Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) has received assays results from samples collected during the re-entry of the Skyline Unit 1 well within the Paradox Lithium Program in Utah, US.
Significantly, assays feature lithium grades of up to 164ppm and bromine grades of up to 3,508ppm.
Skyline is the fourth well Anson has sampled on the Paradox Project and these latest results will be used in the calculation of an updated JORC resource.
Using these results a JORC resource will be calculated for each of the 3 horizons (also known as Clastic Zones) to add to Anson maiden JORC resource from Clastic Zone 31.
Results to be used to update the JORC resource
Anson sampled Clastic Zones 17, 19, 29, 31 and 33 during drilling at Gold Bar and Cane Creek 32-1, and Clastic Zone 31 during drilling at Skyline Unit 1 and Long Canyon Unit 2.
Prior to these results, Anson had calculated an Exploration Target of 484 to 792 million tonnes of brine, with estimated grades of 50-150ppm lithium, 50-400ppm boron, 2,500-4,000ppm bromine and 30-100ppm iodine.
Paradox also had a standing JORC resource but it only related to Clastic Zone 31.
These latest results from the Skyline well will enable Anson to convert part of the aforementioned Exploration Target for Clastic Zones 17, 29 and 29 into an updated JORC Resource.
The resource is then intended to used in a scoping study or similar to estimate mine life and costs, planned for the March quarter of 2020.
Opportunities for further resource upgrades
Anson also believes there remains further opportunity to increase the JORC resource.
It sees opportunities in sampling Clastic Zones 33 and 43, and to step out drilling in future sampling programs to further extend the estimated mineral resource.
Anson able to separate lithium hydroxide and chlorine using electrolysis
The assay results follow recent positive test work results revealing that Anson is able to produce higher-value lithium products from its concentrated lithium chloride eluate.
An innovative process has been developed and tested which has successfully separated highly concentrated lithium chloride into liquid lithium hydroxide and chlorine using electrolysis.
This is a significant breakthrough as it is expected to lower the cost of producing lithium hydroxide from lithium concentrated brines as the lithium carbonate production step is not required.
It is understood that Anson has been the first to achieve this result from a commercial brine.
The test work has resulted in a new processing flow sheet that produces six products - bromine, lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, chlorine, hydrogen gas and hydrochloric acid.