VLTA.CN · 2025-01-14 12:00:00

Volta Confirms Presence of High-Grade Gallium, Cesium, Tantalum and Lithium Mineralization at the Recently Acquired ZigZag Project in Ontario, Canada

Corporate Updates

Volta Confirms Presence of High-Grade

Gallium, Cesium, Tantalum and Lithium

Mineralization at the Recently Acquired

ZigZag Project in Ontario, Canada

Channel sample assays up to 78.1ppm Ga, 1,970ppm Cs,

457ppm Ta and 2.98% Li2O at the Dempster East Pegmatite

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2025) -

Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA) (FSE: D0W)

("Volta"

or the

"Company")

is pleased to announce the results from the initial sampling of its recently

acquired, wholly owned, ZigZag Property (the "Property"), that is contiguous to its Falcon West Lithium

Project, located in the Thunder Bay Mining District of Northwest Ontario, Canada (

Figure 1

Figure 1. Dempster East Pegmatite and Falcon West Swarm mineralization trend in relation to

the Company's large land package.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9598/237073_9c94effd9443fb3d_001full.jpg

A total of 21 samples (six representative characterization samples and 15 channel samples) were

collected immediately following the acquisition of the ZigZag Project in November 2024 (See

Company's news release dated November 22, 2024). The assays from these samples confirm the

presence of very high-grade Lithium, Tantalum, Cesium, Rubidium, and Gallium mineralization at the

Dempster East pegmatite located 7 km west of the Company's Falcon West pegmatite swarm (

Table

Table 1. Channel composite and grab sample lab results from Dempster East pegmatite on

Volta's ZigZag Property

Li2O

Nb/Ta

K/Rb

Unit Symbol

ppm

Detection Limit

0.1

0.4

2.4

0.2

0.5

C476301

Grab

5530

1.20

151

330

2910

60.7

78.8

63.1

86.9

0.77

9.6

C476302

Grab

6800

1.48

799

3980

32.8

239

50.5

58.8

0.14

9.0

C476303

Grab

10900

2.37

187

479

2650

43.2

110

57.7

106

0.39

11.7

C476304

Grab

15000

3.26

813

2340

30.8

216

67.4

208

0.14

10.3

C476305

Grab

6620

1.44

103

857

4540

361

43.9

197

0.11

8.8

C476306

Grab

2790

0.61

135

160

995

97.3

262

56.8

69.3

0.37

9.0

C476307

Channel

10700

2.33

148

573

2660

38.9

186

66.1

97.7

0.21

7.5

C476308

Channel

9560

2.08

143

468

2150

38.9

345

54.1

628

0.11

7.4

C476311

Channel

5580

1.21

231

404

3070

58.8

107

54.7

68.7

0.55

8.8

C476312

Channel

1020

0.22

210

287

1650

145

60.4

98.7

0.59

7.3

C476315

Channel

2920

0.63

271

802

4920

78.5

457

78.1

214

0.17

5.7

C476316

Channel

4470

0.97

216

844

3110

52.4

395

156

0.13

4.8

C476317

Channel

5480

1.19

1240

4610

43.5

421

57.6

152

0.10

4.8

C476318

Channel

13700

2.98

1130

3020

37.9

196

73.8

189

0.19

5.0

C476319

Channel

9140

1.99

188

746

1880

159

59.5

91.1

0.35

7.4

C476320

Channel

5150

1.12

112

206

3070

44.4

66.7

48.1

47.6

0.67

11.1

C476322

Channel

1130

0.25

1970

3550

30.5

153

32.5

74.3

0.20

5.4

MEAN

6852

1.49

143

712

3006

229

150

0.31

7.9

The Company's technical advisor, Dr. Fred Breaks, reviewed the data and commented, "

The initial bulk

rock chemical data reveal significant pegmatite evolution that infers a transition from albite-

spodumene-type into a complex-type pegmatite system. The elevated fractionation is highlighted by

maximum values of Ta (457 ppm), Cs (1970 ppm), Rb (4920 ppm), Ga (78.1 ppm), and Sn (628

ppm), coupled with low, very evolved Nb/Ta and K/Rb ratios. Tantalum, a valuable specialty metal,

ranges from 67 to 457 ppm. These data indicate their concentrations overlap the lower range of

variation for these metals at the North Aubry and South Aubry pegmatites (Seymour Deposit 10.3Mt

