Wealth Minerals Provides Update on Kuska Permitting
#1570 - 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 3L6
Tel 604.331.0096 Fax 604.408.7499 www.wealthminerals.com
NR25-05 April 23, 2025
Wealth Minerals Provides Update on Kuska Permitting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…Vancouver, British Columbia: Wealth Minerals Ltd. (the “Company” or
“Wealth”) – (TSXV: WML; OTCQ B: WMLLF; SSE: WMLCL; FSE: EJZN) announces that its initial
application for its Kuska lithium project to receive a special lithium operation contract (“CEOL”) by the
State of Chile has been declined under the Fast-Track permitting policy announced on September 30, 2024.
The Company is evaluating its alternatives for obtaining the CEOL, either by appealing through regular
channels to the recent resolution of the Ministry of Mining, or by applying for a CEOL under the regular
permitting procedures available to all lithium projects.
On September 30, 2024 the Government of Chile announced the Strategic Council of the Lithium and Salt
Flats Committee (“Strategic Council”) approved a first group of six locations for the development of lithium
projects in Chile (the “Fast-Tracked salars”), which included t he Ollagüe Salar, the location of Wealth’s
Kuska Project, to be prioritized to receive a special lithium operation contract (“CEOL”) by the State of
Chile. The decision was based on all six locations having favorable conditions for the feasibility of a lithium
operation (see press release of September 30, 2024). Subsequent to the September 30, 2024 announcement,
the Government of Chile set rules to any and all potential applicants for the Fast -Tracked salars’ CEOLs.
A key issue in the rules was the establishment of a “ referential Polygon”, an arbitrary coordinate area
overlain the salars , whereby the Strategic Council declared any Fast -Track applicant must have mining
concessions for no less than 80% of the territory within the Polygon. In the case of Kuska, Wealth was not
able to complete 80% of the Polygon with its mining concessions, despite the fact that it is the largest holder
of mining concessions in the Ollagüe area. Wealth management applied for the CEOL in good faith despite
this issue, under the assumption that the State permitting authorities would consider all factors, including
Wealth’s progress of the Kuska project to date plus the empowerment of the Quechua Indigenous
Community of Ollagüe with a 5% carried interest in Kuska (see press release of February 3, 2025), when
granting CEOLs.
The Company still has the opportunity to appeal within five business days to the resolution of the Fast Track
program and/or to apply for a CEOL in a regular process, outside the Fast -Track program announced in
September 30, 2024. Management is working with its advisors to execute the appropriate next steps.
Regarding the Fast-Track CEOL decline, Henk van Alphen, CEO of Wealth Minerals Ltd. commented: “It
is unfortunate that one of the several conditions established for the Fast Track mechanism opened for the
first group of six prioritized locations , was in the case of Ollagüe impossible to meet for Wealth or any
other potential participant. We maintain our options open and will follow the best alternatives we have in
front of us to qualify for a CEOL in due time and develop the Kuska project togethe r with the Indigenous
Quechua Community. Based on the technical work and the economic analyzes we have conducted for
Kuska, the project offers significant value, both economic and social, to all stakeholders, including not only
Wealth shareholders, but also the local community and the Chilean State. Thus, we remain committed to
move this project forward and expect that with the appropriate sense of urgency, things can move faster.”
The Kuska Project is located in the Ollagüe Salar, Antofogasta region , northern Chile , and is presently
100% owned by Wealth Minerals and royalty- free. The maiden resource report published by Wealth
Minerals Ltd. (see press release January 17, 2023 and Technical Report of January 13, 2023 “Estimated
Lithium Resources Ollagüe Project” posted on SEDAR+) estimates 741,000 tons Lithium Carbonate
Wealth Minerals Ltd. - 2 - April 23, 2025
NR25-05 – Continued
#1570 - 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 3L6
Tel 604.331.0096 Fax 604.408.7499 www.wealthminerals.com
Equivalent (“LCE”) indicated resources grading 175 mg/L (plus 701,000 tons LCE inferred resources
grading 185 mg/L) with an average indicated lithium grade of 175mg/l. On January 4, 2024, Wealth
announced the key highlights of a PEA produced by DRA Global Limited. The PEA describes the Kuska
Project development towards a 20,000 metric tpa LCE output and an anticipated Life of Mine (“LOM”) of
20 years. The Kuska Project in the PEA demonstrates a Pre-Tax NPV10% of US$1.65 bn and a 33% IRR.
The PEA was filed on SEDAR+ on February 16, 2024.
About Wealth Minerals Ltd.
Wealth is a mineral resource company with interests in Canada and Chile. The Company’s focus is the
acquisition and development of lithium projects in South America.
The Company opportunistically advances battery metal projects where it has a peer advantage in project
selection and initial evaluation. Lithium market dynamics and a rapidly increasing metal price are the result
of profound structural issues with the industry meeting anticipated future demand. Wealth is positioning
itself to be a major beneficiary of this future mismatch of supply and demand. In parallel with lithium
market dynamics, Wealth believes other battery metals will benefit from similar industry trends.
For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company’s website
(www.wealthminerals.com) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors of
WEALTH MINERALS LTD.
“Hendrik van Alphen”
Hendrik van Alphen
Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Marla Ritchie, Michael Pound or Henk van Alphen
Phone: 604-331-0096 or 604-638-3886
For all Investor Relations inquiries, please contact:
John Liviakis
Liviakis Financial Communications Inc.
Phone: 415-389-4670
For all Public Relations inquiries, please contact:
Nancy Thompson
Vorticom, Inc.
Office: 212-532-2208 | Mobile: 917-371-4053
Follow Us:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WealthMineralsLtd
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealth-minerals
Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/WealthMinerals
Wealth Minerals Ltd. - 3 - April 23, 2025
NR25-05 – Continued
#1570 - 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 3L6
Tel 604.331.0096 Fax 604.408.7499 www.wealthminerals.com
Neither 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 press release, which has been prepared
by management.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward -looking statements and forward- looking information (collectively, “forward -
looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other
than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated
content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the
discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/ reserves, the Company’s expectation that it will be able to
enter into agreements to acquire interests in additional mineral projects, and the anticipated business plans and timing
of future activities of the Company, are forward- looking statements. Although the Company believes that such
statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking
statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar
expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any
forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual
results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but
not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company’s equity securities, the state of the commodity markets
generally, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the
market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to
obtain any necessary permits, consents or authori zations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned
activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue
its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able t o implement its business strategies, and other
risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis and filed with
certain securities commissions in Canada. All of the Company’s Canadian public disclosure fil ings may be accessed
via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with
respect to the Company’s mineral properties.