Nevada Sunrise Provides Lithium-Mineralized Clays for Super Critical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Testing, Gemini Lithium Project, Nevada
Nevada Sunrise Provides Lithium-Mineralized
Clays for Super Critical Carbon Dioxide
Extraction Testing, Gemini Lithium Project,
Nevada
VANCOUVER, BC
,
Sept. 26, 2023
/CNW/ -
Nevada Sunrise Metals Corp.
("Nevada Sunrise", or
the "Company") (TSXV: NEV) (OTC: NVSGF) is pleased to announce that a novel form of
metallurgical testing is underway on lithium mineralization from its 100%-owned Gemini Lithium
Project ("Gemini") in
Nevada
, utilizing super critical carbon dioxide as a leaching agent. A new patent
granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in
August 2023
to the Company's consultant,
Willem Duyvesteyn
, M.Sc. of Extractive Metallurgy Consultants LLC of
Reno, Nevada
("EMC"), is
currently being tested on Gemini clay mineralization. EMC's patented process could revolutionize the
extraction of lithium from clay deposits by offering a "green" processing method while at the same
time providing in-ground sequestration of captured carbon dioxide ("carbon capture").
About Super Critical Carbon Dioxide
Super critical carbon dioxide ("scCD" or "sc CO
2
") is used extensively in chemical industries,
including, for example, for the production of decaffeinated coffee and various plant oils and extracts.
Carbon
dioxide ("CO
2
") reaches a supercritical state at 1,071 pounds per square inch (75.299
kg/cm
2
) pressure and a temperature of 87.98° F (31.1° C), whereupon it attains the properties of
both liquid and gas and can be utilized as a fast-acting solvent. Most importantly, scCD has been
extensively investigated for the sequestration of CO
2
in various geological formations, including clay-
type deposits.
It is commonly believed that lithium present in clay or "claystone" deposits is held in the interlayer
between the silica sheets of clays, such as smectite (hectorite), or illite (tainiolite) and is not very
strongly bound. In the scCD extraction process proposed by EMC, CO
2
is converted to bicarbonate
and this anion is readily picked up by the freed lithium ion, forming a water-soluble lithium
bicarbonate. The resulting lithium bicarbonate compound is much more soluble than lithium
carbonate. Some water in the interlayer will be displaced by CO
2
and therefore will provide
opportunities to sequester CO
2
, thus providing an environmentally-friendly method of lithium
extraction while establishing a unique form of carbon capture.
Stylized Model of a Super Critical CO2 Extraction Process (CNW Group/Nevada Sunrise Metals
Corporation)
While the initial focus of the scCD testing is on the
ex-situ
, or off-site, processing of lithium-bearing
clays, EMC has also identified the opportunity to use an
in-situ
approach employing freeze walls to
contain the CO
2
in a section of a lithium-bearing clay deposit while implementing carbon capture of
the CO
2
used during the lithium extraction process.
Results of the scCD testing of Gemini lithium-in-clay mineralization are expected in Q4 2023.
About Gemini
Gemini consists of 291 unpatented claims on Bureau of Land Management land covering
approximately 5,600 acres (2,266 ha.) located in the western Lida Valley,
Esmeralda County
,
approximately 6 miles (10 kilometres) east of the town of Lida,
Nevada
. The Lida Valley is a flat,
arid basin with a similar geological setting to the better-known
Clayton Valley
basin where Albemarle
Corporation operates the Silver Peak lithium brine mine, which has operated continuously since
1966.
Gemini is situated adjacent to the Gold Point Solar Energy Zone, a BLM land reserve set aside for
solar and wind power generation projects until 2033. Exploration at Gemini is complemented by the
Company's 80.09 acre/feet/year water right, a pre-requisite for the exploration and development of
lithium projects in
Nevada
.
In March and
April 2022
, Nevada Sunrise drilled two RC boreholes for a total of 2,020 feet (615.85
metres) in its maiden drilling program at Gemini. The drill sites were located within a defined gravity
low that hosts conductive layers detected by historical ground electromagnetic surveys. The results
from the first two holes at Gemini represented a new discovery of lithium mineralization in the
western Lida Valley, which was not historically drill tested for lithium (see Nevada Sunrise news
release dated
May 18, 2022
). In
July 2022
, Nevada Sunrise received a permit for an expanded
drilling area from the Bureau of Land Management and began Phase 2 drilling at Gemini in October
2022. Three additional boreholes were completed from
October 2022
to
April 2023
, with each
intersecting lithium mineralization (see Nevada Sunrise news release dated
May 24, 2023
).
