Salar Tolillar Project
Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) of Tolillar Project (Updated)
View DocumentHighlights
Located within the Argentina section of world-famous “Lithium Triangle”.
Surrounded by multi-billion dollar Lithium assets.
100% ownership of the Tolillar Salar, one of the last remaining undeveloped salars in Salta Province, Argentina.
27,500 hectares secured with proven existence of lithium offers drastically reduced exploration risk.
10 km from the largest and longest producing salar in Argentina; FMC’s (now Livent Corp) high-quality/low impurity Fenix Project.
Up to 504 mg/L identified from limited previous testing on <10% of claim area.
Tolillar Project Details
- 27,500-hectare salar
Alpha is sole owner of entire salar
9,000 hectares (32%) explored
15 exploration wells drilled and completed, including two freshwater wells
160 geophysics points / 85km of lines, all Vertical Electrical Sounding (“VES”) - Preliminary Resource Estimate, September 2022
2.11 million tonnes of indicated resource (LCE)
1.16 million tonnes of inferred resource (LCE)
Additional 18,500 hectares (68%) not yet explored - Production favourable for (i) traditional pond evaporation and (ii) DLE production
Proprietary DLE technology has produced 12,000 mg/L lithium concentrate
Proprietary DLE+production process has produced high-grade Li2CO3 and LiOH - Uncontested access to high flow rate fresh water (>75m3/hour)
Initial recharge studies indicate renewable and environmentally sound source - Regional infrastructure includes local skilled workforce, high-grade roads, rail, airport, high-voltage electrical grid, natural gas pipelines and trucking infrastructure
Salar Tolillar Geology
- The Tolillar Salar occupies an internally drained (endorheic) basin.The oldest rocks in the area are the Tolillar Formation, which consists mainly of early Ordovician sediments.
- Outcrops formed by marine sediments occur east from the salar area. The stratigraphic sequence continues with younger continental sediments which includes conglomerates, sandstones and mudstones with gravels, sands and clays that occur on the margins of the salar, and evaporite deposits within the salar proper.
- The floor of the salar consist of two distinct deposit types. The northern part consists of an earthier crust weakly cemented with salt. To the south, the salt crust varies in thickness from several centimeters, to 20-30 centimeters
- All surface water that flows into the basin is either evaporated directly, or enters the groundwater circulation system and is evaporated at a later time. Water levels tend to be relatively shallow in the flat part of the salar.
- The principal sources of water are from surface into the basin from the margins. There appears to be limited mixing of the fresh water and brine due to density differences. Evaporation of fresh water in the basin results in concentration of the dissolved minerals and ultimately results in brine generation
- Results of exploration well DDH_B_01 indicate that basin-fill deposits in the north part of the Project can generally be divided into the following two hydrogeologic units:
- An upper clastic and evaporite unit that extends from land surface to a depth of about 55 meters, and consists of halite and clay, with minor sand and silt.
- A lower clastic unit that extends from 55 meters to the maximum well depth of 208 meters, and consisting of coarser, interbedded sand, silt, and gravel.
- Based on VES geophysical results, deeper units are likely to exist, including basement rock. Future exploration drilling at depth will provide a better understanding of the entire sedimentary sequence within the Project area.
- Recent studies have shown the region is underlain by an extensive magma chamber at 4 to 8 km deep (de Silva, 1989) and is potentially the ultimate source of anomalously high values of lithium in the region.
Infrastructure
Salar Tolillar Infrastructure
- Solar radiation is intense, particularly during the summer months of October through March, leading to extremely high evaporation rates.
- A 600-megawatt (Mw), 375 kilovolt (Kv) power line between Salta and Mejillones in Chile passes about 150 km north of the Property. The line reportedly transmits 110 Mw from Mejillones to the Argentinean Interconnected System.
- A natural gas line (Gasoducto de la Puna) passes along provincial highway RP.17 south from Salar de Pocitos. This pipeline is less than 10 km east from the Project area.
- The nearest rail line in the region is an existing narrow-gauge railway between Salta, Argentina and the pacific coastal port of Antofagasta, Chile.
- The Project is connected to Salta, Salar de Pocitos and San Antonio de los Cobres by a well maintained, paved and unpaved road network. RP-17, which is a gravel and dirt road, passes within 10 km of the Project.
- Full services, including fuel and medical services at San Antonio de los Cobres, a 3-hour drive, and Salta city, a 6-hour drive.
Salar Tolillar Milestones
Tolillar Milestones ACHIEVED…
- Acquired 27,500 hectares and are exclusive owner of Tolillar Salar
- Explored only 9,000 hectares of the salar
- Acquired 160 points of VES, a total of 85 km of VES lines
- Drilled 15 exploration wells
- Constructed a 100-person camp and built infrastructure on-salar
- Discovered significant fresh water resource and initiated recharge study
- Produced inaugural resource estimate
- Started construction of pilot plant
- Negotiated US$385 million investment for 50% of the Tolillar Salar
Tolillar Milestones AHEAD…
- Continue to explore:
- Shoot additional VES
- Drill additional wells to expand vertically (deeper) and horizontally (expand the extent)
- Complete on-site pilot plant and operate under salar conditions
- Improve resource estimate (i) quality and (ii) size
- Construct evaporation ponds, test evaporation methods, test DLE technologies
- Complete economic assessment
- Negotiate possible improved transaction, given improved industry metrics
Salar Tolillar Resource Estimate
- Average drainable porosity of 13%
- Current resource estimate represents only 32% of the property
- Maximum depth drilled of 400 metres (maximum sample depth of 349 metres) with 345 mg/L lithium reported
- Additional resource may be added “horizontally” through areal expansion drilling
- Additional resource may be added “vertically” through deeper drilling and capturing additional volume
- Additional resource may be added “vertically” through deeper drilling and capturing improved lithium quality
Project Summary
- Salar de Tolillar is located in the Province of Salta, home to many evaporitic basins, or “salars” where important deposits of borates, sodium sulfate, and lithium are concentrated
- Several explorations have occurred since 2012. Including surface brine sample campaigns (2012), trench brine samples in 2014, shallow borehole samples in 2015, and a VES survey in 2017
- 2018 exploration & drilling samples from shallow trenches and shallow boreholes, included pumped sampling during drilling operations.
- Laboratory results from pumping test at DDH_B_01 demonstrate that subsurface brine in the north part of the concession also show enriched lithium concentrations.
- Lithium concentrations were identified up to 504 mg/L in borehole samples in 2015 study.
- The results of magnesium to lithium ratios (Mg/Li) are very low for the region, and are favorable for traditional processing treatment.
- Initial results for lithium & potassium concentrations from surface sampling support a highly favorable production scenario.
- Drilling licenses approved – ready to commence drill program.
- The Company is investigating a reliable on – site concentration technology, NOT Li2CO3 or LiOH production technology and if successful, will combine this with existing proven production technologies for enhanced results.
QUALIFIED PERSON
The technical information contained on this website has been approved by Mike Rosko, a Principal and General Manager of Montgomery & Associates, who is a “qualified person” within the meaning of NI 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is an independent consultant of the Company.