@ 1.03% Li

O), situated 20 km to the southwest (Tindle, Selway, and Breaks 2002), and signify the

potential presence of further evolved spodumene pegmatites proximal to the Dempster East

pegmatite

ZigZag Property Geological Setting

The ZigZag property is located within the Caribou Greenstone Belt, which trends east-northeast along

the top of Lake Nipigon. The Caribou Lake Greenstone Belt extends eastward from the larger Onamon-

Tashota Greenstone Belt, and lies along the northern margin of the Wabigoon Subprovince and

associated granitoid intrusions.

Structurally, the ZigZag property is bisected by two major deep-seated crustal structural trends that are

considered to control significant lithium pegmatite swarms at Falcon West and the Aubury Pegmatite

systems (Figure 2). The property is unexplored, and the Company considers the potential for the

discovery of Ta-rich Lithium pegmatites as good to excellent.

Figure 2. Regional Geology Map - ZigZag Property, NW Ontario

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9598/237073_9c94effd9443fb3d_002full.jpg

Dempster East Pegmatite

The Dempster East pegmatite was discovered in 1956 and initially explored by Dempster Explorations

Ltd. The outcropping irregular pegmatite body has an inferred length of 56m. The dip of the pegmatite

and its size are currently unknown. However, the outcrop lies on the side of a small hill, indicating the

potential for a large size pegmatite body (

Photo 1

Six historic channel samples by Dempster Explorations Ltd. indicate an average grade of 1.88% Li

The mineralogy comprises abundant potassic feldspar and fine-grained prismatic spodumene

associated with quartz, albite, muscovite, accessory blue apatite, and black tourmaline. There is no

record of any historical drilling.

The recent sampling by the Company indicates the presence of high grade rare elements such as

Gallium, Tantalum, Cesium and Rubidium, in addition to high-grade Lithium. The data indicates that the

Dempster East pegmatite is highly evolved, marking the

transition from an albite-spodumene type to a

complex type pegmatite system, as is the case with Green Technology Metals' North Aubry pegmatite

deposit to the west.

The Dempster East pegmatite has not been fully exposed on surface. The next steps of exploration will

include stripping, prospecting, mapping, structural and a geophysical study of the area.

ASSAY RESULTS

Lithium

The average Li

O content in samples devoid of host rock enclaves is 1.49 wt.% Li

O (range: 0.22 to

3.26 wt.%) which compares well with the historical average of 1.88 wt.% Li

Bulk rock analyses of the rare metals and fractionation indicator ratios (K/Rb and Nb/Ta) are presented

Table 1

. A comparison of the Dempster East pegmatite with other lithium pegmatites in the Caribou

Lake greenstone belt and elsewhere is given in

Table 2

. Calculation of the mean rare metal content for

the Dempster East pegmatite was undertaken by filtering out samples with obvious host rock

contamination as evidenced by significantly higher Ca, Fe, and Mg contents, as marked by asterisks in

Table 1

The lithochemistry accrued from this early stage of exploration will greatly aid in continuing exploration of

the larger mineralized system. The presence of more evolved pegmatites supports the exploration model

that two pegmatites systems may coalesce in the larger land package, with significant discovery

potential to the east of the Dempster East pegmatite, towards the Companies Falcon West property as

well as to the southwest. The company plans to continue to explore these highly prospective areas and

generate additional targets for initial discovery drill testing.

