Rodinia Lithium Successfully Harvests
Sylvinite On Site At Diablillos
- SUCCESSFUL HARVESTING OF SYLVINITE DURING REGULAR OPERATION OF PILOT ENGINEERING PROGRAM
- PILOT PROCESSING CONFIRMS EFFECTIVE REMOVAL OF SYLVINITE IN AN ISOLATED POND USING CONVENTIONAL EVAPORATION BASED PROCESSING
- EVAPORATION CYCLE OF INITIAL PAN PILOT TEST SERIES COMPLETE CONFIRMING INITIAL PORTION OF THE METALLURGICAL PROCESS DESCRIBED IN PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
Toronto, Canada, May 14, 2012: Rodinia Lithium Inc.
(“Rodinia” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: RM; OTCQX: RDNAF) is pleased to
report that sylvinite has been successfully produced and harvested at the
Company’s 100% owned Diablillos lithium-potash brine project (“Project” or
“Salar” or “Diablillos”) in Salta, Argentina. Sylvinite, a potash and sodium
chloride salt, has been harvested during operation of the pilot engineering
program being conducted on site. The results of the brine geochemical
development during this pilot cycle was within the Company’s expectations and
offers significant confirmation of the initial portion of the metallurgical
process described in the Company’s Preliminary Economic Assessment conducted on
Diablillos dated December 22, 2011 and filed on the SEDAR profile of the Company
at www.sedar.com (the “PEA”).
William Randall, Rodinia’s President & CEO, commented,
“Having harvested sylvinite during the regular operation of our pilot
engineering program is a major milestone for the Company. We remain confident
that these results confirm our ability to produce potash from Diablillos using
conventional methods employed by other major brine producers in South and North
America. This asset continues to meet our targeted milestones as we advance
towards feasibility and production.”
This initial result from the pilot engineering program is from
the first series of solar evaporation tests at ambient conditions of the Salar.
The evaporation was started May 2011 and concluded in April 2012. The first
series is one of five evaporation tests in progress. Each test in pools and
pans were started at different times of the year to see the effect of weather on
the evaporation cycle chemistry. The resultant brine from these evaporation
tests will subsequently be processed for recovery of boron and lithium
products.
The process engineering department continues to monitor the
evolution of both the pools and pans installed on site at approximately 4050
metres above sea level. As announced previously, a first stage of magnesium and
sulphate removal has been completed, followed by successful removal of sylvinite
in the ensuing step, confirming that potash is going to be a valuable by-product
of an eventual lithium carbonate production facility.
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 2011, Rodinia will focus
on continuing to develop the Diablillos project by completing additional
drilling and advancing through scoping study.
The Company also holds 100% mineral rights to approximately
70,000 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.
The Projects are supervised by Ray Spanjers, Rodinia’s Manager
of Exploration. Mr. Spanjers is considered a Qualified Person, as defined by
National Instrument 43‐101 and has read and approved the scientific and
technical information contained in this release.
Readers are cautioned that the PEA is preliminary in nature and
is partly based on inferred mineral resources that are considered too
speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them
that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no
certainty that the PEA based on these mineral resources will be realized. The
results depend on inputs that are subject to a number of known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ
materially from those presented here.
Please visit the Company’s web site at www.rodinialithium.com or write us at
info@rodinialithium.com.
For further information please
contact
Investor Cubed Inc.
Investor Relations
Tel: +1 (647) 258-3311
Investor Cubed Inc.
Investor Relations
Tel: +1 (647) 258-3311
Aaron Wolfe
Vice-President, Corporate Development
Tel: +1 (416) 309-2696
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 timing with respect to the development of the property; the results of the pilot engineering program; the potential of the Diablillos property; the potential results and timetable for further exploration with respect to the Clayton Valley project and 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.
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 timing with respect to the development of the property; the results of the pilot engineering program; the potential of the Diablillos property; the potential results and timetable for further exploration with respect to the Clayton Valley project and 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.
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