CALGARY, AB, Sept. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - E3 METALS CORP. (TSXV:
ETMC) (FSE: OU7A) (OTC: EEMMF) (the "Company" or "E3 Metals"), an
emerging lithium developer and leading lithium extraction
technology innovator, today announces the discovery of lithium
enrichment in the Nisku Aquifer (the "Nisku"), located within the
Company's permit area in south-central Alberta, with sampled lithium grades ranging
up to 75.0 mg/L.
The Nisku is located above the
Leduc Aquifer (the "Leduc"), in which E3 Metals holds 6.7 million
tonnes of LCE1 inferred mineral resource (Figure 1). The
Nisku stretches across E3 Metals'
entire permit area where the Company owns the metallic and
industrial mineral rights, which include the rights to the lithium
within the Nisku. The Nisku has similar geological properties to the
Leduc, and as such, it has a
comparable propensity for high brine flow rates that may support
the production of commercial quantities of lithium.
The Company sampled Nisku brine
as well as the Leduc brine from
available oil and gas production wells as part of E3 Metals'
ongoing exploration and development. A total of 17 samples were
collected across the Nisku and all
have demonstrated the presence of higher-grade dissolved lithium
within the formation brine. Lithium grades range between 37.4 mg/L
and 75.0 mg/L. Using E3 Metals' proprietary direct lithium
extraction (DLE) process, Leduc
brines with grades on the top end of Nisku's sampled range have demonstrated
the ability to quickly and efficiently concentrate to over 5000
mg/L.
"The discovery of lithium in the Nisku expands the known lithium brine volumes
and may offer operational benefits," commented Chris Doornbos, President and Chief Executive
Officer of E3 Metals. "The Nisku
is laterally extensive across our permit area and has similar
aquifer properties to the Leduc,
so it will produce brine in much the same way. Wells drilled to
access the Leduc intersect the
Nisku first, which may allow us
to produce lithium enriched brines from both aquifers from
the same well, potentially increasing operational efficiencies in
the future."
E3 Metals will continue to sample the aquifer as part of its
regular sampling program going forward, with the intention of
developing a resource from the Nisku Aquifer in the
future.
Aquifer Definition
An aquifer is a rock formation that has the ability to hold
fluids inside of void spaces, or pores, within the rock. The
interconnectivity of these pores (permeability) allow fluids to
move through the rock. The Nisku
and Leduc Aquifers are classified as "confined aquifers", meaning
they are not connected to the surface or any shallow, fresh,
groundwater sources. As well, the fluids in the aquifers are
contained under pressure which naturally assist with fluid
production.
The Leduc and Nisku Aquifers in
E3's project area occur about 2-3 km below the earth's surface.
They have very high porosity and permeability, which allows for
high volumes of fluids to be pumped from them. They are famous in
Alberta as important producers of
hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons accumulated over geologic time in
the aquifer and sit buoyantly atop the lithium brine. The
hydrocarbons represent a very small fraction of the fluids
contained in the aquifer and have mostly been depleted in this area
after 60 years of oil production. What remains in these aquifers is
lithium enriched brine.
About E3 Metals
E3 Metals is a lithium development company with 6.7 million
tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) inferred mineral
resources1 in Alberta.
E3 Metals is currently advancing its proprietary direct
lithium extraction (DLE) process in partnership with Livent
Corporation (NYSE:LTHM), a global leader in lithium production,
under a joint development agreement. Through the successful
scale up its DLE process towards commercialization, E3 Metals plans
to quickly move towards the production of high purity, battery
grade, lithium products. With a significant lithium resource
and innovative technology solutions, E3 Metals has the potential to
deliver lithium to market from one of the best jurisdictions in the
world. E3 Metals also continues to work with partners at the
University of Alberta and at
GreenCentre Canada. For more information about E3 Metals,
visit www.e3metalscorp.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
Chris Doornbos, President &
CEO
E3 METALS CORP.
Chris Doornbos (P.Geo), CEO and
Director of E3 Metals Corp., is a Qualified Person as defined by NI
43-101 and has read and approved the technical information
contained in this announcement.
1. E3 Metals has released information on three 43-101 Technical
Reports totaling a resource of 6.7 Mt LCE. The Central Clearwater
Resource Area (CCRA) Technical Report, identifying 1.9Mt LCE
(inferred), is dated effective October 27,
2017, and the North Rocky Resource Area (NRRA) Technical
Report was dated effective October 27,
2017, identifies 0.9Mt LCE (inferred). A third report for
the Exshaw West Resource Area (EWRA), identifies 3.9Mt LCE
(inferred) and was filed on June 15,
2018, effective June 4, 2018.
All reports are available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com)
Neither the 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 release.
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements
concerning the potential of the Company's projects and technology,
as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and
intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by
such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate",
"estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events
and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current
opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking
information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative
nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating
commodity prices, the effectiveness and feasibility of emerging
lithium extraction technologies which have not yet been tested or
proven on a commercial scale or on the Company's brine, competitive
risks and the availability of financing, as described in more
detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com.
Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected
in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing
undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update
these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable
law.
SOURCE E3 Metals Corp.