Table 2. Comparative data for Li, Cs, Rb, Be, Ta, Nb, and Ga and ratios K/Rb and Nb/Ta for the

Dempster East pegmatite vs other lithium pegmatites from the Caribou Lake greenstone belt

and elsewhere

Lithium

(ppm)

Beryllium

(ppm)

Rubidium

(ppm)

Cesium

(ppm)

Gallium

(ppm)

Niobium

(ppm)

Tantalum

(ppm)

K/Rb

Nb/Ta

Source

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Mean

Range

Dempster East spodumene

pegmatite

6852

1020-

15000

143

36-

271

3006

995-

4920

712

160-

1970

32.5-

78.1

51.2

30.8-

97.3

229

66.7-

457

7.9

4.8-

11.7

0.31

0.10-

0.77

Swole Lake complex-type,

lepidolite-subtype pegmatite

615

272

843

327

21.1

0.23

North Aubry complex-type,

spodumene-subtype Pegmatite

2296

12-

15967

294

4-169

1894

34-

10601

323

3284

37-

247

396

9339

1197

47-

10263

12.7

6-47.1

0.53

0.05-

1.37

South Aubry complex-type,

spodumene-subtype Pegmatite

2650

32-

10140

186

13-

411

1400

39-

4310

268

19-

916

31-46

36.2

24-72

97.6

7.4-

300

13.2

12.8-

13.3

0.63

0.12-

1.44

AM albite-spodumene-type

pegmatite, Falcon West (Volta

Metals channel data)

5818

1560-

7820

147

120-

190

2576

2140-

3220

210

118-

267

47.9-

68.1

64.1

53-

73.8

65.6

29.7-

79.4

7.7-

9.0

1.3

0.4-

2.0

Tanco complex-type

pegmatite,Manitoba (average)

3534

221

5300

4526

649

5.5

0.14

n= number of samples

1. Tindle, A.G., Selway, J.B. and Breaks, F.W. 2006.Electron Microprobe and Bulk Rock and Mineral Compositions of Barren and Fertile

Peraluminous Granitic Rocks and Rare-Element Pegmatites, North-Central and Northeastern Superior Province of Ontario, Miscellaneous Release

Data 210.

2. Stilling, A.1997. Bulk composition of the Tanco pegmatite at Bernic Lake, Manitoba, Canada.Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Manitoba, 76p.

Tantalum

Tantalum is significantly enriched in the Dempster East pegmatite. It has a mean value of 229 ppm and

an overall range of 66.7 to 457 ppm, with 70% of analyses exceeding 100 ppm

(Table 1

). The Nb/Ta

ratio has a mean upper continental crust average of 16 and reveals strong fractionation as ratios plunge

to 0.10 - 0.67 (

Table 2

), which typically occurs in complex-type pegmatite systems such as the Tanco

pegmatite deposit at Bernic Lake, Manitoba (

Table 2

As a reference, the average Ta at Greenbushes mine, Western Australia is 127ppm.

Cesium

The cesium contents of the Dempster East pegmatite areconsiderably elevated, with a mean of 712

ppm and a range of 160 to 1,970 ppm that infer a transition to a complex-type pegmatite system. Similar

cesium values are documented from the adjacent North and South Aubry pegmatite deposits (323 and

268 ppm, respectively).

Furthermore, the mean cesium at Dempster East is considerably higher than the AM lithium pegmatite

(210 ppm), 7km to the northeast that forms part of the Company's Falcon Lake pegmatite group, and

supports an east-to-southwest direction of increasing fractionation for the ZigZag claim block. This

supports previous data collected on Falcon West, that suggests the entire 7km unexplored structural

fairway has good to excellent potential to host increasingly evolved pegmatites, containing multi-element

rare elements.

Rubidium

Rubidium is also enriched with a mean value of 3,006 ppm (ranging from 995 to 4,920 ppm) and broadly

shows a positive correlation with cesium. A significant number of Rb anomalies (61%) exceed the 2,000

ppm level. The K/Rb ratio, a useful indicator of magmatic fractionation, has a mean of 8.3 in a restricted

range of 4.1 to 11.7 that overlaps the average for the Tanco pegmatite deposit at 5.5 and the data

population of the North Aubry pegmatite (

Table 2

Gallium

Gallium is enriched in all samples with a mean of 58 ppm and a range of 32.5 to 78.1 ppm.

Gallium, is a critical component in semiconductors, telecommunications, renewable energy sectors and

may also be considered as a possible heat exchange medium in nuclear reactors. Canada and the U.S.

rely on gallium for telecommunications, defense, and green energy. Gallium is also used in

semiconductors, AI circuitry, radar and microchips.

