineates a central basin that is 18km by 9km oriented along a north-west-south-east axis. The technical team interprets the basin to be filled with clastic sediments and evaporites that appear to be saturated over considerable thicknesses. Results from the geophysical survey combined with data collected during a surface-sampling program, which is currently underway, will be used to select targets for an upcoming drilling program. Pure Energy is testing the separation of the alkaline earth elements (magnesium and calcium) using membranes. In a second step, lithium is recovered into an ultra pure lithium sulphate solution through solvent extraction. In a third and last step, the lithium sulphate solution is converted into a concentrated ultra pure lithium hydroxide solution via electrolysis. From here, the ultra pure lithium hydroxide is crystalized. The new technology that Pure Energy is testing has the potential to produce lithium with a much lower impact on the environment and with greater efficiency than the conventional technology. On September 16th, 2015, Pure Energy Minerals announced that the company had entered into a conditional agreement with Tesla Motors for the supply of lithium hydroxide over a period of five years. There is also speculation that Pure Energy is interested in the Bolivian lithium industry.

Quantum Resources Limited, (ASX:QUR) an Australian company, engages in mineral exploration activities in Manitoba, Canada and in the top end of Australia. It primarily explores for a range of commodities, including lithium, gold and base metals. The company has a 95% interest in the Thompson Brothers Lithium Project in Wekusko Lake, Manitoba, whilst its principal Australian project tenements cover an area of approximately 20,000 square kilometers in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Quantum Resources’ Thompson Brothers Lithium Project is located 20km east of the mining town of Snow Lake, Manitoba. The Thompson Brothers project consists of 18 adjoining claims covering 1829 hectares. The lithium mineralisation at Thompson Brothers is hosted in a spodumene-rich pegmatite dyke dipping sub-vertically and defined over a strike length greater than 800m. Following exploration undertaken in November 2016, results have shown high grade lithium up to 1.62% Li₂O and confirms there is a parallel mineralised structure now known as Thompson #5 at its Thompson Brothers Lithium Project.

Rare Earth Minerals plc (RARMF) is an UK-based mining company engaged on identification, investment and development of upstream exploration projects and assets related to rare earth minerals, especially lithium. In Latin America, the company owns stakes in the Sonora Lithium Project, which is a group of ten exploration, mining and production concessions, located 190km northeast of Hermosillo, Mexico. The concessions cover an area of approximately 104,064ha, with mineral resources estimated a 259Mt with average content of 3,200ppm Li for 4.5Mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). The company has indirect stakes in some of these concessions through its 19.12% interest in Calgary-based Bacanora Minerals, and also through joint ventures with the latter company, and in other, it holds a 30% direct interest. Rare Earth Minerals was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in London. 

RB Energy (TSX:RBI), a Canadian company developing the Quebec lithium project, filed for creditor protection in 2014. RB Energy owned the Aguas Blancas iodine mine in northern Chile, as well as the Quebec lithium project near Val d'Or. The Aguas Blancas iodine-nitrate-sulphate mine has been in production since 2001 and produced approximately 1,000t/y of iodine. After RB Energy failed to raise the money needed to finish the construction and keep the mine going, Quebec Lithium mine was shutdown. The mine was bought in June 2016 by Jien Lithium, a subsidiary of Jien International Investment, in partnership with North American Lithium, a private company, was created to materialize the project. Both partners collaborated in the past in the Nunavik Nickel project.

Rio Tinto completed an “Order of Magnitude Study” to estimate Jadar’s lithium resource in January 2009. The Jadar Valley, in Serbia, hosts lacustrine evaporite deposits containing jadarite (LiNaB3SiO7(OH)), a new mineral that is a possible source of lithium and boron. The jadarite deposit occupies an area of almost 5 km2. According to Clarke and Harben, Jadar’s resource totals 957,000 tonnes of lithium and has a lithium concentration of 0.096%. Clarke and Harben do not provide information on how they made this estimate. Evans estimated the lithium tonnageat 850,000 tonnes, based on other data from Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto reported a breakthroughs in the technology needed to unlock its lithium project in Serbia. Tests at a research facility in a converted shipping container in Australia have successfully produced lithium products from samples from the Jadar deposit. It is aiming to bring the mine in Serbia into production by 2023. In March 2017, Rio Tinto upgraded the Jadar Mineral Resources in accordance with international standards - JORC - to 136 million tonnes. Part of the resource has been classified as Indicated. The resource also contains Inferred resources. Total equivalent borate product resources are 21Mt B₂O₃ and equivalent lithium product resources are 2.5Mt Li₂O.

 

Rio Tinto is working with bank advisors on a bid for a stake in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM), one of the world’s top lithium producers. Sources familiar with the mattertold Bloomberg that the diversified miner is aiming to buy the 32-percent interest in SQM that Canada’s Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan has to sell in order to complete its merger with Agrium . At current prices, the stake held by PotashCorp, the world’s largest potash producer by capacity, would be worth about $4.8 billion. Rio is said to be working with Credit Suisse Group and Rothschild to present the potential offer. According to the news outlet, if Rio wins the bid, it would be the company’s biggest acquisition since its $38-billion takeover of aluminum miner Alcan.

Rock Tech Lithium Inc. (RCK:CN) is a mineral exploration company focused on the lithium industry based in Vancouver and listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The spodumene-bearing pegmatites of the Georgia Lake area, located some 145 kilometers north-east of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, were discovered in 1955. Subsequent to the discovery, the area was subjected to a staking rush and significant exploration work by various operators until 1958. Geologically, the area is underlain by metasediments and metavolcanics of Archean age, trending east-northeast to west-southwest, in steeply dipping beds along the south flank of a regional syncline. These metasediments were invaded by large masses of Algoman granitic rocks and by numerous sills and dykes of genetically related porphyry, pegmatite and aplite. These Archean metasediments are overlain by a thin cover of Sibley sediments which were subsequently intruded by diabase dykes and sills of Proterozoic age. The Georgia Lake pegmatites contain lithium- and rare metals-bearing spodumene at many places in the area. In addition to spodumene, historical work also identified beryl, columbite, molybdnite, amblygonite, apatite, and bityite, enhancing the lithium and rare metals potential of the area. In October 2012, the Company released an updated NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate that included the following: Indicated resource: 3.19 million tonnes grading 1.10% Li₂O, Inferred resource: 6.31 million tonnes grading 1.00% Li₂O.

Rodinia Lithium ((TSX-V:RM) is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company with a primary focus on lithium exploration and development in North and South America. Rodinia's Salar de Diablillos lithium-brine project in Salta, Argentina, contains a recoverable inferred brine resource of 2.8 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent from an in situ inferred brine resource of 4.9 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent. The project also contains a recoverable inferred brine resource of 11.2 million tonnes potassium chloride equivalent from an in situ inferred brine resource of 19.83 million tonnes potassium chloride equivalent.

