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| Pastos Grandes
About Lithium
Lipeņa Property
Long Valley Property
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Pastos Grandes, Lithium Brine Project, Bolivia Introduction The Pastos Grandes Property is located in the Sud Lipez province within the Department of Potosi Bolivia, at an elevation of approximately 4,200 metres. Bolivia is known to host the world's largest undeveloped lithium (Li) brine resource. This area in the Altiplano is also home to New World Resource's new prospect, Laguna Pastos Grandes and is part of a series of alkaline-saline lakes and salt crusts known as salars. Salars are composed of brines and salts rich in many minerals including lithium, potassium and boron. The Pastos Grandes salar is 125 km2 and is located in a basin surrounded predominantly by mountainous terrain with intermittent rivers and thermal springs that discharge waters into a central lake. The area is accessible via numerous roads, with services available at the nearby town of Uyuni 100 miles to the NE. This town of approximately 10,600 people is an important transport hub, accessed via a network of packed dirt roads, or by commercial airport. Geological Setting Laguna Pastos Grandes is one of some 200 alkaline, saline lakes and salars in the area. It covers approximately 125 km2 trending NW-SE, composed of a thick sequence of sediments with a late Miocene pyroclastic basement. Chemical analysis of the brine show that Pastos Grandes fits the Alkaline Type Salar based on the concentrations of (Na-Ca-SO4-Cl), with high concentrations of lithium (Li), boron (B), and potassium(K), average totaling: 1033 parts per million (ppm), Li, 378 ppm B, 7766 ppm K.  Pastos Grandes as seen from space. Note the central lake and several streams, photo courtesy of NASA click to enlarge The size of other major brine deposits range globally from 200 million to 1.3 billion metric tons with grades ranging from 0.015% to 0.125% lithium. Pastos Grandes Exploration The Company commissioned Dr. Teresita Kullberg to evaluate historical Pastos Grande brine samples and to compare the results to known lithium (Li) brine deposits of South America. Dr. Kullberg holds a PhD in Inorganic/Physical Chemistry and has extensive background in lithium chemistry, having worked for FMC Lithium and Chemetall Foote Corporation for a total of 26 years. Her experience ranges from laboratory research and development to pilot plant to production. She worked directly on the Atacama Salar of Chile through Chemetall Foote's subsidiary company Sociedad Chilena de Litio (SCL). Excerpt from the Report entitled, 'Salar de Pastos Grandes -- Evaluation of Brine Samples' dated April 12, 2009; "Preliminary conclusion from the data shows that the low Mg/Li ratio of 2.2 in the Pastos Grandes brine is very promising for a viable, profitable and economical Li recovery. Its brine composition mix with Li content > 1,000 ppm is competitive against the currently processed brines in Chile and Argentina. Additional investigation of this valuable lithium and potassium resource is recommended."Historical brine chemical data of Pastos Grandes*
Li = lithium, K = potassium, Mg = Magnesium, Ca = Calcium, SO4 = sulphate, ppm = parts per million As a quick estimate for assessing the feasibility of extraction, higher K/Mg and SO4/Mg ratios enhance the potash recovery from the preferred production method utilizing solar evaporation ponds. Moreover, lower Mg/Li and SO4/Li ratios facilitate lithium recovery. Below is a table comparing the historical brine samples of Pastos Grandes to other brine deposits in production in South America: Comparison of Pastos Grandes to Producing Brine Deposits in Chile & Argentina*
In conclusion the report states: "The Salar de Pastos Grandes represents brine of excellent quality for lithium and potassium recovery. While it is much smaller in size compared with the Salar de Uyuni, its composition mixture of Li, Mg, Ca, K, SO4, may be easier to process economically. The Mg/Li ratio of 2.2 is less than the Atacama ratio of 6.4. Additional studies are recommended for the Salar de Pastos Grandes."The historical results and the work that generated them pre-date the enactment of NI 43-101, and accordingly may not meet the requirements of the policy. During 2009, the Company commenced a brine sampling program to expand and confirm the historical data. The Company mobilized a highly experienced brine sampling team that collected 15 brine samples and 4 surficial water samples on a modified grid covering the entire Pastos Grandes salar. The results are consistent with historical sampling conducted by the US Geologica Survey and the University of La Paz and are listed below by the eastern and western sections of the salar. East Section of the Pastos Grandes Salar
West Section of the Pastos Grandes Salar
This was followed up by the Company collecting an additional 9 brine samples, within the limits of the Company's Pastos Grandes concession. The results continue to return significant lithium values and consistently low Mg/Li ratios. Pastos Grandes October 2009 Brine Sampling
The Company then commenced a drill program employing sonic drill technology. The Company utilized a portable light weight sonic drill to carry out a twenty-hole drill program. This drill is capable of collecting intact core samples, which are essential for detailed hydrological testing, including permeability and porosity data. Specific design alterations were being tested and added to this drill in order to selectively sample discrete brine horizons without cross contamination between aquifers. The holes will average 10 to 15 metres in depth. To date most of the brines samples collected have been from pits of less than 1.3 metres depth. The drill program was suspended and a new exploration program is expected to begin August 2010. A twenty-hole drill program is planned to sample individual aquifers and to test the depth of the salar. The Company has sourced the necessary equipment for environmental data collection, test pan materials, and other necessary lab equipment. The Company is currently working on a detailed plan to implement lithium test pans and ponds to understand the brine chemistry and to produce lithium carbonate samples. Agreements The Company's subsidiary, New World Bolivia S.A. ("New World Bolivia") has entered into a joint venture agreement ("Joint Venture") with Gonzalo Miranda Salles. The Joint Venture has a term of 20 years and the initial participation interests are 99% for New World Bolivia and 1% for Gonzalo Miranda Salles. The concession covers approximately 60 km2 of this highly prospective lithium brine salar. New World Bolivia has entered into a joint venture agreement with Alberto Sivila. The joint venture agreement has a term of 15 years and the initial participation interest is 97% for New World Bolivia and 3% for Alberto Sivila. The concession covers approximately 8.01 km2 of this highly prospective lithium brine salar. New World Bolivia has entered into a joint venture agreement with Empresa Minera Kellguani ('Kellguani"), a subsidiary of Empressa Minera Unificada S.A. The joint venture agreement has a term of 20 years and the initial participation interest is 99% for New World Bolivia and 1% for Kellguani. The concession covers approximately 7.11 km2 of this highly prospective lithium brine salar. New World Bolivia's total position at Pastos Grandes is 75.12 km2, which represents approximately 62% of the entire Pastos Grandes salar. "Pastos Grandes presents a new exciting opportunity for New World Resources in a country within which we have already established an excellent technical, logistical and legal team. Brines and their associated valuable mineral complexes are an easily extractable and an increasingly in-demand resource." -- John Lando, President |
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