Frontier Lithium Moves Forward with Proof of Concept to Produce Lithium Carbonate from PAK Deposit

2017-10-11 / @fscwire

 

Frontier Lithium Moves Forward with Proof of Concept to Produce Lithium Carbonate from PAK Deposit



Sudbury, Ontario (FSCwire) - Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX.V: FL) (the "Company") announces decision to award proof of concept of producing lithium carbonate from spodumene concentrate. This study will evaluate the potential purity and recovery of lithium from the concentrate and ultimately improve commercial understanding and provide data for generation of a continuous pilot process. The test work will be undertaken by XPS Consulting & Testwork Services ("XPS"), a Glencore company, based in Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada.

A recent metallurgical study returned favourable results by producing spodumene concentrate with a grade of 7.13% Li2O from representative material sourced at the Company's PAK Lithium deposit . These results confirm the suitability of the material to meet the most rigorous specifications of the intended first market of our deposit - the technical grade lithium (low-iron) spodumene concentrate consumers. "Management strongly believes that a possible second stage of investment and longer term prospect is to further process some of PAK's potential output to produce higher purity lithium compounds required for lithium battery technologies used in the electrification of transportation and electric grid storage applications, as well as high end glass and glass ceramics" comments Trevor Walker, President and CEO Frontier Lithium. "This staged approach for development envisions Frontier Lithium producing compounds for the lithium-ion battery market - a global market that is anxious to see a new, serious supplier in a favourable jurisdiction come online as a sustainable source for high purity lithium compounds."

The proof of concept will demonstrate its viability and provide essential data for assessment of this possible second stage of product diversification by supplying lithium carbonate. Frontier Lithium intends to spearhead the production of high quality battery grade lithium in Northern Ontario, globally establishing our region as a significant Canadian contributor to clean energy technology.

The test work is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018.

Mr. Garth Drever, P.Geo., is the "Qualified Person" for Frontier defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Frontier Lithium Inc.

Frontier's goal is to become a low-cost, fully integrated lithium and tantalum producer through development of the PAK lithium deposit in Ontario, Canada. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership exceeding 30% of the Company. CAD $6 million of exploration work has been conducted from 2013 to 2017 on the deposit which boasts its lithium in a rare, high-purity, low-iron spodumene. The initial target market is the glass-ceramic industry which consumes roughly one-third of global lithium supply and is currently faced with monopolistic conditions, coupled with major lithium producers increasingly directing output toward supporting battery manufacture.

Ceramic/glass customers prefer to source technical-grade (low-iron) spodumene concentrate in excess of 7% lithium oxide (Li2O), if available, to avoid lower grade petalite concentrates, or paying much higher prices for battery grade lithium compounds. The Company's October 2017 Metallurgical Study returned favourable results by producing lithium concentrate with a grade of 7.13% lithium oxide (Li2O) with a corresponding Li2O recovery of 79.4% which satisfies the preference from technical-grade consumers.

The PAK lithium deposit remains open in all directions and Company Management is working towards developing a viable operation. The Company is currently conducting a pre-feasibility study to assess the economic viability and technical feasibility of producing lithium concentrates. Frontier's goal is to first establish a viable technical grade spodumene concentrate operation. A possible second stage of investment and longer term prospect is to further process some of PAK's output to produce the higher purity lithium compounds required for lithium battery technologies used in the electrification of transportation and electric grid storage applications.

About the PAK Lithium Project

The PAK Lithium Project lies close to the boundary between two geological sub-provinces of the western Superior geologic province in northwestern Ontario and hosts a rare metals pegmatite deposit. The deposit is an LCT (lithium- cesium- tantalum) type pegmatite. These types of pegmatites have been the principal source of hard rock lithium, tantalum, rubidium and cesium ores mined in the world but there are comparatively few commercially-viable deposits.

Frontier is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite. The PAK deposit has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 7.89 million tonnes of 1.73% Li2O equivalent (eq.) or 1.58% Li2O and 104 ppm Ta2O5 and an Inferred Resource of 295,600 tonnes of 1.35% Li2O eq. or 1.20% Li2O and 103 ppm Ta2O5 which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe2O3). The deposit has adjacent zones that are enriched in tantalum and rubidium.

The deposit now has a known 500m strike length with an estimated true width varying from 10m to 125m with a sub-vertical orientation. The resource remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and southeast.

Company Contact Information

Trevor R. Walker

President & CEO

2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA

T. +001 705.897.7622

F. +001 705.897.7618

Media Requests

Joseph Mansourian

Manager, Investor Relations

2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA

T. +001 705.618.0070

F. +001 705.897.7618

Additional information regarding Frontier Lithium is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and on its website at www.frontierlithium.com, including various pictures of ongoing work at the project.

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.

-End-



To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:
public://news_release_pdf/FrontierLithium10112017.pdf

Source: Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX Venture:FL)

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