Savannah Resources plc (AIM: SAV), the AIM quoted resource development company, announced in December 2016 that all results had been received from reconnaissance rockchip sampling over its new lithium projects in Finland, Somero and Erajarvi. Somero covers an area of 60.5km² just north of the township of Somero, one of the more prospective parts of the Somero-Tammela rare earth pegmatite belts, which cover an area of about 400km². The Somero reservation application area comprises at least 56 complex pegmatites enriched in lithium, niobium and tantalum. The pegmatites contain lithium silicates and phosphates including spodumene, lepidolite, petalite and lithium rich micas. This application occurs just to the south of TSX listed Nortec Minerals Kietyonmaki and Hirvikalio lithium deposits and covers a series of pegmatites reaching up to 1.2km in length and 50m wide. Eräjärvi covers an area of 98.5km² approximately 200km north of the Finnish capital Helsinki. The Eräjärvi Pegmatites are situated in southern Finland near the town of Orivesi and about 61 complex pegmatites have been mapped in the area to date. They contain a series of complex and simple pegmatites with the complex pegmatites in the Eräjärvi area often distinctly zoned and contain lithium rich minerals including spodumene and lepidolite. Dykes within the tenement reach up to 600m length and 50m wide and historical geological mapping by the Finnish geological survey has confirmed the presence of the minerals. The work programme has returned anomalous lithium mineralisation across both projects, leading to the discovery of seven lithium bearing pegmatites. A total of 524 rock chip sampleshave been collected from the Somero (244 samples) and Erajarvi (288 samples) licences and submitted to the laboratory for analysis. Results have highlighted seven pegmatites with anomalous lithium-two on Somero and five on Erajarvi. Geological mapping and rock chip sampling has highlighted prospective pegmatites with assays of up to 4.47% lithium oxide (Li₂O) at the Somero Project, and at the Torkkamaki Prospect mineralisation traced over 150m along strike and remaining open. At the Erajarvi Project, prospective pegmatites with assays of up to 1.56% Li₂O and at the Viitaniemi Prospect mineralisation traced for over 350m before it was covered by glacial till. Savannah has entered into an agreement to acquire a 75% interest in the highly strategic Mina do Barroso prospect in northern Portugal. With an approved Mining Plan, Environmental Impact Assessment and a 30-year mining concession/Mining Licence, the Company is focussed on defining a JORC resource so that a development decision can be made by the end of 2018. Work has included reconnaissance geological mapping, trenching, drilling and preliminary metallurgical test work with best results including: Due diligence rock chip sampling identifying desirable spodumene pegmatites >70m wide with Li₂O grades > 3.12%, continuous rock chipping returning broad zones of lithium mineralisation including 30m at 1.18% Li₂O, 30m at 1.35% Li₂O and 35m at 1.67% Li₂O, high-grade drill results which commence from at or near surface including 32m at 1.16% Li₂O from 20m, 12m at 1.6% Li₂O from 1m and 16m at 1.35% Li₂O from surface; 

Sayona Mining Ltd (SYA:AU) acquired 100% of the Authier project in July 2016 for CAD$4 million. The Authier project is situated 45 kilometres northwest of the city of Val d’Or, a major mining service centre in the, Province of Quebec. The Company’s primary strategy is to focus on completing the studies required to commence the development of the project. Authier is a near-term development project and cash-flow generation opportunity. The Company believes it will create significant share value-uplift potential for shareholders as the project is advanced towards development. The key attractions of the Authier lithium project, include: Advanced, near term development potential – the Company is targeting completion of a Definitive Feasibility Study in early 2018, and first production in 2019 to capitalise on the high price lithium concentrate pricing forecast over the next five years. In parallel, studies on producing a premium value-added lithium carbonate product are progressing. Pre-Feasibility Study demonstrating technical and economic viability – PFS completed in February 2017 demonstrating strong investment case for a low capital expenditure and operating cost project selling lithium concentrates. PFS results include pre-tax NPV8 of C$140 million, IRR 39% and payback 2.2 years, based on a start capital expenditure of C$66 million. Maiden Ore Reserve – JORC Ore Reserves totalling 10.2Mt @ 1.02% Li₂0 based on a JORC Mineral Resource of 13.75Mt @ 1.07% Li₂0 at 0.5% Li₂0 cut-off grade. JORC Resource expanded – In May 2017, based on 4,100 metres of new drilling, the JORC Mineral Resource was expanded to 17.4Mt @ 1.02% Li₂0. – an updated PFS is being prepared based on the expanded JORC Resource, and metallurgical and geotechnical optimisations programs. Sayona has a total of 17 tenements in the Pilbara Region, covering a total area of 1918km². Of these, 9 were acquired through a deal with Great Sandy, with the Mallina Project, being the flagship project. The company is exploring for hard rock lithium projects, primarily in the form of spodumene bearing pegmatites. Spodumene-Albite pegmatites are most commonly found intruded in Archaean Greenstone belts neighbouring post tectonic monzogranites. Some spodumene bearing pegmatites have also been discovered in pre-tectonic granite hosts, with a post tectonic monzogranite source, such as near Moolyella. The 9 tenements in the Gt Sandy Option agreement cover a total of 871km² and can be divided into 6 project areas; Tabba-Tabba, Cooglegong, Moolyella, Wodgina, Friendly Creek and Red Rock / Carlindie. Of these, Tabba-Tabba is the most advanced with work there having identified 3 new complex pegmatites. Sayona’s Pilbara tenements and the Great Sandy Option tenements are prospective for spodumene and work is planned to systematically explore for complex rare metal pegmatites, the source of spodumene. The Mallina project hosts a newly discovered, high grade spodumene pegmatite occurrence located just 100km from the town of Port Hedland. The area does not appear to have been prospected for pegmatite mineralisation before the recent discovery, despite its favourable geology and proximity to the Wodgina / Pilgangoora lithium discoveries to the east. The first samples returned up to 2.13% Li₂O, collected from a 500m long pegmatite (the Discovery Pegmatite), with highly anomalous Rb, Cs, Sn and Ta results. The geochemical results are indicative of complex, rare metal highly fractionated, LCT pegmatite. Petrology and XRD analysis confirmed the lithium mineralisation is contained in spodumene. Lepidolite has not been observed in the project area. In December 2016 Sayona negotiated the Great Sandy Option, whereby the Company can acquire an 80% in the package of tenements (including Mallina) by making staged payments in cash or shares. Sayona’s first exploration in January 2017 identified a large number or swarm of previously unrecognised pegmatites around the Discovery pegmatite. Rock sample results to 3.10% Li₂O were returned from the Discovery pegmatite, confirming the high grade nature of the mineralisation. The 21 samples collected from the Discovery pegmatite to date have returned an average 1.35% Li₂O. The pegmatite is weathered, in part silicified and has poor outcrop, typically visible over widths of 3-5m and up to 8m, but without the contacts to adjacent greenstone rocks being observed. The true width of the structure is not yet known. Significantly, a single pegmatite outcrop, located 900m to the south returned an assay result of 3.47% Li2O. The area has very poor outcrop and further reconnaissance is needed to define the extents to the mineralisation. The result does however indicate the potential of the area to host additional mineralised pegmatites. These targets may lie under shallow soil cover. The Tabba-Tabba Project is located 40km north of the Pilgangoora Lithium centre, and the Sayona tenements adjourn the Tabba Tabba tantalum mine. Exploration on the project has resulted in the discovery of 3 new complex pegmatites. The pegmatites are anomalous for tantalum, which is found with LCT complex pegmatites (Lithium Caesium Tantalum).

Segue Resources Ltd (ASX:SEG) is a Western Australian focused minerals exploration company exploring for gold, lithium and nickel. Segue has an interest in over 1,000km² of exploration licences at the Gascoyne Lithium Project, located 250km east of Carnarvon in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. Segue has commenced initial exploration for lithium-caesium-tantalum rare-earth pegmatites. In March 2017, Segue announced it had discovered significant lithium and tantalum mineralisation at the Reid Well Prospect. Assays from an initial batch of rock chips confirmed the existence of a complex zoned pegmatite with assays up to 1.02% Li₂O and 530ppm Ta₂O₅. The rock chips were collected from the outcropping outer margin of a pegmatite covering 1km x 250m within Segue's 100% owned tenement application E09/2169. A total of 12 samples returned lithium results above 0.3% Li₂O and over 40 samples contained tantalum grades over 100ppm Ta₂O₅. 

Sienna Resources Inc (SIE—TSX.v) (A1XCQ0 –FSE) (SNNAF—OTCBB) wishes to announce that Sienna has acquired the “Clayton Valley Deep Basin Lithium Brine Project”.   This project is located directly between and bordering Pure Energy Minerals Limited (PE—TSX.v) and Lithium X Energy Corp (LIX—TSX.v). The “Clayton Valley Deep Basin Lithium Brine Project” is located in parts of the deepest sections (refer to the map) of the only lithium brine basin with a producing operation in North America (Albemarle’s (ALB-NYSE) Silver Peak Mine).  Pure Energy Minerals, which owns the Clayton Valley South project, has recently released an inferred resource of 816,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent on the Clayton Valley South project.

