Lithium Ionic Corp. (TSXV: LTH; OTCQX: LTHCF; FSE: H3N) (“Lithium
Ionic” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce positive new drill
results from its flagship Bandeira Lithium Project (“Bandeira”, the
“Project”), located within the prolific “Lithium Valley”, in
northern Minas Gerais State, Brazil. These intercepts are part of
an ongoing drill program aimed at increasing mineral resource
definition and expanding the mineralized footprint. These latest
results demonstrate strong potential for continued mineral resource
growth, intersecting meaningful extensions of high-grade
mineralized pegmatites.
Bandeira Drill Results
Highlights:
Hole ITDD-24-280:
- 16.00m grading 1.77%
Li₂O from 137.41m, incl. 9.00m
grading 2.36% Li₂O
Hole ITDD-24-268:
- 19.60m grading 1.33%
Li₂O from 83.74 meters, incl.
8.47m grading 1.81%
Li₂O
Hole ITDD-24-283:
- 14.00m grading 1.81%
Li₂O from 105.10m
Hole ITDD-24-285 (See section in Figures 2 and
core photo in Figure 3):
- 14.00m grading 1.54%
Li₂O from 157.87m
Hole ITDD-24-282:
- 14.00m grading 1.30%
Li₂O from 138.05m
- 11.07m over 1.34%
Li₂O from 200.75m
Hole ITDD-24-270:
- 6.67m grading 2.11%
Li₂O from 70.65m
- 12.00m grading 1.09%
Li₂O from 110.03m
Hole ITDD-24-290:
- 7.78m grading 1.58%
Li₂O from 176.45m
Hole ITDD-24-275:
- 8.96m grading 1.32%
Li₂O from 206.21m
Hole ITDD-24-269:
- 4.75m grading 2.28%
Li₂O from 88.72m
Blake Hylands, P.Geo., CEO of Lithium Ionic,
commented, “These latest results from Bandeira underscore the
continued growth potential of our flagship Project, with
well-mineralized pegmatite extensions and entirely new zones into
previously untested areas. This new data not only reinforces our
confidence in the resource but increases our near surface resources
which presents optimization opportunities with strengthening and
expanding the already robust Bandeira mining plan. With key
milestones on the horizon, we remain focused on advancing Lithium
Ionic toward becoming Brazil’s next major lithium producer.”
Bandeira Project Overview &
Feasibility Study Highlights
The Bandeira property spans 175 hectares in
northeastern Minas Gerais State, Brazil, representing just ~1% of
Lithium Ionic’s large ~17,000-hectare land package. Despite this
footprint, Bandeira accounts for ~70% of the 60.1Mt* global lithium
mineral resource estimate, making it the cornerstone of the
Company’s development strategy (see press release dated April 12,
2024).
In May 2024, Lithium Ionic released a robust
Feasibility Study for Bandeira, which outlined a 14-year mine life
producing an average of 178,000 tonnes of high-quality 5.5% Li₂O
spodumene concentrate annually. The study demonstrated a low CAPEX
of US$266 million, delivering a post-tax NPV of US$1.3 billion and
an IRR of 40%.
The Feasibility Study underscored the low-cost
nature of Bandeira, with on-site operating costs estimated at
US$444/t, and an all-in delivered cost of approximately US$557/t
(CIF, Shanghai), positioning it as a competitive operation despite
current lithium price environments. The spot price for spodumene
concentrate (min. 6% Li2O; CIF China) is currently approximately
840$/t (Fastmarkets’ Battery Raw Material Price Update, as of Dec.
2, 2024). These figures not only reflect the Project’s efficient
design but also the cost efficiencies that result from the region’s
excellent infrastructure, including low-cost hydroelectric power,
access to dependable water resources, well-established transport
infrastructure, and access to foreign markets via nearby ports.
These advantages collectively enhance the Project’s cost efficiency
and its resilience to fluctuating market conditions.
Permitting & Development
Progress
The Company’s Licença Ambiental Concomitante
(LAC) application, submitted in late 2023, is currently in the
final stages of review by the Minas Gerais State Secretariat for
the Environment and Sustainable Development (SEMAD). Final
information requests have been submitted with an approval review
currently being scheduled.
On October 22, 2024, Lithium Ionic announced the
launch of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management
(“EPCM”) services in partnership with Hatch and Reta Engenharia, an
important milestone marking the transition to the construction and
development phase of the Project.