Nevada Sunrise believes that the southern and western parts of the Gemini basin are highly
prospective for additional lithium mineralization and that further drilling could eventually define a large
lithium resource. The Company has engaged ABH Engineering Inc. of
Surrey, BC
,
Canada
to
calculate a National Instrument 43-101-compliant resource estimate leading to a Preliminary
Economic Assessment of the lithium-bearing zones at Gemini.
Initial metallurgical tests carried out by Nevada Sunrise achieved a 90.2% lithium extraction rate from
the Gemini clay mineralization, a rate which compares favorably with the average lithium extraction
of 84% reported by Lithium Americas at its
Thacker Pass
lithium project (
Source: Feasibility Study,
National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Thacker Pass Project,
Humboldt County,
Nevada
, USA, by Roth, D., et al, dated
November 2, 2022
). Follow-up testing of the resulting leach
solutions at the facilities of McClelland Laboratories Inc. in
Sparks, Nevada
produced a sample that
was near-100% lithium carbonate (see Nevada Sunrise news release dated
July 31, 2023
).
For further information on Gemini, including maps and photos
click here
Statement of Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and
approved by
Willem Duyvesteyn
, M.Sc., who is a Qualified Person for Nevada Sunrise as defined in
National Instrument 43-101 –
Standards of Disclosure
for Mineral Projects
.
About Nevada Sunrise
Nevada Sunrise is a junior mineral exploration company with a strong technical team based in
Vancouver, BC
,
Canada
, that holds interests in lithium, gold, and copper exploration projects located
in the
State of Nevada, USA
.
Nevada Sunrise owns 100% interests in the Gemini,
Jackson Wash
and Badlands lithium projects,
with no applicable royalties, all of which are located in the Lida Valley in
Esmeralda County, NV.
The
Company owns Nevada water right Permit 86863, also located in the Lida Valley basin, near
Lida, NV.
The Company's key gold asset is a 20.01% interest in a joint venture at the Kinsley Mountain Gold
Project near
Wendover, NV
with CopAur Minerals Inc. Kinsley Mountain is a Carlin-style gold project
hosting a National Instrument 43-101 compliant gold resource consisting of
418,000 indicated
ounces of gold grading 2.63 g/t Au (4.95 million tonnes), and 117,000 inferred ounces of gold
averaging 1.51 g/t Au (2.44 million tonnes), at cut-off grades ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 g/t Au
1
.
The Company has elected not to contribute to the 2023 exploration program at Kinsley Mountain and
projects to incur dilution of its participating interest in the joint venture to an approximate 19.0%
interest.
1
Technical Report on the Kinsley Project, Elko County, Nevada, U.S.A., dated June 21, 2021 with an effective date of May 5, 2021 and prepared by Michael M. Gustin, Ph.D., and
Gary L. Simmons, MMSA and filed under New Placer Dome Gold Corp.'s Issuer Profile on SEDAR (
www.sedar.com
).
Nevada Sunrise has the right to earn a 100% interest in the Coronado VMS Project, located
approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of
Winnemucca, NV.
Website:
www.nevadasunrise.ca
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release may contain forward
–
looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements
that are not historical facts and are generally, but not
always, identified by the words "expects",
"plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar
expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and
include disclosure of anticipated exploration activities. Although the Company believes the
expectations expressed in such forward
–
looking statements are based on reasonable
assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may
differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward
–
looking statements are based
on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements
were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward
–
looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Such factors include, among others, risks related to the results and outcomes of the Company's
2022-2023 exploration activities and future plans at the Gemini Lithium Project; reliance on
technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties; changes in
project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of
commodities; possible variations in grade or metallurgical recovery rates; failure of equipment or
processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and
other risks of the mining industry; delays due to pandemic; delays in obtaining governmental
approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the
section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Nine
Months ending
June 30
, 2023, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at
www.sedar.com
.
Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual
actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information,
there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated
or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual
results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada
Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined
in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
SOURCE
Nevada Sunrise Metals Corporation
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For further information:
Warren Stanyer, President and Chief Executive Officer, email:
[email protected], Telephone: (604) 428-8028 or Jason Powell, Corporate
Communications, email: [email protected], Telephone: (604) 779-6497
CO: Nevada Sunrise Metals Corporation
CNW 07:30e 26-SEP-23