 

Silver City Minerals Limited (ASX:SCI) is a base and precious metals explorer focused mainly on the mining districts of Broken Hill and Cobar in the western part of New South Wales, Australia. Sovereign Gold exercised an option for 111 Clayton Valley Claims on revised acquisition terms with potential lithium-bearing aquifers and “subsurface lithium rich clay-style” deposits. The 111 Claims overlie the Clayton Valley Basin and a gravity survey by Rodinia indicates a considerable thickness (400 – 800 metres from surface to basement) of potential lithium-bearing stratigraphy is present beneath the claims. Adjacent and neighbouring Matica Enterprises and Pure Energy drilling results to date indicate the 111 claims are favourably situated for the potential existence of ash unit hosted lithium brines. Sovereign Gold will be drill testing for eastward lateral extensions of aquifers discovered by Pure Energy in their adjacent claims and also drill test to the north where Matica’s (McGee) adjoining claims represent a very promising first order target for lithium brine exploration. Sovereign Gold will look to appoint an in-country geologist and drilling operator. Neighbouring Clayton Valley land holders include the largest Lithium Producer in the USA, producing since 1967, Albemarle Corp (NYSE: ALB) Market Cap US$8.55bn, Lithium X (TSX-V: LIX) Market Cap US$80M and Pure Energy Minerals (TSX-V: PE) Market Cap US$25M

Simbol Inc, based in Pleasanton, California., uses brines from geothermal power production. The plant will be the first to use a unique process to extract lithium from waste from geothermal power plants. Since 2011, Simbol’s pilot plant in Calipatria, Calif., has extracted about 100 metric tons of lithium from the brine of the 49.9-megawatt Featherstone geothermal plant in the Imperial Valley of California. After the geothermal plant generates energy, but before it injects the waste brine back underground, Simbol uses the hot brine as feedstock for its chemical process.

> Sociedad Chilena Del Litio Limitada manufactures lithium chloride in Chile. The company also focuses on developing new processes to obtain lithium chloride. Sociedad Chilena Del Litio Limitada was founded in 1980 and is based in La Negra, Chile. The company operates as a subsidiary of Chemetall GmbH.

Sociedade Mineira de Pegmatites Lda –Portugal has many rich in Li-rich mineral occurrences that are mainly associated with aplite-pegmatite dykes and sills intruded in granitic and metasedimentary rocks of the Central Iberian and Galicia – Trás-os-Montes geotectonic zones. Some of those occurrences have a higher economic potencial value, as is the case of the Gonçalo region in the Guarda district and the Barroso -Alvão region near Boticas in the Vila Real district. Geological studies carried out by the Geological and Mining Institute of Portugal (IGM) showed this areas as attractive targets for Li-rich raw material for the ceramic and glass industries of the Iberian market or even for Li-rich standard ore concentrates.

Sociedad Quimica y Minera (NYSE:SQM), a Chilean producer of speciality plant nutrients and chemicals that runs large-scale lithium production operations. Potash Corporation, a Canadian fertilizer giant, holds a major stake in the company. The main production facilities are located in the Atacama Desert Salar brines are located in the nucleus of the Salar de Atacama. They contain the greatest lithium and potassium concentrations known, in addition to considerable sulphate and boron concentrations. From this natural resource lithium carbonate, potassium chloride, potassium sulphate, boric acid and magnesium chloride are produced. After extraction, salar brines are located in SQM's solar evaporation ponds that cover 1,700 hectares approximately. From the resulting solutions and after a series of processes, SQM produces potassium chloride, lithium carbonate, potassium sulphate, boric acid and magnesium chloride. SQM also produces potassium nitrate by mixing the potassium chloride obtained from salar brines and sodium nitrate contained in the caliche. SQM estimates that their claim contains 6.0 Mt of lithium reserves. SQM was planning to invest $50 million to expand its lithium carbonate capacity in Chile to 63,000 tonnes by 2018 from 48,000 tonnes in 2017. SQM entered into a joint venture with Lithium Americas Corp. (TSE:LAC) by investing US$25 million into Lithium Americas’ Cauchari-Olaroz project in Jujuy province in the north of Argentina on the Chilean border. Tianqi Lithium Industries Inc. (SHE:002466) announced it would buy 2.1 per cent of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (ADR)(NYSE:SQM) for $38 a share — more than a 50 per cent premium to the company’s share price. Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital is looking to buy a substantial holding in Sociedad Quimica Y Minera. GSR could buy a stake of around 20 percent - worth just under $1.9 billion at current market values. SQM is also taking 50% of the Mt Holland Lithium Project in Western Australia for US$30 million in cash, staged payments of US$80 million and a US$21.5 million convertible loan note. The Earl Grey (Mt Holland) resource contains 128 Million Tonnes at 1.44% Li₂O for 4.54 Mt Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). The mine is expected to start producing in 2019 with the proposed refinery complete two years later.

Southern Lithium Corp.’s (TSX:SNL.V) Cruz property is located within South America’s Lithium Triangle (northern Chile, north western Argentina and south west Bolivia), where over half of the earth’s identified resources of lithium are found. This property is in the Pocitos Salar basin in Salta Province, Argentina and encompasses 2,500 hectares. The asset is located in the same structural basin and 11 km south of Ady Resources’ Salar del Rincón property, the only lithium operation in Salta Province. Both ADY Resources Limited (Enirgi Group Corporation) and Southern Lithium’s properties lie along the northerly-trending structural belt that hosts the important lithium resources of the region and is adjacent to the major crossing lineament that is thought to have given rise to the hydrothermal activity that supplied lithium to both closed Salar basins. The Company has also executed a formal option agreement with Proyecto Pastos Grandes S.A. (“PPG SA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Millennial Lithium Corp. (TSX.V:ML) (FSE: A3N2) (OTCQB:MLNLF), through the option Southern Lithium can earn up to an eighty percent (80%) interest in the PPG SA’s Cruz Property in the Pocitos Salar Basin in Salta Province, Argentina. The Cruz Property is located in the northern end of the Pocitos Salar Basin and contiguous to the southern end of the Salar del Rincón Basin, where ADY Resources Limited is extracting lithium brine. Both properties lie along the structural belt that hosts the important lithium resources of the region, and at the junction of a large north-south fault system and the north west-south east megastructure along which lies the Rincon volcano, the possible source of the lithium brine in both salar basins. The 60-kilometre long Pocitos salar basin has previously only been drill tested with a shallow 12-hole program in the 1970s by an Argentinean government agency “Direccion General de Fabricaciones Militares”. To date, this is the only confirmed exploration drilling conducted in the Pocitos basin. The hole that produced the best results is near the southeast edge of the Cruz property boundary, and averaged 417 parts per million lithium. Southern Lithium Corp. announced in September 2017 it had completed the second hole of the Phase One exploration program at its Cruz Property in the Pocitos Salar Basin in Salta Province, Argentina.The second hole was drilled to a depth of 503 metres (m) and was located south of the first hole. The first hole was drilled to a depth of 476 metres (m) at the northern end of the Company's claim block in the Pocitos Salar Basin. The objective of this exploration program was to obtain depth-specific samples of the brine and its host material to collect geochemical, lithologic and porosity data. The drill program is being managed in Argentina through Southern’s joint venture partner Millennial Lithium Corp. Millennial has engaged HIDROTEC S.R.L., a Salta-based drilling company with extensive experience in drilling and testing salar-hosted lithium brines. Millennial has engaged Mike Rosko of Montgomery and Associates, Inc. a US-based hydrogeological consultancy to provided program guidance and act as the Company's qualified person for reporting results. Proyecto Pastos Grandes SA, Millennial's lithium subsidiary, has engaged SGS Argentina SA of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the primary analytical provider. The laboratory has extensive experience with lithium brine analyses and is certified under ISO/IEC 17025, and in SGS case, specifically for determination of lithium and potassium in liquid brines by use of ICP-OES. Southern Lithium Corp. (SNL.V) (SL5.F) (SLLTF)  announced that it had executed an amendment to the formal option agreement previously announced in a news release dated November 17, 2016, with Proyecto Pastos Grandes S.A. a wholly owned subsidiary of Millennial Lithium. The amendment includes an extension to the Definitive Agreement on the payment of US$1,000,000 to PPG S.A. on or before October 1, 2017 until, on or before October 12, 2017. The need for the amendment is a result of the company not having received drilling results for the recently completed two hole program at its Cruz Property in the Pocitos Salar Basin in Salta Province, Argentina. The company expects to report assays from the two hole program shortly. Southern Lithium’s 850-hectare East Fault property lies to the south of Albemarle’s lithium producing mine and immediately to the east of Pure Energy’s Clayton Valley claims. The property is strategically positioned along 11 kilometers of the East Fault, which appears to be the main bounding fault that forms the south east edge of the Clayton Valley basin, forming a half-graben in the southeast margin of the basin. 

