Arizona Lithium Limited (ASX:AZL) has staked a further 96 BLM claims adjacent to its existing 96 claims, doubling the Project landholding to 15.54 sq. km at the Lordsburg Lithium Brine Project in New Mexico.
Managing Director, Paul Lloyd, said the move follows a strategic review of Lordsburg driven by the significantly improved market sentiment towards lithium.
The new claims cover the northern portion of the larger playa with potential to host lithium mineralised brines and have been submitted to the Bureau of Land Management for approval.
“We are encouraged by initial results at the Lordsburg Brine Project in New Mexico. We think this is an outstanding opportunity to progress another project along with the Big Sandy Lithium Project in Arizona,” Mr Lloyd said.
“With sufficient lithium grade, close proximity to renewable energy sources and direct access to the interstate highway system, this project has the potential to be a timely contributor to growing lithium supply requirements in the USA.”
Historical surface sampling acquired by the Company returned values up to 114.5 ppm Li across the playa. This grade of lithium is in line with other Clayton Valley projects which show Li grades of 50-150ppm.
In consultation with Western Australia-based geophysical consultants, Resource Potentials, the company intends to complete a passive seismic survey on the tenure in conjunction with Titan magnetotelluric electromagnetics to test for potentially lithium mineralised subsurface brines.
Similar geophysical methods have been used with success by Galan Lithium Limited on their Hombre Muerto Project in Argentina. The
Lordsburg Project lies 15km to the southwest of the town of Lordsburg, New Mexico, within the playa lake system at the northernmost end of the Animas Valley.
The basin is an elongated sediment filled graben (valley) surrounded by tertiary volcanic rocks, a similar setting to the Clayton Valley, host to the only producing lithium project in the USA. Stock wells on the eastern Animas basin margin, south of the Project, intersected steam and hot springs essential in the development of lithium bearing brines.
A 1954 US Geologic Survey map shows a windmill just west of the Project, on the western basin margin, labelled as a “salt well” demonstrating the presence of highly saline subterranean water.
Two of the large cost burdens on lithium brine projects are energy costs and transportation costs. Lordsburg Brine Project is 16km from the 15MW Lightning Dock Geothermal Plant and conveniently located right next to key interstate highway.
For further information please visit: https://www.arizonalithium.com/