Photo 1. Channel sampling along the Dempster East Pegmatite on the ZigZag Property

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9598/237073_photo1.jpg

Geopolitical Considerations:

On December 3, 2024, China announced an immediate ban on the export of multiple critical metals,

including gallium, exacerbating supply chain challenges. These restrictions are part of a broader trade

conflict over critical technologies. Countries like the U.S., Canada, and numerous European countries

are ramping up efforts to develop domestic gallium and rare earth sources and processing capabilities

to reduce reliance on China.

China currently accounts for 98% of worldwide primary low-purity gallium production.

Despite gallium's importance to today's and future technologies, the United States is reliant on imports

for 100% of its supply of this avant-garde tech metal. Most of these supplies, come from China. Canada

currently has partnerships for critical minerals with the U.K., U.S., Australia, and Japan

(

https://www.canada.ca/en/campaign/critical-minerals-in-canada/our-critical-minerals-strategic-

partnerships.html

For reference, the Codero Deposit in Nevada is one of the largest unmined primary gallium deposits in

North America, and contains 15M tonnes at 47.7ppm, with a cut off grade at 30ppm.

Tantalum

In Canada, the Sinomine owned Tanco Mine in Manitoba, has the largest tantalum reserves in Canada,

estimated reserves of 2.1M tonnes of ore grading 0.22% tantalum. The mine also has 7.3M tonnes of

ore grading 2.76% lithium. Tantalum has not been mined in the U.S. since 1959.

The most important uses for tantalum are in electrolytic capacitors and corrosion-resistant chemical

equipment. Tantalum capacitors have the highest capacitance per unit volume of any capacitors and are

used extensively in miniaturized electrical circuitry.

Rubidium

Today most rubidium is obtained as a byproduct of lithium. Rubidium has a critical role in emerging

technologies and its limited supply make it a valuable strategic resou

rce

in quantum research. Rubidium

is also used in fiber optics night-vision technology and telecommunications.

Upcoming Events

The Company will be attending and exhibiting on site at the 2025 Prospectors & Developers

Association of Canada event ("PDAC 2025") in Toronto, ON. Volta is exhibiting in the Investors

Exchange from March 2-5, 2025 at booth number 2728.

Additionally, Volta is pleased to announce that the Company has been selected to present at the Investor

Forum as part of the Electric Materials at PDAC 2025. More details for the presentations can be found

at this link:

https://pdac.ca/convention-2025/programming-2025/corporate-presentation-forum-for-

investors-2025/electric-materials-2-2025

For more information on PDAC 2025, please

click here.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Andrew Tims, P.Geo.,

who is an independent Qualified Person (QP) as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of

Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The QP and the Company have not completed sufficient work to verify

the historical information on the Properties, particularly regarding historical exploration, neighbouring

companies, and government geological work.

For more information about the Company, view Volta's website at

www.voltametals.ca

ABOUT VOLTA METALS LTD.

Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA)

is a mineral exploration company focused on lithium, cesium, and

tantalum and is based in Toronto, Ontario. It is currently exploring a critical minerals portfolio of lithium,

cesium, tantalum and gallium projects in Northwestern Ontario, considered one of the most prolific

emerging hard-rock lithium districts in the world. To find out more about Volta and its flagship Falcon

West/ZigZag Project, please visit

www.voltametals.ca

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

For further information, contact:

Kerem Usenmez, President & CEO

Tel: 416.919.9060

Email: [email protected]

Website:

www.voltametals.ca

Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility

for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to product development, plans,

strategies, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often

identified by terms such as "will," "may," "should," "anticipate," "expects," and similar expressions. All

statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking

statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information in this news release

includes but is not limited to, the anticipated use of the net proceeds from the Offerings and the receipt of

all necessary approvals for the Offering. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be

accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such

statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's

expectations include the risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with

securities regulators; the fact that Volta's interests in its mineral properties are options only and there are

no guarantee that such interest if earned, will be certain; the future prices and demand for lithium; and

delays or the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary approvals, permits and authorizations

required to carry out its business plans. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the

preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may

cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown

risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader

is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Such information, although

considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual

results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news

release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained

in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims any

intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new

information, future events, or otherwise, other than as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit

https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237073

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