Spearmint Resources Inc. (SRJ.V) is a Canadian junior resource exploration company and its lithium projects include the ‘Clayton Valley Lithium Prospects’ in Nevada comprising of two claim blocks totalling 800-acres bordering Pure Energy Minerals (PE.v), and three lithium projects in Quebec including the 4,485-acre ‘Pressiac Lithium Prospect’, the 524-acre ‘Whabouchi Lakes Lithium Prospect’, and the 2,636-acre ‘Whabouchi Lakes West Lithium Prospect’.  
Standard Lithium Ltd (SLL.V) signed a Mineral Lease Agreement for the exploration of lithium with National Chloride Corporation of America, Standard Lithium’s Bristol Lake project encompasses approximately 16,600 acres of placer mineral claims. National Chloride’s Bristol Lake placer mineral claims cover approximately 12,600 acres and lie adjacent and contiguous to Standard’s recently acquired 4,000+ acre Mojave Lithium Project. In addition, as part of the Agreement, Standard has an option to lease access to approximately 3,000+ acres of private land held on Bristol Lake by National Chloride and its affiliates. National Chloride and others have mined the near-surface brines to produce concentrated chloride products for various industrial applications for close to 100 years and as a result the area has excellent mining infrastructure. There is electric power and water on the property. A major paved road crosses the western edge of the property. There is a rail siding within 5 km, as well. The property is situated approximately 200 km from Las Vegas, and 330 km of the port of Los Angeles. The dry salt lake playa covers a total area of 155 km², and hosts a geologically recent volcanic centre, similar to other productive lithium brine playas. Standard Lithium’s geophysics team has recently concluded an extensive gravity survey over the entire basin, and initial interpretation of the data suggests that the basin is deep and extensive. Historical drilling and sampling to total depths of approximately 500 ft has produced brine samples with lithium values over 100 mg/L for the entire drilled interval. For further information on the Mojave project please see Standard Lithium’s Technical Report compiled in accordance with NI 43-101 guidelines dated September 15, 2016 on Sedar.com. The data from this first round of evaporation pond testing showed that the raw brine pumped from the near-surface test-pit contained an average concentration of 146 mg/L lithium, and that within a period of 4 weeks, the brine was concentrated by passive solar evaporation to an average lithium concentration of 556 mg/L (max. 717 mg/L) Standard Lithium’s Paradox Basin project is located near Moab, Utah in the Paradox Valley which measures about 3 to 5 miles wide and 25 miles long. It is home to the Paradox Basin which is an asymmetric foreland basin located mostly in southeast Utah and southwest Colorado, but also extends into north-east Arizona and north-west New Mexico. The basin is a large elongate north-west to south-east oriented depression formed during the late Paleozoic Era. The basin is bordered on the east by the tectonically uplifted Uncompahgre Plateau, on the north-west by the San Rafael Swell and on the west by the Circle Cliffs Uplift.

St-Georges Platinum & Base Metals Inc. (SX:CN) is exploring for gold and platinum group metals as well as base and energy metals in Iceland and in Canada. On September 12, 2016 a new lithium discovery in Quebec was reported returning values as high as 2.58% Li2O. The Le Royal Lithium project is located near the La Corne pluton in the Preissac-La Corne Batholith at the contact of three geological domains. Considering these lithologies, the presence of the North American Lithium (formerly Quebec Lithium) deposit 5 km north-east of the project and the presence of many other lithium showings in the proximal area, Le Royal Lithium has a confirmed potential for rare metals (Li, Be, Nb and Ta) in rare-element pegmatites.

Stria Lithium (TSX-V:SRA) holds 100 per cent ownership of the Pontax-Lithium property located in the west-central James Bay territory in northern Quebec. The property, which Stria acquired from Khalkos Exploration Inc. in 2013, is host to a recently discovered swarm of a dozen spodumene-bearing (a lithium mineral) pegmatite dikes, each one metre to 10 metres in thickness, plus a series of small centimetre-thick dikelets. The lithium-bearing dikes outcrop over an area of 450 metres by 100 metres Situated north of Rupert River and south of Eastmain River and Opinaca Reservoir, the property consists of 70 contiguous map-designated cells for a total surface area of 3,718.84 hectares. The James Bay Road (Route 109), a paved highway linking the mining town of Matagami in the south to the village of Radisson 620 kilometres to the north, is located 22 km to the west of the property. Chambois Lake, suitable for seaplane landing, is conveniently located 5 km to the east. A 735 KV power line, with a maintenance trail under it, is adjacent to the property. The Pontax-Lithium property is a part of the former joint Sirios Resources Inc./Dios Exploration Inc. exploration project where a lithium-bearing pegmatite dike was discovered in 2007 during the course of regional geological reconnaissance work. A block of claims deemed prospective for lithium-bearing pegmatite dikes was separated from the Pontax project in 2008 to form the Pontax-Lithium property, and Sirios was designated as the operator of the lithium exploration program. In 2011, the property was acquired by Khalkos, through a spinoff of Sirios’s non-gold assets and the subsequent acquisition of Dios’s interest in the project. The Pontax lithium occurrence is located on a hill crest, composed of vast outcrops of blackish metabasalt cut by tens of metres wide subvertical and east-west trending white pegmatite dikes. These pegmatites dikes are granitic in composition and contain significant, although variable, amounts of light blue spodumene, plus traces of lepidolite, muscovite and beryl. Holmquistite, a bluish lithium-bearing amphibole, is present as an alteration ofLithium X announced in October 2017 it had successfully completed the consolidation of the Sal de los Angeles project so that it now controls 100% of the mineral titles contained within the brine bearing regions of the Diablillos basin. The consolidation involved the acquisition of 2,700 hectares of claims from Borax Argentina S.A. replacing the usufruct lithium rights previously held by the Company over the Borax claims and an agreement to acquire a further 700 hectares currently owned by South American Salars S.A. for a total consideration of 650,000 common shares of Lithium X, USD $1,000,000 and a 1% Net Revenue Royalty (NRR) over the SDLA project. the metabasalt or of the iron-rich sediments in vicinity of the pegmatite. Previous exploration work on the property from 2006 to 2012 comprised ground prospecting and outcrop sampling, geological mapping, airborne electromagnetic survey, mechanical trenching, channel sampling and limited core drilling. Seven core holes (total: 864 metres) were drilled on the property in 2009 to test a 400-metre section of the pegmatite dike swarm described as the Main zone.

Talison Lithium (Tianqi Lithium Corporation-51%, Abemarle-49%) The Greenbushes pegmatites belong to the Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum family. The Greenbushes pegmatite deposit intrudes along a major north-west regional fault zone. It is approximately 2,525 million years old. The pegmatite consists of a large main zone over 3 kms long and up to 300 m wide with numerous smaller pegmatite dykes and pods flanking the main body. The Greenbushes pegmatites are mineralogically zoned in a lenticular interfingering style along strike and down dip. The lithium zone is over 2 kms long and enriched in the lithium-bearing mineral spodumene which often makes up 50% of the rock. The Greenbushes pegmatite has unique features that distinguish it from many other rare-metal pegmatites. The Salares 7 Project consists of seven salars (salt lakes) and playas located in the Atacama Region of Northern Chile. Five of the seven salars are 100% owned by Talison Lithium and its Chilean partners, and these five are clustered within a radius of approximately 30 kilometres. The salars are largely underlain and surrounded by volcanic rocks of andesitic to basaltic affinity that make up some of the 800 volcanoes located in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. The salars are salt filled closed basins, confined by a sequence of volcanic rocks. The brines in the salars were formed by leaching of the host volcanic rocks by snowmelt and rainwater run-off that accumulated in the closed basins. Evaporation concentrated the waters and precipitated the salts which are commonly gypsum and halite. Talison Lithium’s exploration program at Salares 7 has included initial drilling, transient electromagnetic geophysical surveys and regional surface water geochemical sampling programs. Talison Lithium has also undertaken process test work studies to assist in designing a processing facility for the project and collecting environmental data. 

