Rodinia Lithium Provides Processing Update On Progress At Diablillos

Toronto, Canada, June 11, 2013: Rodinia Lithium Inc. (“Rodinia” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: RM) is pleased to provide an update on its small scale pilot pond system at its wholly owned Salar de Diablillos lithium-potash project, located in Salta Province, Argentina.  The small scale pilot pond system, which has been working continuously since February 2012, has been providing on site experience and allowing for several advances in the metallurgical process.  Highlights from the pilot pond system include:

• Second batch of lithium carbonate produced, increasing purity to 99.79% Li2CO3
• Additional work completed to improve removal of interfering magnesium and sulphate ions
• Developed and demonstrated an alternate method to produce caustic soda during the process
• Use of caustic soda later  in the production process, potentially reducing reagent costs
• Work continues on site to improve yield, develop separation techniques and reduce raw material costs

William Randall, President & CEO of Rodinia, commented “While we experienced delays due to a variety of factors, including a third straight year of record rainfall during January and February, we are on track to deliver an updated economic study on the project.  Results of additional work conducted on the Salar lead us to believe the updated study will be in line with our previously completed Preliminary Economic Assessment, showing very robust figures with relatively low capital expenditure.  Management believes that the high returns and low capital output of the project are attractive components in the current financial climate.”

During the first quarter of 2013, a second process run on a larger scale was completed, resulting in the production of a second batch of lithium carbonate.  The process employed remains largely the same as the Company’s initial run, but the increased quantity of lithium carbonate produced allowed for a hot water wash to improve the quality of the lithium carbonate.  This additional step in the process resulted in increased lithium carbonate purity of 99.79%.

In addition to completing production of a second batch of lithium carbonate, the Company’s engineering team has been operating the small scale pilot pond system continuously in search of improvements in the process design.  The engineering department has been successful in lowering magnesium and sulphate concentration below levels achieved in previous runs.  Removal of magnesium and sulphate ions to achieve low concentration levels in accordance with the Company’s process design has been successful.

In addition, a significant development has been achieved in the production of caustic soda during the evaporation sequence.  An alternate method was tested on the Salar in an attempt to harvest caustic soda during the regular operation of the evaporation ponds.  The Company remains encouraged that the successful harvesting of caustic soda could result in lowered externally sourced reagent use, which in turn, has the potential to lead to meaningful operating cost savings.

The Company expects to provide further updates of work completed on the Salar de Diablillos over the coming months.

The project is supervised by Bob Cinq-Mars, P. Eng. Mr. Cinq-Mars is considered a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43‐101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this press release. Mr. Cinq-Mars is not independent of the Company.

About Rodinia Lithium Inc.:

Rodinia Lithium Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company with a primary focus on Lithium exploration and development in North and South America.  The Company is also actively exploring the commercialization of a significant Potash co-product that is expected to be recoverable through the lithium harvesting process.

Rodinia’s Salar de Diablillos lithium-brine project in Salta, Argentina, contains a recoverable resource of 2.82 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent and 11.27 million tonnes potassium chloride equivalent.  The project contains a recoverable inferred resource of 952,553,000 m3 grading 556 mg/L lithium and 6,206 mg/L potassium. Throughout 2013, Rodinia will focus on continuing to develop the Diablillos project by completing additional drilling and advancing through feasibility study.

The Company also holds 100% mineral rights to approximately 15,000 acres in Nevada’s lithium-rich Clayton Valley in Esmeralda County, and is currently in the process of assessing the size, quality and processing alternatives of this deposit.  The Clayton Valley project is located in the only known lithium-brine bearing salt lake in North America, and looks to represent the only new source for domestic lithium carbonate supply.

Please visit the Company’s web site at www.rodinialithium.com or write us at info@rodinialithium.com. 

For further information please contact

Aaron Wolfe
Vice-President, Corporate Development
Tel: +1 (416) 309-2696

Cautionary Notes
Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this press release constitutes “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as “plans”, “proposes”, “estimates”, “intends”, “expects”, “believes”, “may”, “will” and include without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated effects of the results and the impact of such results with respect to the pilot pond system, the timing with respect to future results, timing with respect to the completion of an updated economic study; the potential of the Diablillos property; the potential results and timetable for further exploration with respect to the Diablillos property, the timetable with respect to future acquisitions and exploration developments at Clayton Valley and Diablillos, timetable for further exploration, analysis and development, title disputes or claims; and governmental approvals and regulation. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, financing risks, acquisition risks, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

For further information please contact	Aaron Wolfe
Investor Cubed Inc.	Vice-President, Corporate Development
Investor Relations	Tel: +1 (416) 309-2696
Tel: +1 (647) 258-3311

Western Lithium Arranges US$20 Million Royalty Financing for Oilfield Drilling Additives Facility and Lithium Demonstration Plant

2 hours ago by Marketwire

Western Lithium USA Corporation ("Western Lithium", the "Company") (TSX: WLC)(OTCQX: WLCDF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Royalty Purchase Agreement with RK Mine Finance (Master) Fund II L.P. ("Red Kite") pursuant to which Red Kite has agreed to pay to Western Lithium up to US$20 million in consideration for the sale of a royalty on its Kings Valley Project, located in Nevada, USA.