On November 27, 2024, the Company announced that
it secured a non-binding Letter of Interest (“LOI”) from
the Export-Import Bank of the United States (“EXIM”) to
provide up to US$266 million in debt financing for Bandeira; a
major achievement that provides a clear pathway to fund the
development of the Project.
*See NI 43-101 compliant technical report
related to the Bandeira Bandeira MRE titled “NI 43-101 Technical
Report – Mineral Resource Update on Bandeira Project, Araçuaí and
Itinga, Minas Gerais State, Brazil” (effective date of March 5,
2024; QP: Leonardo Soares of GE21); See NI 43-101 compliant
technical report related to the Salinas MRE titled “Independent
Technical Report on Mineral Resources Estimate” (effective date of
January 4, 2024; QP: Leonardo Soares, P.Geo., M.Sc., of GE21); and
the NI 43-101 compliant technical reports related to the Outro Lado
deposit titled “Mineral Resource Estimate for Lithium Ionic, Itinga
Project” (effective date of June 24, 2023; authored by Maxime
Dupéré, B. Sc., P.Geo. and Faisal Sayeed, B. Sc., P.Geo).
Figure 1. Plan map of Bandeira showing
new drill intercepts
View Figure 1
here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a00f4e0-f4ee-4b96-9883-264920eb7bfa
Figure 2. Section LT 600 NE, Showing New
Drill Holes ITDD-24-277, ITDD-24-283, ITDD-24-285 and
ITDD-24-290
View Figure 2
here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d091a06d-ff4f-4b52-a61c-401267966211
Figure 3. Core Photos, Hole
ITDD-24-285
View Figure 1
here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79bd06a7-b95d-4086-8555-8fd96c898c5a
Table 1. Bandeira Drill
Results
Hole ID |
Az |
Dip |
From |
To |
Metres |
Li2O (%) |
ITDD-24-267 |
150 |
-62 |
35.48 |
39.00 |
3.52 |
0.97 |
ITDD-24-268 |
0 |
-90 |
83.74 |
103.34 |
19.60 |
1.33 |
including |
83.74 |
90.63 |
6.89 |
1.37 |
including |
94.87 |
103.34 |
8.47 |
1.81 |
and |
124.62 |
126.57 |
1.95 |
2.37 |
and |
155.94 |
159.57 |
3.63 |
0.91 |
and |
165.32 |
167.32 |
2.00 |
1.10 |
and |
176.52 |
179.57 |
3.05 |
0.73 |
ITDD-24-269 |
150 |
-64 |
88.72 |
93.47 |
4.75 |
2.28 |
ITDD-24-270 |
0 |
-90 |
70.65 |
77.32 |
6.67 |
2.11 |
and |
110.03 |
122.03 |
12.00 |
1.09 |
including |
110.03 |
115.03 |
5.00 |
1.59 |
and |
142.75 |
146.48 |
3.73 |
2.01 |
ITDD-24-271 |
0 |
-90 |
70.38 |
73.38 |
3.00 |
0.89 |
ITDD-24-272 |
150 |
-60 |
67.38 |
70.00 |
2.62 |
1.62 |
ITDD-24-273 |
0 |
-90 |
141.35 |
142.71 |
1.36 |
0.86 |
ITDD-24-274 |
150 |
-85 |
185.82 |
188.21 |
2.39 |
0.74 |
ITDD-24-275 |
150 |
-65 |
156.38 |
159.55 |
3.17 |
0.74 |
and |
206.21 |
215.17 |
8.96 |
1.32 |
including |
206.21 |
210.09 |
3.88 |
1.07 |
including |
213.70 |
215.17 |
1.47 |
2.49 |
ITDD-24-277 |
0 |
-90 |
26.73 |
33.73 |
7.00 |
0.83 |
and |
193.17 |
194.64 |
1.47 |
0.77 |
and |
206.04 |
211.57 |
5.53 |
0.99 |
ITDD-24-278 |
330 |
-55 |
101.24 |
104.96 |
3.72 |
1.83 |
ITDD-24-279 |
330 |
-55 |
96.09 |
99.46 |
3.37 |
0.94 |
ITDD-24-280 |
330 |
-70 |
137.41 |
153.41 |
16.00 |
1.77 |
including |
140.41 |
149.41 |
9.00 |
2.36 |
ITDD-24-281 |
0 |
-90 |
NSR |
|
|
|
ITDD-24-282 |
0 |
-90 |
85.72 |
89.24 |
3.52 |
1.60 |
and |
138.05 |
152.05 |
14.00 |
1.30 |
and |
187.84 |
189.40 |
1.56 |
1.25 |
and |
200.75 |
211.82 |
11.07 |
1.34 |
and |
250.50 |
252.56 |
2.06 |
0.50 |
and |
264.64 |
269.20 |
4.56 |
1.79 |
and |
283.28 |
286.21 |
2.93 |
0.98 |
ITDD-24-283 |
330 |
-75 |
105.10 |
119.10 |
14.00 |
1.81 |
and |
135.79 |
138.79 |
3.00 |
1.80 |
and |
146.03 |
149.28 |
3.25 |
1.35 |
and |
193.34 |
200.02 |
6.68 |
0.62 |
and |
209.93 |
211.33 |
1.40 |
1.28 |
and |
218.85 |
222.81 |
3.96 |
0.79 |
ITDD-24-285 |
0 |
-90 |
115.78 |
119.50 |
3.72 |
0.81 |
and |
157.87 |
171.87 |
14.00 |
1.54 |
ITDD-24-286 |
330 |
-75 |
25.25 |
31.25 |
6.00 |
1.11 |
ITDD-24-287 |
150 |
-55 |
124.47 |
127.47 |
3.00 |
1.31 |
ITDD-24-289 |
0 |
-90 |
77.14 |
79.77 |
2.63 |
1.42 |
ITDD-24-290 |
150 |
-80 |
108.26 |
110.26 |
2.00 |
0.96 |
and |
176.45 |
184.23 |
7.78 |
1.58 |
*Assays for ITDD-24-276 reported in October;
ITDD-24-281 returned no significant results; ITDD-24-284 and
ITDD-24-288 were not sampled.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
Lithium Ionic Corp.
Blake Hylands Chief Executive Officer,
Director
About Lithium Ionic Corp.