Tawana Resources NL (TAW:AU) is a resources focused ASX and JSE-listed Company. Tawana has rights through earnings or option agreements to lithium projects in Western Australia. Tawana’s principal projects include the Bald Hill Lithium and Tantalum Mine and the adjacent Cowan Lithium Project in WA. Together, the Bald Hill and Cowan projects represent 1,495km2. The Company also owns 100% of the Mofe Creek project, an iron ore project in Liberia, West Africa which has a Mineral Resource at 61.9Mt at 33% Fe. Tawana has a 50% legal and beneficial interest in the Bald Hill Lithium and Tantalum Mine, WA. The Bald Hill Mine comprises: four mining leases, 16 exploration/prospecting licences and five applications totalling 791.3km2, excellent existing infrastructure including an operating tantalum plant, camp and machinery and is permitted for operation. An Updated Indicated and Inferred lithium Mineral Resource of 18.9Mt at 1.18% Li2O and 149ppm Ta2O5 at a 0.5% Li2O cut-off for the Project was estimated by CSA Global Pty Ltd and announced in October 2017 A Pre-Feasibility Study released in July 2017 confirmed the technical and financial viability of a 1.2Mtpa lithium Dense Media Separation circuit adjacent to the existing tantalum processing facility Lithium concentrate offtake agreement signed with Hong Kong-listed Burwill Holdings Ltd, with $12.5m prepayment received to enable capital and operational works at Bald Hill Construction of 1.2Mtpa Dense Media Separation (DMS) process plant and associated infrastructure commenced August 2017 Tawana is targeting first shipment of lithium concentrate from Bald Hill in 1Q 2018. 

 Traka Resources Ltd (TKLN:AU) is a mineral exploration company based in Perth, Western Australia. The company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2003. The company currently has a number of exploration projects in Western Australia. The Company's interests at Ravensthorpe are in three separate areas within the Ravensthorpe Greenstone Belt . Foremost of these areas is the self managed and 100% equity interests held in the lead, zinc and copper discovery at Mt Short. The two other areas, Mt Cattlin and Bandalup Gossan are joint venture interests where Traka 20% equity is Free Carried. At Mt Cattlin the managing joint venture partner is Galaxy Resources Ltd. Their activity on the joint venture property is primarily driven by the progress of mining activity for lithium and tantalum on the neighboring Mt Cattlin Lithium Mine. At Bandallup Gossan the managing joint venture partner is Silver Lake Resource Ltd. The Bandallup Gossan tenements abut Silver Lake's substantial exploration interests surrounding the Kundip Gold Project and the nearby Trilogy base metal resource.

Ultra Lithium (ULI:CN) is a diversified lithium exploration and development company with substantial assets in all three major types of lithium projects. The La Borita Brine Lithium Project, Argentina is located within the “Lithium Triangle” of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, just 15 km to the east of Salar de Antofalla, currently owned by Albemarle Corporation. Four mining claims covering approximately 3,000 hectares. Historical exploration indicates average 227 ppm lithium with low magnesium to lithium ratio. Option to acquire 100% interest The Georgia Lake Pegmatites Project, Ontario, Canada is located in the Thunder Bay Mining Division, Ontario; 100% ownership of 16 mineral claims covering 2,416 hectares of land. The South Big Smoky Valley Brine Lithium Project, Nevada, USA is located about 16 miles north of Silver Peak Lithium Mine in Clayton Valley, Nevada; 100% ownership of 659 mineral claims covering 12,500 hectares of land.

Venus Metals Corporation Ltd (VNS:AU) has made EL applications over four strategic lithium-tantalum project areas in Western Australia, the Pilgangoora Northeast and Stannum projects in the Pilbara, the Nardoo project in the Capricorn and the Poona Project in the Murchison of Western Australia. The Pilgangoora Northeast Project (ELA 45/4630) covers over 163 km² and is located 72 km to the southeast of Port Headland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The project is access via the Great Northern Highway then east along local formed roads and station tracks. The Pilgangoora Northeast Project lies close to Pilbara Minerals Pilgangoora exploration area which hosts a substantial lithium-tantalum resource. An initial evaluation of the project area shows the area to be prospective for lithium-tantalum mineralisation, particularly in the north of the tenement area. The tenement also hosts a number of historic gold prospects and workings, including the McPhees workings. Venus is currently undertaking a detailed review of the open file exploration data for the Pilgangoora region to assist in evaluating the project and guiding the ongoing exploration program. The Stannum Project is composed of two tenements covering more than 100 km². The project is located 98 km to the south of Port Headland and is accessed via the Great Northern Highway, then west along local formed roads and station tracks. The Stannum project lies on the southern extensions of the greenstone belt hosting the Wodgina Tantalum mine, 13 km to the north. The project area hosts a number of historical tin, tantalum and niobium occurrences including the Stannum & Mills Find North workings . Venus believes the project to be highly prospective for lithium as well as tantalum, tin & niobium. The Nardoo tenement (ELA 09/2156) covers over 131 km² and is located in the Capricorn region of Western Australia. The project is accessed from Gascoyne Junction by heading east to Dairy Creek, then heading north towards Cobra station. Yinnietharra station is located approximately 85 km north of Dairy Creek along the Cobra Station road; from Yinnietharra the Nardoo tenement can be accessed via station tracks. The Nardoo project overlies the historical Nardoo & Morrissey Hill workings, with over a tonne of tantalum having been produced from the area in the 20^th century. The regional geology is a pelitic and gneissic terrain that has been extensively intruded by pegmatites, which host the tantalum-lithium mineralisation. The largest mapped pegmatite occurs at Nardoo Hill and is estimated to be flat lying, covering 1,000 metres of strike, more than 700 metres wide with a thickness of ‘at least 30-60 metres’. This target alone has the potential to produce a significant deposit of tantalum-lithium. The Poona tenement covers over 152 km² and is located in the Murchison Mineral Field, approximately 560 km to the north-northeast of Perth. The project is accessed via the Great Northern Highway to the town to Cue, then west along the Beringarra-Cue Rd on to the Kalli Rd and station tracks. The Poona project has been explored for a range of metals, as well as emeralds in the pegmatites, since the early 1900s. Exploration has focussed predominantly on gold, whilst the area also shows the potential for nickel, tantalum, tin, niobium and lithium. The tenement overlies a number of known lithium and tantalum occurrences including Patons Lode and Poona Reward . Historical rock chip sampling from the pegmatites north west of Poona Reward has returned highly anomalous results, including: 24.6% Ta₂O₅ & 46.7% Nb₂O_5, 1.46% Li₂O & 1.12% Rubidium, 1.61% Li₂O & 1.33% Rubidium . Venus is currently undertaking a detailed review of the open file exploration data for the Poona region to assist in evaluating the project and guiding the ongoing exploration program.

