Sal de los Angeles
Project Overview
Sal de los Angeles project is situated in the prolific “Lithium Triangle” in Salta Province, Argentina and covers almost 100% of the Salar de Diablillos with mining area equal to 11650 ha.
The NI 43-101 resource estimate, prepared by FloSolutions, includes an Indicated and measured component of 307,535 tonnes of lithium at an average grade of 501 milligrams per litre (“mg/l”) (1,636,086 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent) (“LCE”) and 3,393,647 tonnes of potassium at an average grade of 5,512 mg/l (6,481,865 tonnes of potash (“KCl”) equivalent). The resource estimate also established an inferred resource of 77,464 tonnes of lithium at 356 mg/l (412,108 tonnes of LCE) and 811,472 tonnes of potassium at 3,739 mg/l (1,549,912 tonnes KCl equivalent).
Project Summary
- Approximately C$20M invested in work on the property between 2010 to 2017
- NI 43-101 resource of 1.64 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) indicated and 0.41 million tonnes LCE inferred
- High grade brine of 501 mg/L Li average
- Higher grade brine within indicated resource (501 to 790 mg/l Li) will be focus of further testing for wellfield construction
- Low average magnesium to lithium ratio of 3.8
- Positive results from drilling in the northern portion of the salar successfully demonstrate brine continuity throughout the northern portion of the basin all the way to the basin margins beyond the current resource limits
Lithium X Ponding Facility Joint Venture
PLASA
Argentine Subsidiary
Lithium X has option to acquire 80%
SESA
Earns 30% by contribution US $3.3M
Earns 20% for providing brine
Earns 50% by contributing US$6MM and is operator
Ponding Facility Joint Venture
- Construction permits received February 21, 2017
- Initial ponding facility aims for 2,500tpa LCE once the project is cash flow positive for a full 12-month period
- Partnering with SESA secures know-how and operation of several engineering and construction groups that have been involved in the design, building and/or operation of three construction and development-stage lithium brine projects in Argentina over the last five years
* The Project has not been the subject of a feasibility study and there is no guarantee the pilot plant will successfully produce a commercial product on a profitable basis or at all.
Location & Infrastructure
The closest developed site, other than Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes, to Sal de los Angeles is Estacion Salar de Pocitos (Pocitos), which is 130km north of the exploration area. FMC Lithium operates a small process/transfer facility at Pocitos. The FMC facility has access to the La Puna Natural Gas pipeline and to the General Belgrano railroad. The La Puna Gas pipe line was originally intended to extend from Gasaducto Atacama, located in Rio de las Burras, near the Jujuy and Salta provinces border, to the FMC lithium operation at Salar de Hombre Muerto. The pipeline reached Pocitos; however, there is no known schedule to extend the pipe line towards Sal de los Angeles.
About Argentina
- Over 10 mines have been put into production in the past 10 years
- Over 500,000 workers employed in the mining industry
- Mining is concentrated primarily in three pro-mining provinces: Salta, San Juan and Santa Cruz
- Federal tax incentives include:
- Construction IVA re-imbursement
- Accelerated depreciation of fixed assets (60/20/20)
- Fiscal stability certificate
- Repatriation of funds via loans and dividends
- Effective floating of Argentine Peso
- Argentine Peso has devalued by ~35% against the US dollar since December 2015 following new President Marci’s appointment, lowering US$ equivalent cost on AR$ operational denominated costs improving competitiveness in Argentina
- Elimination of 5% export duty on lithium concentrate products
- (2/24/2016) Major creditors near $5 billion deal with Argentina over defaulted bonds “Ending the litigation would be a historic step for Argentina” – Reuters
