Pure Energy Minerals Limited Completes Constant-Rate Pumping Test at Newest Exploration Well, CV-8, at the Clayton Valley South Project
March 27, 2017 at 07:36 pm IST
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Pure Energy Minerals Limited to announce that it has completed a constant-rate pumping test at its newest exploration well, CV-8, at the Clayton Valley South Project (the "CVS Project"). The test ran continuously for three days and included a collection of brine samples along with extensive hydrogeological data on the brine aquifer system. CV-8 is believed to be the deepest well drilled in Clayton Valley, having reached a total depth of 3,194 ft (974 m) below ground level. The drillers completed the well with casing and filter pack to a depth of 2,874 ft (876 m), installing perforated casing and seals around two separate intervals. This type of well construction allows for isolation and separate testing of shallow and deeper zones of the aquifer system. The well encountered numerous aquifers, including the interlayered volcanic ash and silt that are typical of Clayton Valley lithium production. At greater depths, the well passed through travertine (hot springs deposits) and conglomerate (gravel) that had not previously been described on the CVS Project, thus offering the potential for new brine hosting aquifers. Down hole fluid logging revealed elevated electrical conductivity to the bottom of the well, suggesting the presence of brine at greater depths than any previous sampling on the project. The pumping test was configured using an electric submersible pump and monitoring apparatus in CV-8. The test ran at a constant pumping rate of approximately 2.0 litres per second (30 gallons per minute) for its duration. The hydrogeologists collected approximately 48 separate brine samples (including QA/QC samples) for lithium analysis over the 72-hour pumping period. Monitoring during the test revealed that the extracted brine from CV-8 reached near steady-state elevated fluid conductivity and fluid density, comparable to other brine wells on the CVS Project. Based on previously observed correlations between conductivity and lithium content, this suggests the production of consistent lithium-bearing brine during the entire pumping test. Data collected during the pumping test will be used to enhance understanding of the hydrogeology of the CVS Project. The team also collected depth-specific brine samples for chemical analysis. These results are expected in April. The upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) will include a full discussion and interpretation of the data from CV-8. This pumping test was designed and supervised by Pure Energy's hydrogeological consulting specialists, Montgomery & Associates ("Montgomery"). The test was performed in accordance with State of Nevada waivers and permits issued to Pure Energy by the Nevada Division of Water Resources and the Division of Environmental Protection, which allowed for the extraction of brine from the well for the extended duration of this test and subsequent discharge to surface.
Pure Energy Minerals Limited is a Canada-based lithium resource developer company, which is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties. The Company's primary project is the Clayton Valley Project (CV Project), which is located in Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada. The CV Project is located in central Esmeralda County, Nevada, approximately halfway between Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, United States. The Clayton Valley Project contains an inferred mineral resource of approximately 218,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). In addition, the Company is focused on new processing technologies for lithium through its collaboration with global technology partners, Tenova Advanced Technologies, at the process testing, engineering, and design stage on the Clayton Valley Project. The Company's subsidiaries include 0891884 B.C. Ltd., Esmeralda Minerals, LLC, 1056625 B.C. Ltd., 1061582 B.C. Ltd. and LT Capital Holdings, LLC.