Wealth Minerals (WML:CN) is a Canadian lithium development company based in Vancouver and Santiago de Chile. Since February 2016 the company acquired the largest land package of all lithium juniors active in Chile. The majority of the acquired areas are located in Salars that are among the 15 highest grade Salars in Chile. Wealth Minerals’ Atacama project is located in the northern part of the Atacama Salar which is currently the highest grade and largest producing brine deposit worldwide. It produces approximately one third of global lithium output from two production facilities operated by Sociedad Quimica y Minera (“SQM”) and Albe-marle. The Atacama Salar possesses a very high grade of both lithium (1,840mg/l) and potassium (22,630mg/l), has a high rate of evaporation (3,200 mm per year) and extremely low annual rainfall (15mm average per year). In November 2016 Wealth Minerals signed an option agreement with Atacama Lithium SpA, in which it has been given the right to acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in 144 exploration concessions covering in total 46,200 hectares in the northern part of the Atacama Salar. For that deal the company paid and is paying in several installments a total of US$ 14 million and issued the vendor 15 million of its shares. The concession area borders the licenses of BHP Billiton, SQM and CORFO a Chilean state-owned company. The two production plants of SQM and Albemarle, which produce 62,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (including potassium) per year, are located on COR-FO’s area, 15km south of Wealth’s concessions. n December 2016 Wealth Minerals signed a letter of intent to acquire the 100% royalty-free Laguna Verde project. The project comprises 23 concessions for a total of 2,438 hectares and is located in northern Chile adjacent to Highway 60 and only 15 km west of the border with Argentina. Wealth Minerals is paying US$ 5 million for the acquisition of Laguna Verde and is issuing 6 million of its shares to the vendor. Laguna Verde hosts a historic inferred resource of 512,960 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent and 4.223 million tonnes of potassium chloride equiva-lent. The Trinity Project is comprised of three independent projects, Aguas Calientes Norte, Pujsa and Quisquiro, which are located in northern Chile within a radius of 15km therefore are combined in a single project. Trinity is located 100km east of the Atacama Salar. n July 2016 Wealth Minerals signed an option agreement to acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Puritama concessions 1 to 8, located in the Salar de Aguas Calientes. The concessions cover an area totaling 2,000 hectares. Until completion of the transaction Wealth Minerals is paying in total US$ 2.65 million. Historic sampling during the 1990s indicate a lithium concentration of up to 169mg/l. Follow-up explorations, which were carried out in 2015 found lithium concentrations of 205 mg/l to 290 mg/l. Access to the project area is via Highway 27 giving access to the port of Antofagasta. Also in July 2016 Wealth Minerals signed an option agreement to acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Pujsa concessions 1 to 7, located in the Salar de Pujsa. The concessions cover an area totaling 1,600 hectares. Until completion of the transaction Wealth Minerals is paying in total US$ 2.65 million. The Chilean gover-nment authority, Sernageomin (Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Minera), classified the Salar de Pujsa as one of 15 high-grade Salars in Chile. Independent exploration work suggests lithium concentrations of 220 mg/l to 620 mg/l. Wealth Minerals signed an option agreement to acquire a 100% royalty-free interest in the Quisco concessions 1 to 9, located in the Salar de Quisquiro. The concessions cover an area totaling 2,400 hectares. Until completion of the transac-tion Wealth Minerals is paying in total US$ 2.6 million. The 15 best Salars in Chile are classified in three tiers 1 to 3. Quisquiro, together with Atacama, Maricunga, Pedernales and La Islain are in the highest category Tier 1. Salars in the top category have lithium concentrations between 423 and 1,080 mg/l.

Westwater Resources, Inc. (WWR) (ASX:URI), an energy metals exploration and development company, is pleased to announce positive lithium shallow brine assay results from its Sal Rica Project located in western Utah. Westwater Resources collected shallow brine samples from fourteen (14) auger locations across the project area. The resultant lithium concentrations ranged from 10 ppm (parts per million) to 100 ppm, with seven (7) samples reporting lithium concentrations in excess of 80 ppm.

Xantus Inc is a private company focused on acquiring and developing large scale lithium assets in West Africa. Utilising its regional expertise, the Company has assembled a portfolio of prospective permits covering in excess of 1,500 sq km in Mali and Niger. The permits in Mali consist of Dieba North, Dieaba, Soumayer and Nimissila, and border those held by listed companies, Birimian (ASX:BGS) and Kodal (AIM:KOD) both of which have significant known lithium discoveries plus recorded lithium grades of >2% Li2O from pegmatite samples. In particular, the Dieba licence is contiguous to the north of Birimian’s Bougouni lithium project (Goulamina) which has a current JORC Mineral Resource of 15.5Mt at 1.48% Li₂O for 229,000 tonnes of contained Li₂O. Additionally, pegmatites (lithium bearing rocks) have been encountered at surface across the Malian licences which are on strike from known discoveries in the southern Mali region, which is rapidly emerging as a lithium province. The 4 contiguous permits in Niger, Diblio, Bongou, Namaga 2 and Dingoaba located in south western Niger in the Department of Tera in the Tillabery region, have historical lithium resources. Swarms of spodumene bearing pegmatite veins (lithium bearing mineral) have been encountered across the permit areas. The fact that these are clearly mapped within the granites covering over 70% of the permit areas, provides the Company a positive indication for commercial lithium deposits.

Zadar Ventures (ZAD:CN) is a Canadian resource development company focused on lithium and uranium deposits. Zadar Ventures is one of a few companies that do not concentrate its efforts on a single lithium hot spot but rather on multiple. The company has several exploration licences in Clayton Valley, Nevada, where since the 1960’s lithium brine deposits were exploited, as well as in the Ravensthorpe region in Western Australia. Furthermore, the company was able to secure lithium-bearing petrobrine projects in Manitoba. of 15km therefore are combined in a single project.  

Zenith Minerals Ltd (ZNC:AU) is a Perth based company with lithium projects in the USA and Mexico. The Wilson Salt Flat Project ( Zenith 100%, Bradda Head Ltd earning initial 55%) is located in Nye County, Nevada 140km east from the lithium production area of Silver Peak- Clayton Valley. The Project is 100% owned by Zenith and is located in the Railroad Basin. The property is comprised of 168 unpatented placer claims in a single claim block totalling 3,360 acres that were located in November 2016 to encompass highly anomalous lithium in surface sediment samples coincident with a salt lake and discrete gravity low interpreted to be a closed basin. Both aeromagnetic and gravity modelling indicate complex basement geology indicative of major faults capable of channelling and focusing lithium enriched geothermal fluids and Infill surface sampling and ground based electrical geophysical surveys are planned prior to drill testing. The Spencer Project is located in Lander County, Nevada near the lithium production area of Silver Peak-Clayton Valley . The Project is 100% owned by Zenolith (USA) Inc (“Zenolith”) a wholly owned subsidiary of Zenith Minerals Limited, and is located in the North Smoky Basin northwest of White Mountain. The property is comprised of 146 unpatented placer claims in two claim blocks totalling 2,920 acres that were located in November 2016 to encompass highly anomalous lithium in surface sediments and water samples, in close proximity to the Spencer hot spring that lies on the eastern margin of the North Smoky Valley basin, coincident with inferred major basin margin faults. Zenith has staked concessions over salt lake brine targets in the Zacatecas area of central Mexico. Three areas; San Juan, San Vincente and Illescas (covering a total of 26,440 acres) have been applied for with Zenith to hold 100% interest through a Mexican subsidiary. Lithium brines to 2.1% lithium have been taken from small scale, salt production solar evaporation ponds on an adjacent salt lake located 10km west of Zenith’s new tenure. The Burro Creek lithium project in Arizona (Zenith Option to acquire 100%, Bradda Head Ltd earning initial 55%) is a large scale lithium (Li) clay target under exclusive option Follow-up surface sampling returned high-grade lithium results of widths up to 33.6m metres at 980 ppm Li, and 15m @ 1427 ppm Li. These results are comparable to competitor lithium clay projects in USA and Mexico that are subject to feasibility studies and trial processing plants respectively; Recent geological mapping and seismic geophysical surveys confirm extensive zones of shallow dipping lithium bearing clay with true thickness up to 50 metres; Based on the positive outcomes of work completed during the initial due diligence period Zenith has resolved to exercise its option to proceed with the project. Metallurgical test work is ongoing to assess ease of extracting lithium. The San Domingo project in Arizona covers a 9km by 1.5km lithium-bearing pegmatite dyke swarm that intrudes Proterozoic mafic gneiss host rocks that are in turn locally overlain by Tertiary age volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Initial mapping and sampling by Zenith’s consultants to date has identified 10 lithium bearing pegmatite dykes ranging in outcrop size up to 60m in width and up to 600m in length within the area subject to Zenith’s tenements. Initial continuous rock chip sampling conducted within the new applications has returned very encouraging results up to 5m @ 1.97% Li₂O including 2.4m @ 2.49% Li₂O, and sampling of Lithia King workings returned up to 1.44% Li₂O over a 3 metre composite.  A further 3 lithium bearing pegmatite dykes are known to occur at least partly within small claims that are believed to be excised from the land recently applied for by Zenith.

Chinese and Tibetan deposits and companies mining and exploring for lithium.

