Argentina Lithium Reports Geophysical Survey Adds Nearly 600 Hectares of Potential Brine Aquifer at Rincon West Project and Plans Additional Drilling.
Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. (TSXV: LIT) (FSE: OAY3) (OTCQX: LILIF), (“Argentina Lithium” or the “Company”) announces the completion of geophysical surveys at its Don Fermin property (the “Property”), part of the Company’s Rincon West lithium project in Salta Province, Argentina. The results of these deep-seeking geophysical studies expand the potential extent of conductive brine aquifers at the project by nearly 600 hectares and have provided targets for a new 6-hole drill program at the project, for which permitting is underway.
The Property covers 1,456 hectares on the eastern flank of the Salar de Rincon, approximately 19 km east of the Company’s main Rincon West property block (see location map, here). The block is located adjacent to Rio Tinto’s Rincon Project and 1.1 kilometres northeast of Argosy Minerals’ Rincon Project.
A total of 24.2 line-kilometres of Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) sounding surveys were completed. The surveys provide electrical resistivity data capable of detecting and delineating conductive strata potentially associated with concentrated lithium brines. TEM soundings are an advanced reconnaissance technique frequently employed in the exploration of lithium salars, and the method was successful at delineating the potential brine aquifer for drill targeting at the Company’s Rinconcita II and Villanoveño II properties, where all holes drilled to date have intersected significant intervals of lithium-bearing brine (see Company news releases filed on SEDAR+ and the Company’s website at www.argentinalithium.com for details).
Miles Rideout, V.P. of Exploration, said:
The TEM survey is a powerful tool that once again has provided us with excellent information for targeting. We are excited to move towards drilling at Don Fermin and to potentially define a second area for lithium resource delineation in the future.
The TEM surveys, data modeling and presentation were completed by the Argentinean subsidiary of Toronto-based Quantec Geoscience Ltd., (“Quantec”). Quantec is a recognized leader in the industry, with experience spanning over 40 countries with over 5,000 geophysical projects. Quantec has considerable experience in the provision of geophysical services for the evaluation of salars in the Puna Region of Argentina.
A total of 129 soundings were completed at 200 metre intervals along eight east-west lines and three north-south lines (see Figure 1). Data were acquired with a Geonics Ltd. PROTEM System operated in centre-loop sounding mode with 200 m transmitter loops. The sounding data were recorded at 2.5 and 25 Hz. repetition rates. The data were modelled with 1-D resistivity-depth inversions, which were compiled as 2D resistivity transects of the project. The maximum depth of investigation varied from 200 metres to as much as 1200 metres below surface.
Figure 1 presents a map showing the extent of highly conductive subsurface strata at the project (shaded yellow), interpreted from the TEM to represent the potential extent of concentrated brine aquifer and covering an area of approximately 596 hectares.
Figure 2 presents a sequence of TEM sections overlaid on the interpretation map. The upper bound of each section represents the topography of the terrain at surface. The lower extent of each section represents the maximum depth of investigation, not the limit of the conductive targets. In this presentation, warm colours shading red-to-purple designate electrically-conductive strata consistent with brine aquifers in a salar setting. Cold colours (blue-white) represent resistive units interpreted to lack brine potential. The electrical resistivity data are presented in Ohm-metre units.
Based on published drill data and geophysics from similar salar projects, the Company expects prospective aquifer zones to exhibit resistivities below approximately 5 Ohm-m. Brine-rich porous units are expected to produce resistivities on the order of 1 Ohm-m.
Qualified Person
Frits Reidel, CPG is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, is the Principal of Atacama Water Consultants, and is independent of Argentina Lithium. Mr. Reidel has reviewed the work carried out by the Company’s exploration team at the exploration-stage Rincon West property. The disclosure in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Reidel.
READ the latest Batteries News shaping the battery market
Argentina Lithium Reports Geophysical Survey Adds Nearly 600 Hectares of Potential Brine Aquifer at Rincon West Project and Plans Additional Drilling. source
