Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) has started site work on proposed production wells at its flagship Paradox Lithium-Bromine Project just seven days after receiving approval from the Utah State Government, rapidly advancing the project toward production and a JORC resource upgrade.
Equipment has been mobilised to site to establish road access to drill pad locations. The two production wells have been designed to support the 2,700 tonnes per annum lithium carbonate production plant to be constructed (subject to feasibility study) 30 miles north of the project area.
Anson Resources is an Australian-based exploration and development company, focused on the discovery, acquisition and development of natural resources that will meet the demand from rapidly growing new energy and technology markets.
The company is developing its flagship Paradox Basin brine project in southern Utah, in the US.
Another step toward production
“I am pleased with the speed of clearing and access to establish the drill pads for LCW-1 and LCW-2. Drilling of two production wells at Paradox represents another step towards increasing JORC resource confidence level and commencing production,” Anson Resources CEO and executive chairman Bruce Richardson said.
“These production wells will also provide significant insight into the engineering and logistics of the Paradox operation, with location of the wells carefully considered and nearby to the lithium-bromine plant to be built at Blue Hills.
“By leveraging the pressure created by Robert’s Rupture Anson can transport the brine to a location which has easy access to power, gas and transportation without the use of fossil fuels usually required to pump the brine, hence reducing production costs the minimising the impact on the environment.
“In addition, the location of the wells provides access to an existing pipeline corridor where ground disturbance has already occurred.
“Anson has carefully considered and designed the extraction process to ensure minimal ground disturbance and impact on social and recreational activities in the area in which we operate as part of adherence to our focus on our ESG policy.”
JORC resource upgrade strategy
Drilling of these wells and the re-entry of two other existing wells, Sunburst and Mineral Canyon, are part of Anson’s strategy to continue to increase the indicated JORC resource estimate for the project.
The targeted area of influence (AOI) that will increase the JORC indicated resource by drilling these two new wells is shown by the blue outline and the inferred AOI interest by the green outline area (below).
Drilling of the wells will also result in a large amount of additional data being collected, for example, clastic unit thicknesses and core of the brine bearing horizons, that can be used to upgrade the JORC resource calculations and classifications.