China’s production of lithium is mainly from brine salts which is quite complex, resulting the country being dependent on importing spodumene concentrate which accounts for 66-70% of the market. >Salt lake lithium brine production in China is very limited. The industry had an annual output of 10,000 tonnes in 2016 of lithium carbonate and hydroxide. The lithium brine is mainly sourced from Qinghai Lithium Co, Ltd., Qinghai CITIC Guoan Co, Ltd., and Lanke Lithium Industry Co, Ltd. >Every year China imports a vast amount of spodumene concentrate, almost all of it from Talison Mining (owned by Tianqi Group). According to statistics in 2012 China imported 280,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate. In 2013 the country reduced its imports to 250,000 citing high ore prices. The economic downturn lead to a reduction in spodumene concentrate imports for 2013 however the imports have since recovered as China imported 330,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate in 2014 and 360,000 tonnes in 2015. >In recent years China has become a considerably big consumer of lithium. In 2014 China’s total consumption reached 65,800 tonnes, accounting for 40% of the world lithium consumption. By 2015, the annual consumption rate of lithium increased 20% to 7.87 million tonnes. China imported 2,474 tonnes of lithium carbonate in April 2017, up 33% year-on-year and 20% month-on-month, while the average import price reached a historical record at $11,552.66/tonne for the month, surging 63% year-on-year and 3% month-on-month.

Zabuye Salt Lakes (also spelled Zhabuye and Zabuye Caka) and DXC (also spelled Dangxiongcuo and Damxung Co) salt lakes are located in the south western region of the Tibet Plateau, a region containing lakes with high lithium content and low Mg/Li ratios. Zabuye consists of two lakes (South and North Zabuye), which are connected by a channel. South Zabuye has an area of 145 km and presents intercrystal and surface brine; North Zabuye’s area is 98 km² and only presents surface brine. Lithium concentration is 1,413 (mg/L) in South Zabuye’s intercrystal brine, 896 (mg/L) in South Zabuye’s surface brine, and 1,527 (mg/L) in North Zabuye’s surface brine.

The Qaidam Basin, also known as Tsaidam Basin, occupies the north-western part of China’s Qinghai province on the Plateau of Tibet. The basin has an area of 34,700 square miles and contains 37 lakes, of which 28 are considered salt lakes located at an average elevation of 9,150 feet over sea level. Lakes in the basin are characterized by higher Mg/Li ratios and lower Li concentration than lakes in the rest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. High Mg/Li ratios had been a hindrance to lithium extraction; however, in 2004, Blue Star Changsha Design and Research Institute demonstrated the feasibility of commercial production of lithium carbonate with a new technology to treat these high-Mg content brines. Reserve estimates for deposits in the Qaidam Basin range from 1 to 3.1 Mt. An important reason for the difference is that Garret and Evans give resources estimates for one lake only; whereas Clarke and Harben, as well as Yaksic and Tilton, give estimates for three lakes and the entire basin, respectively. Another reason for the difference might be the lack of primary data available and the fact that some articles use significantly different spellings for the translation of lake names. Evans also cited this issue as a reason for the reduced reliability of the Chinese reserve estimates he presents. A reserve estimate for the Qaidam basin is 2.02 Mt of lithium.

China Lithium Products Technology Co. Ltd (上海中锂实业有限公司) specializes in exploration of Li and metal resources, including mining, mineral separation , research and production. At present, the company owns four big and medium size lithium mines. It owns the hard rock Severia mines in Sichuan. The lithium mines possess an annual production capacity of over 1.5 million tonnes of lithium minerals. The company produces lithium carbonate at a rate of 3900MT/Year and lithium hydroxide monohydrate at a rate of 5000MT/Year.  

Citic Guoan Lithium Science & Technology Company Ltd (青海中信国安科技发展有限公司) CITIC Guoan Technology Development Co., Ltd. was established in Kunlun Economic Development Zone in Golmud City in March 2003 with a registered capital of RMB 1.2 billion. As a high-tech chemical company with integrated business of resources development, comprehensive utilization, technical research and development, R&D in new material and new products, the company is engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and sales of potassium, lithium, boron, and magnesium in Qaidam Basin and West Taijnar Salt Lake. As a salt lake mining field with great potential deposits of magnesium sulfate, West Taijnar Salt Lake holds 26 million of potassium chloride in liquid reserves and 40 million tons in solid reserves; 3.08 million tons of lithium chloride, 1.62 million tons of diboron trioxide, 164,577,500 tons of magnesium chloride, and 221,9223 million tons of sodium chloride. After years of development, the company has manufacturing facilities with an annual output of 300,000 tons of potassium sulphate, 300,000 tons of potassium chloride, 45 0,000 tons of potassium magnesium fertilizer, 20,000 tons of lithium carbonate, 10,000 tons of refined boron acid, 100,000 tons of magnesium oxide as well as auxiliary production and living facilities in salt pan, power plant and living areas. Lithium is being extracted from Xitai Lake (Qaidam Basin) by Qinghai Guoan, a subsidiary of CITIC Guoan Information Industry Co. Ltd. Qinghai Guoan Co’s plant has a 5,000 tpa Li₂CO₃ capacity and is projected to expand to 30,000 tpa. CITIC Guoan Lithium Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd, a sub-division of CITIC Guoan Group, also owns the Gajika Mine, which is estimated to have 1,266,000 tons of reserve as counted by lithium oxide. 1,266,000 tonnes of Li₂O are equivalent to approximately 591,000 tonnes of lithium. 

Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. (002460:CH) is one of the world’s leading Lithium manufacturers, established in China in 2000 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 2010. Ganfeng has experienced rapid growth in recent years, consequently forming several highly specialized Lithium production subsidiaries and most recently commissioning a new facility in China adding 500mt/y Li metal to its current 1000mt/y Li production capacity. The company exports and produces over 20 unique lithium products for various applications worldwide. This includes Li metal batteries for which GFL has developed a breakthrough technology that shortens the industry standard production process. Ganfeng Lithium is not only International Lythium Corporation’s strategic partner but also has a 17% ownership in the company. The parties are now jointly working on developing the Avalonia Lithium Pegmatite project in Ireland and Mariana Lithium Brine project in Argentina.

Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co.,Ltd (江西赣锋锂业股份有限公司) is a hi-tech enterprise founded in 2000 and covers science, industry and trade with an area of 300 Chinese acres. The corporate headquarter is located at Longteng Road Xinyu Economic Development zone Jiangxi Province. The main products are lithium chloride, lithium fluoride, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium magnesium alloy and so on. There are four subsidiary companies.

Lionergy Limited is a China based company specialized in the Lithium industry. Its business scope covers spodumene exploration, spodumene mine development, spodumene concentrate sales and distribution, Li₂CO3 and LiOH manufacturing and sales, Lithium metal manufacturing, cathode materials manufacturing for Li-ion batteries.

Qinghai Salt Lake Industry (青海锂业有限责任公司) is extracting lithium from the Chaerhan Lake deposit (Qaidam Basin) and claims it has proven reserves of 8 Mt of lithium chloride, equivalent to 2.6 Mt of lithium. Lithium extraction in Dongtai Lake is also being done by Qinghai Salt Lake Industry, whose plant has a 3,000 tpa Li₂CO₃ capacity and is projected to expand to 20,000 tpa.

Rong Jie Co., Ltd. (融捷股份有限公司

Shandong Mingrui Group, a Chinese chemical group, bought the Bougouni lithium project in Mali from Birimian Gold for $107.5 million. It has a 15.5 million tonne resource grading 1.48 per cent lithium oxide.

Sichuan Dexin Mining Resources Ltd is a metal ore mining in Abazangzuqiangzu Zizhizhou, China. The company is located at Jimu Genzha, Jinchuan. This public company was founded in 2006. Owns the hard Rock Lijiagou Lithium Mine.

Sichuan Ni & Co Company Ltd owns the hard rock Maerkang mines. Sichuan Ni&Co Guorun New Materials Co., Ltd. engages in research, production, and marketing of non-ferrous metal ores. The company's three business units are mining and processing of lithium compound products, recycling of non-ferrous metals, and mining and processing of zinc. The company produces and processes nickel, cobalt, copper, lead, zinc, silver, lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, electrolytic nickel, electrolytic cobalt plate, and copper cathode. The company exports its products to countries in European, America and South-east regions. The company has sub-factories in Sichuan, Jiangxi, and Tibet. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Meishan, China. The capacities for lithium products made from spodumene and nickel products are the top, and we are the second producer in China. Achievements embody not only on lithium, like synthesis of rechargeable Li-ion battery anode materials, Li production techniques, separation of Li from other non-ferrous metals and distillation ofLi from saline brine, but also on comprehensive utilization of Li resource and producing Ni metal from laterite by hydrometallurgy techniques. 

