SEPARATION RAPIDS PROJECT
The 224-hectare Separation Rapids Specialty Minerals Project is located 58 km north of Kenora, Ontario in the highly prospective English River greenstone belt, which hosts lithium, tantalum and cesium mineralization. The Property is situated immediately adjacent to the east of Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.’s (formerly Avalon Rare Metals Inc.) Big Whopper property, one of the largest rare metal pegmatite deposits in the world.
In the Fall of 2018, Gossan conducted a 4-man field program at the Property. A detailed examination of the pegmatite zone which was identified in programs in 2007 and 2009, showed that there were many more unmapped pegmatite outcrops in the zone. The pegmatite outcrops, which appear to be on strike with the Big Whopper Pegmatite, were mapped and sampled with the best assay being 1.06% Li2O. Minor lepidolite was also noted in several locations. A trenching program was recommended to strip the overburden off the ends of the outcrops to assess their full width and understand their emplacement.
The demand for lithium is growing strongly due to the use of lithium minerals in battery-powered vehicles and other electrical storage devices.
On September 27, 2016 and October 25, 2016, Avalon announced the results of a NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Study (PEA) prepared under the oversight of Micon International Limited. The PEA investigated the potential for recovery of a lithium product suitable for the lithium battery market and the results confirm a technically viable process and positive economics for the recovery of a battery-grade lithium hydroxide product.
On July 18, 2017, Avalon announced the results of its Spring 2017 5-hole drill program to investigate lepidolite, which included two holes located between the eastern side of existing deposit and the claim border with Gossan’s ground, a distance of about 1000 metres. Both holes intersected pegmatite mineralization with visible petalite and/or lepidolite content. In 2018, two additional holes were drilled on the eastern side of the deposit, one of which encountered an approximate true width of 20 metres of mainly lepidolite-petalite mineralization. Gossan has 3 showings of lepidolite in outcrop along strike.
On August 21, 2018, Avalon announced an updated PEA with a new staged development model that materially reduces the capital cost of the project from a contemplated $450 million to a phase 1 estimate of $77.7 million. The new model focuses on initial production of lithium mineral concentrates. The PEA was
prepared by Micon International Limited. Avalon has also updated its Measured and Indicated Resource to 8.405 million tonnes at 1.408% Li2O.
Historically, the highest and best currently known use for material from the Separation Rapids Property was likely as an input to the glass/ceramics industry. However Avalon has made material progress in approaching a higher and better use in the lithium battery market and other more valuable by-products. No major fieldwork is currently being planned at the Property by Gossan while we wait to assess the economic viability of various aspects of Avalon’s test work.