MetalsTech is focused on the exploration of hard rock lithium and cobalt across its portfolio of projects in Quebec and Ontario, Canada.
Resource definition drilling underway at its 100%-owned Cancet Lithium Project where up to 5.58% Li2O has been assayed in drill target zone from surface, and a Scoping Study for the project is expected in late 2017.
Access
- Located approximately 185 km east of La Grande and bisected by the Trans Taiga Highway with high voltage power near the project
Mineralisation
- 9,584ha prospective for high-grade lithium hosted in spodumene-bearing pegmatites
- Recent exploration program designed to locate and resample pegmatite outcrop historically reported to contain blue/green spodumene and elevated levels of lithium
- Rock chip sampling in 2016 yielded samples of 1.71% Li2O, 1.85% Li2O, 1.94% Li2O and 3.79% Li2O
- Spodumene crystals ranged between 15cm to 60cm in size
- Channel sampling program in 2016/2017 defined outcropping spodumene-bearing pegmatite open across width and along strike
- CH16-01 was 12.8m in length including intervals of 1.71%, 2.35%, 3.08% and 4.95% Li2O
- CH16-02 was 10.6m in length including intervals of 1.19%, 2.11% and 2.50% Li2O
- CH16-03 was 4.1m in length including intervals of 1.22%, 2.54%, 3.55% and 5.58% Li2O
- Elevated Ta2O5 across most of the identified mineralisation
- Average Li2O across all channels (1.47%) measured higher than the major lithium deposits in Quebec.
Metallurgy
- Metallurgical test work on 100kg composite drill core sample confirms high grade spodumene in the pegmatite ore body at Cancet
- Heavy Liquid Separation (HLS) tests on composites crushed to 10mm and 5.6mm showed that Dense Media Separation (DMS) at SG 2.8 could recover 89% to 91% of the lithium at a grade of >6.4% Li2O in 19% of the DMS mass or 16.6% of the overall feed mass.
- These results show a very high recovery at a coarse crush size is achievable.
- Simple processing could mean significantly lower CAPEX and OPEX against peers as well as shorter commissioning time
- Coarse grain premium concentrate – preferred by offtake partners
- Elevated Ta2O5 across the deposit
- High Grade Composite (2.35% Li2O) produced a concentrate grade of 6.41% Li2O from 10mm crush indicating simple low cost DMS gravity separation at SG 2.8 will recover 97% of the lithium in 35% of the DMS mass
- Mid Grade Composite (1.54% Li2O) produced a concentrate grade of 6.12% Li2O from 10mm crush indicating DMS gravity separation at SG 2.8 will recover 95% of the lithium in 24% of the DMS mass
- Low Grade Composite (1.06% Li2O) produced a concentrate grade of 5.90% Li2O from 10mm crush indicating DMS gravity separation at SG 2.8 will recover 92% of the lithium in 16% of the DMS mass
- Cancet hosts a clean pegmatite with low iron oxide in assayed drill samples (0.5% to 0.8% Fe2O3) – producing a high purity coarse grain premium spodumene concentrate
Project Highlights
- Acquired in April 2017
- Initial acquisition of 672ha less than 10km SSW of the Historic Silver Mining Camp of the Cobalt Township in Ontario, Canada
- Proposed expansion of project through acquisition of 11 contiguous mineral claims to increase the Company’s landholding at Bay Lake four-fold to 2,744ha within a highly prospective Ag-Co rich geological domain
- 5km NNW of Equator Resources Limited’s (ASX: EQU) Cobalt Camp Project
- Historical mine shafts have exposed cobalt rich cobaltite veins assaying 15.36%, 15.29%, 14.31% and 15.27% Co
- Initial exploration plans include:
- A comprehensive ground mapping, mechanised trenching, sampling and drill target identification program – to commence during June 2017
- An Airborne EM survey over the key project area – to commence during July and August 2017
- An IP survey
- Drilling program targeted for Q3-2017 following detailed first phase data analysis
Target Geology
Strategic Partnership with Lithium Australia (ASX:LIT)
MetalsTech has entered into a Strategic Partnership Agreement with ASX-listed Lithium Australia to use and apply (on an exclusive basis in Quebec) its proprietary Sileach and LieNA lithium extraction technologies, as well as pipeline technologies applicable to the processing of lithium from spodumene concentrate.
Lithium extraction technology and hard rock processing solutions will play a strategic role in the lithium space into the future. A low cost processing solution is core to our business strategy and combined with our exposure to some of the cheapest industrial power globally in Quebec-Hydro, we believe with the help of a technology partner like Lithium Australia, we can strategically position ourselves to be one of the lowest cost lithium producers and a supplier of choice for the North American market.
About Sileach
Lithium Australia has developed a hydrometallurgical process, the Sileach process, for the recovery of lithium from spodumene, the host crystals for MetalsTech’s lithium projects and currently the primary source of hard rock lithium production globally.
Key features of the proprietary process include:
- universal leaching process for Li ores such as spodumene, micas, jadarite and clays
- low energy, no roasting required
- low cost
- low temperature / atmospheric pressure
- rapid reaction times
Sileach has demonstrated lithium extractions from alpha-spodumene of up to 92% in 4 hours.
Sileach continuous pilot plant operation, ANSTO Minerals, Lucas Heights, NSW shown in image (bottom right).