SICHUAN SHENG NI KEI GUO RUN XIN CAI LIAO CO.,LTD. is a sole sub company of CITIC Group. It owns Maerkang, a pegmatite deposit containing spodumene, which is estimated to have 483,000 tons of reserve as counted by lithium oxide. 483,000 tonnes of Li2O are equivalent to approximately 225,000 tonnes of lithium.

Sichuan Tianqi Shenghe Lithium Industries Inc (Tianqi Lithium or Tianqi Shenghe) founded in October 1995 and listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) in 2010, Sichuan Tianqi Lithium Industries Inc. (Tianqi Lithium) claims to be the world’s largest company in producing lithium from ores. Tianqi Shenghe is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sichuan Tianqi Lithium Industries, Inc. ad operates Yajiang County’ Cuola Spodumene Mine - West Block of the largest Jiajika Spodumene Mine in Asia. Tianqi Lithium Industries is to build a A$400 million ($306 million) plant in Australia which it aims to open in late 2018, expanding its output of the material mainly for lithium batteries used in electric cars and high-end energy storage. The plant will take ore from the Greenbushes mine and would be able to produce 24,000 tonnes a year of lithium hydroxide, boosting Tianqi's processing capacity by more than 50 percent, the company said in a statement. 

Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co., Ltd. (Yahua) specializes in civil explosive material research, production, and providing blasting services. Lithium resource development,through Lijiagou spodumene mine which is Asia's largest with lithium oxide equivalent resources amounting to 510,000 tons. Manufacturing of lithium salts and compounds includes lithium hydroxide 12,000 tonnes, battery grade lithium carbonate 1,800 tonnes, 2,500 tons of industrial grade lithium carbonate, lithium dihydrogen phosphate, 2,500 tons of battery grade lithium manganese oxide production capacity of 200 tons.

Tianqi Lithium (天齐锂业股份有限公司) is a leading global supplier of lithium products, with major businesses including lithium resource development and exploitation, downstream production processing and trade for a diverse range of high quality lithium products including mineral concentrates. alison Lithium, controlled by Tianqi, mines and possesses the world's largest and highest grade spodumene reserves in Greenbushes, Western Australia. This asset has been exploited for more than 25 years. Tianqi’s wholly-owned Cuola lithium ore reserves in Yajiang County, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province, are part of asignificant spodumene reserves in Jiajika, Ganzi, which is now considered one of the largest spodumene reserves throughout Asia. Tianqi also has a share holding interest in Zhabuye Salt Lake Lithium Project, located in Shigatse, Tibet, which has millions of tonnes of lithium reserves, which are well-known for their high quality within China and abroad. Tianqi owns and operates two of the largest single point lithium production plants in the world as follows: Tianqi Lithium Battery Material Industrial Zone, in Shehong County, Sichuan Province. The world's largest battery-grade lithium carbonate production base in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province. Kwinana lithium hydroxide production base in Western Australia is under construction.

Tibet Mineral Development Co.,Ltd, the only listed mining company in Tibet, will focus on lithium development in the region. The company holds 40 percent the shares of the Shengyuan Mining Group Corporation, which was founded on Dec. 16, 2009 and is expected to serve as a major platform for restructuring Tibet's mining industry. As the largest shareholder of the corporation, the Shenzhen-listed company is assigned to exploit mineral resources. At present Tibet Mineral Development company's business lines include mineral resources like chromium iron, copper and lithium. Of these, the lithium carbonate project in the Zhabuye Salt Lake will become a focal point of its development. The lake's lithium carbonate reserves are estimated at 2.4 million tons. The company plans to form an annual production capacity of 5,000 tons in the first phase of construction and 20,000 tons in the second phase. The company aims to become the biggest lithium producer in China after integrating the lithium resources in other salt lakes in the region. Statistics show that Tibet has 490 salt lakes with a water surface topping one sq km, with the reserves of only seven verified.

Tibet Saline Lake Mining High-Science & Technology Co., a joint venture between Sterling Group Ventures and Zhong Chuan exploits the DXC Lake’s lithium resource. DXC Lake has an area of 55.5 km2 and an average depth of 7.6 meters.Production capacity is 5,000 tonnes of Li2CO3 capacity annually. Its brine lithium concentration is 430 (mg/L). It has an estimated 181,300 tonnes of lithium resource.

Tibet Zabuye Lithium High-Tech Co., Ltd. is held by Tibet Mining Co., Ltd. The company focuses on the research and refining process of lithium carbonate, and owns saline development rights.

Western Mining Company Ltd (西部资源控股股份有限公司) is a large listed miner specializing in mining resource development in West China. WMC mainly mines, processes, smelts and trades nonferrous metals and ferrous metals including copper, lead, zinc, aluminum and iron ore. It operates eight mines and five smelters. WMC is the second largest lead concentrate producer, the fourth largest zinc concentrate producer and the eighth copper concentrate producer in China. Its subsidiary, Qinghai Lithium Co., Ltd., incorporated in Xining City, the capital city of Qinghai Province, mainly develops, produces and sells lithium salt, potassium salt, boric acid salt, magnesium and other chemical products. Its production base is in Xitai Jinaier Salt Lake, Haixizhou. It also runs the Qinghai Salt Lake Lithium Extraction and Resource Integrated Utilization Industry Project. So far Qinghai Lithium has built a production line which produces 3,000 tons’ lithium carbonate, 25,000 tons’ potassium and 2,500 tons’ boracic acid every year. Phase II project with a planned investment of RMB1.7 billion is under construction. When it is completed, the Company will have an annual capacity of 21,000 tonnes lithium carbonate, 225,000 tonnes potassium and 22,500 tonnes boracic acid. The Company is planning to build a power battery cathode materials plant using lithium carbonate as raw material. 

Zhabuye Lithium owns 20-year exclusive mining rights for the Zhabuye salt lake, the biggest lithium mine in China. The lake gives its name to the mineral zabuyelite (lithium carbonate, Li2CO3), which was discovered here in 1987. Chinese car and battery maker BYD (1211.HK) acquired an 18 percent stake in Zhabuye Lithium for 201 million yuan ($29.89 million). Apart from lithium carbonate, the lake has high content of borax and also contains mirabilite and other alkali metal salts with a total content of 360–410 g/L. The approximate elemental concentrations in the brine in g/L are as follows: Na (160), K (60), Li (1.5), Rb (0.25), Cs (0.1), SO4 (20), CO3 (90), Cl (120), Br (3), I(0.02), B (3). The water density is about 1.4 g/cm³ and pH about 10. The lithium content, 1.53 g/L, nearly corresponds to the solubility limit of lithium carbonate in water and is second highest in the world. The production of zabuyelite from the salt lake water began in 2004–2005, after exploration work for the mineral was initiated in 1982. In 1984, lithium was found in micro-fine sediments of the lake and considered amenable to refining in large quantities. Production started from a brine grading 0.12% Li. The company involved with the extraction has a plant at the lake which had the total capacity of 5,000 tonnes and produced 1,556.5 tonnes of lithium carbonate in 2008. Its capacity was projected to increase to 20,000 tonnes in the near future. A reserve of 1.53 million tonnes Li (8.3 million tonnes of carbonate) is claimed, but this estimate is considered as overly optimistic. Established in 1999, Tibet Zabuye Lithium High-Tech Co., Ltd. is held by Tibet Mining Co., Ltd. The company focuses on the research and refining process of lithium carbonate, and owns saline development rights.

Zhonghe Co., Ltd.(福建众和股份有限公司)

Russian lithium deposits

Nine Russian deposits are estimated, by Clarke and Harben, to have greater than 100,000 tonnes of lithium resources, although limited information is available on these deposits. Evans quotes Roskill Information Services, which identifies six large deposits, none of which produce lithium carbonate currently.