Nevada Lithium Resources Inc (CSE:NVLH, OTCQB:NVLHF) said a new assessment of the hydraulic borehole mining (HBHM) method could be used to extract high-grade lithium at its Bonnie Claire project in Nevada.
The company is undertaking an updated preliminary economic assessment (PEA) incorporating the HBHM method for extracting high-grade lithium, using surface-based, high-pressure water jets to break down mineralized material and pump the resulting slurry back to the surface.
Kinley Exploration, which Nevada Lithium CEO Stephen Rentschler described as an internationally recognized leader in the HBHM mining technique, was asked to update on the current working model that was based on HBHM extracting mineralized slurry between 1500 feet and 2500 feet, as high-grade material had been intersected down to 2780 feet in at least one hole last year.
Kinley has concluded that the hydraulic airlifting material from 3,000 feet is achievable with this mining strategy, the company said, noting that hydraulic airlift pumping is commonly used in drilling industrial large diameter wells up to 5,000 feet in undersea mining and in dredging applications.
Rentschler said: “As we continue the work towards pre-feasibility study (PFS), we have also contracted Global Resource Engineering Ltd to update our existing PEA."
He said the updated PEA will incorporate the latest information on metallurgy, the proposed HBHM scenario outlined in the Kinley update, long-term lithium prices, and calculate a new mineral resource estimate incorporating drill results from the past two seasons, including 2022 and 2023 drilling results that include lower high-grade mineralization.
It is expected to be delivered sometime this summer.