An initial tranche of US$11 million will be funded concurrently with the closing of the royalty arrangement. A second tranche of US$9 million will be funded upon completion of the engineering and design of the lithium demonstration plant and once certain regulatory assurances have been received from the Bureau of Land Management with respect to the sale of by-products associated with lithium production, provided it occurs within three years following the date of the agreement. Closing of the royalty arrangement is expected to occur on or about February 6, 2013.

Western Lithium plans to use the initial funding tranche to construct a 10,000 ton per year process facility to produce Hectorite-based organoclay used in the oil and gas drilling industry. To make organoclay, the Company's Hectorite clay must be processed using an extruder and combined with several additives. Organoclay typically sells in a range of US$2,000 to $4,500 per short ton FOB shipping point, depending on performance. Engineering designs for a plant and negotiations for potential production locations are underway. Permitting of the Hectorite mine has commenced in Nevada and the Company is targeting to commence production and positive cash flow in early 2014 from the clay operation.

The Company has been producing pilot-scale samples of its products, which demonstrate thermal stability for application in high pressure high temperature (HPHT) drilling exploration environments. With the success of new directional drilling technology in recent years applied to shale gas and deep oil and gas drilling targets, the Company anticipates that there is a strong growth market for its thermally stable Hectorite products. 

Western Lithium's Hectorite clay is of high purity, which enables it to use a dry process to manufacture its products, that is expected to give the Company a cost advantage in the industry. A portion of the proceeds from the initial tranche will also be used to complete the design and engineering for a lithium demonstration plant.

The second tranche of funding is principally allocated towards the construction of a demonstration plant to test the viability of its lithium extraction process at a large scale. The Company released a pre-feasibility study in January 2012 (see news release dated January 27, 2012) that demonstrated competitive economics and a pre-tax net present project value of US$551 million at an 8% discount rate. Western Lithium believes that the next natural step is to work with an engineering technology group or strategic partner to further de-risk the process technology, in order to attract construction capital for the project.

Jay Chmelauskas, President and CEO of Western Lithium, commented: "Over the next year, we will focus our efforts on our specialty Hectorite drilling additive business with the expectation of generating positive cash flow for the Company in early 2014. In the longer term, we will construct a lithium demonstration plant to gain investment confidence with our project, and to realize the full potential of its asset value. We are positioning Red Kite and our shareholders and stakeholders to expected near term strong growth in the drilling industry and longer term strong growth in the lithium sector."
The royalty will be a gross royalty on all production from the Kings Valley Project. It will consist of a gross revenue royalty of 8% until the first and second funding tranches have been repaid. The royalty will then be reduced to 3.5% for the life of the project. Western Lithium will have the option at any time to reduce the royalty to 1.75% upon payment to Red Kite of US$20 million.

Western Lithium has agreed to pay a finder's fee to Haywood Capital Markets in respect of the transaction equal to 6% of the proceeds raised in both tranches. For the first tranche, the finder's fees will, subject to approval of the TSX, be paid as to US$429,000 in cash and US$231,000 in common shares issuable at the five day volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the TSX for the five trading days immediately preceding the closing.

About Red Kite
Red Kite provides mining companies with project financing and metal off-take agreements for initiation or expansion of mine production and is part of the Red Kite group. Red Kite operates across the global metals industry from offices in Bermuda, Denver, Hong Kong, London, New York, Shanghai and Sydney. Investors in Red Kite funds include college endowments, foundations, family offices, pensions and other institutional investors.
Western Lithium is developing the Kings Valley, Nevada lithium deposit into a strategic, scalable and reliable source of high quality lithium carbonate. The Company is positioning itself as a major U.S.-based supplier to support the rising global demand for lithium carbonate that is expected from the increased use of hybrid/electric vehicles. The Company is also pursuing the opportunity to be a supplier of specialty hectorite clay drilling additives to the oil and gas industry, and in particular, to support the growth of deep directional drilling applications in high temperature and high pressure environments.
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements and Information: Certain disclosure in this release constitutes forward-looking statements and information. When used in this release, the words "will", "once", "provided", "plans", "targeting", "expected", "expectation", "anticipates", "believe" or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this release include, among others the completion of the Royalty Purchase Agreement, including both the first tranche funding and the second tranche funding, the Company's plans for and anticipated benefit from the construction of facitlities and development of hectorite based organoclay operations as well as the timing of commercial operations and positive cash flow, the results of design and engineering of lithium demonstration plant and the eventual construction of that plant. Such statements and information involve the application of certain factors and assumptions by the Company that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements and information. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's development activities will be different than those expected by management, that the Company will be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required government approvals, that the Company will be unable to meet all conditions required for funding under the Royalty Purchase Agreement, the ability to procure required infrastructure, equipment and supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis and the conditions of the markets generally. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements and information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Contacts:
Western Lithium USA Corporation
Investor Relations
604-681-3071
604-681-3091 (FAX)
info@westernlithium.com
www.westernlithium.com

SOURCE: Western Lithium USA Corporation

mailto:info@westernlithium.com
http://www.westernlithium.com