American Lithium Corp. [TSXV-LI; NASDAQ-AMLI; FSE-5LA1] reported results from 14 step-out drill holes expanding the measured resource footprint at the Tonopah lithium project (TLC), located near the town of Tonopah, Nevada. A total of 26 diamond core holes and 16 reverse circulation (RC) holes drilled in 2022 and 2023 will be added to the updated mineral resource block model and incorporated into an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) on TLC.
The company has commenced early work which will be used to support mine permitting applications following the completion of the prefeasibility and associated study in H2 2024. It has appointed SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc. of Elko, Nevada, to co-ordinate the preparation of a mine plan of operations with the Bureau of Land Management. Additionally, the company has selected Nexus Environmental Consultants Inc. of Reno, Nev., to perform biological baseline studies in support of the mine plan of operations application.
TLC drilling highlights: Postresource drilling demonstrates continued expansion of TLC lithium deposit and continuity with significant intervals of claystone lithium (Li) mineralization greater than 1,000 parts per million Li at shallow depths; extension of measured resource footprint in all directions; 73.1 metres averaging 1,148 ppm Li in TLC-2222C between 17.1 and 90.2 metres down hole with up to 1,843 ppm Li over 1.5 m; 81.4 metres averaging 1,135 ppm Li in TLC-2321C between 27.1 and 108.5 metres down hole with up to 2,127 ppm Li over 1.5 metres; 80.8 metres averaging 1,090 ppm Li in TLC-2242 between three and 83.8 metres down hole with up to 2,008 ppm Li over 1.5 metres.
Identification of additional shallow, high-grade lithium mineralization to the northeast should grow the MRE and positively impact project economics. Drill results will further refine the prefeasibility study mine plan, Data from all additional 42 drill holes have been sent to Stantec Consulting Inc. and will be incorporated into an updated MRE for the TLC project.
Simon Clarke, CEO, stated: “We continue to make excellent progress at TLC. Drill results from the remainder of our 2022 program and our expansion drilling in 2023 should add significantly to the very large existing measured and indicated resource. In addition, the thick, shallow, higher-grade sections added should further enhance robust project economics and will be reflected in an updated TLC mine plan in the PFS. Our confidence in the project continues to grow and we have now launched work with SRK and Nexus which will feed into and help us fast-track the mine permitting process following completion of the PFS is in 2024.”
RC drill holes: TLC-2240, 2241 and 2242 as well as diamond drill holes TLC-2318C, 2320C, 2321C and 2333C were all drilled to the north of the existing measured resource footprint and extend the shallow, high-grade lithium mineralization approximately 850 metres to the north. TLC-2333C marks the northernmost mineralized hole with greater than 1,000 ppm Li intersected over appreciable thicknesses.
Diamond drill holes: TLC-2222C was drilled in the west central resource area and essentially fills in a historic gap in the resource from 2000 era drilling that was not drilled deep enough.
TLC-2228C was drilled in the central northwestern area to fill in a statistical gap in the measured resource footprint. TLC-2320C and 2221C were drilled to infill an existing gap in measured resource footprint in the south-central resource area.
TLC-2218C and 2219C were drilled along the southeastern edge of the measured resource footprint to extend and confirm lithium mineralization. TLC-2213C was drilled on the eastern side of the project area, and extends the mineralized footprint with lower-grade, but above cut-off grade, Li mineralization, marking the east-central limit of the TLC deposit high-grade footprint.
American Lithium is focused on enabling the shift to the new energy paradigm through the continued development of its TLC lithium project in the richly mineralized Esmeralda lithium district in Nevada, as well as continuing to advance its Falchani lithium and Macusani uranium development-stage projects in southeastern Peru. Prefeasibility is advancing well at TLC and Falchani.
