Cypress Development Corp. (TSXV: CYP | OTCQX: CYDVF | Frankfurt: C1Z1) has shared an update on the progress of its feasibility study for the Clayton Valley Lithium Project in Nevada, U.S. The feasibility study, supported by Wood PLC (“Wood”) and Global Resource Engineering (“GRE”), is projected to be completed in late 2022.
The updated progress of the feasibility study includes:
Geotechnical Programme
Wood personnel supervised a collection of geotechnical data for the foundation design of the company’s processing plant site and tailings storage facility. The samples collected for Wood’s geotechnical programme were shipped to materials testing laboratories, and additional on-site work is planned in the next month.
GRE personnel conducted site visits in preparation to work on the Project’s resources and reserves. GRE personnel also supervised the collection of a suite of large-diameter core samples for assay and geotechnical testing, which will provide further information for GRE’s work on the mine design.
Lithium Extraction Facility (“Pilot Plant”)
Testing continues at Cypress’ Pilot Plant in Amargosa Valley, 100 miles southeast of the Clayton Valley Lithium Project site. The Pilot Plant is now working in its 12th cycle of continuous 24-hour per day testing. The tests are ongoing to examine efficiencies in processing, testing various configurations in equipment and operating conditions, and the plant continues to produce concentrated lithium solutions for use in downstream product testing.
Wood’s process engineering team is working with Continental Metallurgical Services and the data from the Pilot Plant to develop mass balance and equipment sizing. Wood’s engineers are also working on the overall project infrastructure, including selection and design of access roads, plant equipment, power, and water supplies.
Bulk Sample
A 500-tonne sample of claystone was excavated in late April from an engineered test-pit and transported to the company’s operations headquarters at the Tonopah airport, where it will be crushed, screened, and bagged in preparation for treatment at the company’s Pilot Plant. The sample was collected near DCH-1, and in the vicinity of the planned starter-pit for mining in the Feasibility Study.
Sonic Drill Programme
A sonic drill programme to obtain large-diameter (6-inch) continuous core commenced and was completed in May. Eight locations were selected for metallurgical, geotechnical, lithological purposes. Each hole yielded 1.9 to 2.3 tonnes of claystone which will be used in metallurgical testing at the company’s Pilot Plant to examine if there are any variations in performance due to depth, location, or material type in the deposit.
Four of the holes (CSV-1 through CVS-4) were completed in the central portion of the project in the vicinity of the proposed starter-pit and the 500-tonne bulk sample. Four other holes (CVS-5 through CVS-8) were completed in the northeast portion of the project on and near the parcel of property recently acquired from Enertopia Corporation (“Enertopia”). In addition to providing metallurgical sample material, these latter four holes will provide confirmation of the data from Enertopia’s previous drilling.
Resource Model
The land acquisition from Enertopia completed in May resulted in the addition of five core holes which were drilled by Enertopia in 2018. This property comprises 17 unpatented mining claims totalling 160 contiguous acres immediately adjacent to Cypress’s Project. A March 2020 NI 43-101 compliant technical report (published by Enertopia) on the property shows an Indicated resource of 82M tonnes of 1,121 parts per million (ppm) Li and an Inferred resource of 18M tonnes of 1,131 ppm Li using a cut-off grade of 400 ppm Li. Cypress has not independently confirmed the resource indicated in the March 2020 NI 43-101 report.
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