Lithium Ionic is a Canadian mining company
exploring and developing its lithium properties in Brazil. Its
Itinga and Salinas group of properties cover ~17,000 hectares in
the northeastern part of Minas Gerais state, a mining-friendly
jurisdiction that is quickly emerging as a world-class hard-rock
lithium district. Its Feasibility-stage Bandeira Project is
situated in the same region as CBL’s Cachoeira lithium mine, which
has produced lithium for +30 years, as well as Sigma Lithium
Corp.’s Grota do Cirilo project, which hosts the largest hard-rock
lithium deposit in the Americas.
Quality Assurance and
Control
During the drill program, assay samples were
taken from NQ core and sawed in half. One-half was sent for
assaying at SGS Laboratory, a certified independent commercial
laboratory, and the other half was retained for results, cross
checks, and future reference. A strict QA/QC program was applied to
all samples. Every sample was processed with Drying, crushing from
75% to 3 mm, homogenization, quartering in Jones, spraying 250 to
300 g of sample in steel mill 95% to 150. SGS laboratory carried
out multi-element analysis for ICP90A analysis.
Qualified Persons
The technical information in this news release
has been prepared by Carlos Costa, Vice President Exploration of
Lithium Ionic and Blake Hylands, CEO and director of Lithium Ionic,
who are both “qualified persons” as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Costa
and Mr. Hylands have both read and approved the content in this
news release.
Investor and Media
Inquiries:
+1 647.316.2500 info@lithiumionic.com
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that
constitute “forward-statements.” Such forward looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or
achievements, or developments to differ materially from the
anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company
believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors,
current conditions and expected future developments and other
factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations
reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue
reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give
no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this
press release, the words “estimate”, “project”, “belief”,
“anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or
“should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon
or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking
statements and information. The forward-looking statements and
information in this press release include information relating to
the mineralization and prospectivity of the Company’s mineral
properties, the economic viability of Bandeira, the financing of
the Project, the development of the Company’s mineral properties,
the Company’s exploration program and other mining projects and
prospects thereof, the Company’s ability to obtain the requisite
permitting and approvals and the timing thereof, the Company’s
ability to increase the mineral resource estimates at its projects
and the Company’s future plans. Such statements and information
reflect the current view of the Company. Risks and uncertainties
that may cause actual results to differ materially from those
contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.
By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our
actual results, performance or achievements, or other future
events, to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information
contained in this news release represents the expectations of the
Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is
subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue
importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon
this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event
that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors,
should change.
Information and links in this press release
relating to other mineral resource companies are from their sources
believed to be reliable, but that have not been independently
verified by the Company.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
press release.
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