Quelle : Newsletter von American Lithium 20 März 2023
American Lithium files TLC PEA Report Highlighting Potential for Excellent Project Economics PFS for TLC immediately Launched with DRA Global; Bulk Sampling Commenced VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, March 20, 2023 – American Lithium Corp. (“American Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:LI | NASDAQ:AMLI | Frankfurt:5LA1) announces it has filed an independent National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report (the “Report”) on the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) for the Tonopah Lithium Claims (“TLC”) project located in the Esmerelda lithium district northwest of Tonopah, Nevada. Highlights of the PEA were previously announced on February 1, 2023. The PEA and accompanying Technical Report were completed by DRA Global and Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (“Stantec”) and demonstrate that the TLC project has the potential to become a substantial, long-life producer of low-cost, high purity lithium carbonate (“LCE”).
The Company also announces that it has engaged DRA Global as lead engineer for the TLC Preliminary Feasibility Study (“PFS”). As part of the initial PFS work, large diameter (5.7”) diamond core drilling has commenced at TLC with 10 holes planned to target 10-15 tonnes of high grade TLC lithium claystone mineralization. The 10-hole program is spread throughout the proposed PEA mine plan footprint and will provide sufficient quantity and variability of mineralized material for detailed metallurgical and pilot process plant testing later in the year.
Simon Clarke, CEO of American Lithium states, “We are extremely pleased to have filed the PEA for TLC which shows the strong economic potential of the Project utilizing best of breed conventional mining and recovery techniques. The report is based on detailed process metallurgical work with robust mining and processing operating and capital costing, which allows us to move directly into our PFS work and should enable us to fast-track that process. We have commenced large diameter drilling at TLC to collect sufficient material for our detailed metallurgical test work to be undertaken in close consultation with DRA, enabling the completion of the PFS and running of pilot operations.”
Key Highlights of February 1, 2023 News Release:
TLC PEA Highlights (Base Case – Ramp-up Production Li only production):
Pre-tax Net Present Value (“NPV”)8% $3.64 billion at $20,000/tonne (“t”) LCE After-tax NPV8% $3.26 billion at $20,000/t LCE Pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (“IRR”) of 28.8% After-tax IRR of 27.5% PEA mine and processing plan produces 1.46 Mt LCE LOM over 40 years Pre-tax initial capital payback period 3.6 years; after-tax payback 3.7 years** Average LOM annual pre-tax cash flow: $435 million; annual after tax cash flow: $396 million Initial Capital Costs (“Capex”) estimated at $819 million Total Capex estimated at $1,456 million; Sustaining Capital estimated at $767 million Operating cost (“Opex”) estimated at $7,443/t LCE inclusive of power credits
** Payback is based on Phase 1 capital alone, with undiscounted cashflows TLC PEA Highlights (Alternate Case – Ramp-Up Production Li + Magnesium Sulfate production):
Identical LCE production scenario, but with added LOM average production of 1,681,856 tpa of magnesium sulfate (“MgSO4” - monohydrate and heptahydrate) by-products
Pre-tax Net Present Value (“NPV”)8% $6.06 billion at $20,000/t LCE & $150/t MgSO4 After-tax NPV8% $5.16 billion at $20,000/t LCE & $150/t MgSO4; Pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (“IRR”) of 38.6% After-tax IRR of 36.0% Pre-tax initial capital payback period 2.6 years; after-tax payback 2.8 years Average LOM pre-tax annual cash flow: $684 million; annual after tax cash flow: $ 591 million Initial Capital Costs (“Capex”) estimated at $827 million Total Capex estimated at $1,464 million; Sustaining Capital estimated at $738 million Operating cost (“Opex”) estimated at $7,443/t LCE inclusive of power credits Operating cost (“Opex”) estimated at $817/t LCE, inclusive of power & MgSO4 credits PEA mine plan produces 1.46 Mt LCE and 64.9 Mt MgSO4 LOM over 40 years
Readers are encouraged to review the related February 1, 2023 News Release, and the Report titled “Tonopah Lithium Claims Project NI 43-101 Technical Report – Preliminary Economic Assessment” dated March 17, 2023, with an effective date of January 31, 2023, which was prepared by DRA Global and Stantec and can be found under the Company’s profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company’s website. There are no material differences in the Report from the information disclosed in the February 1, 2023 news release.
Updated to Option, RSU and PSU Grant
The Company notes that its news release of February 2, 2023 referred to the grant of certain incentive stock options (the “Options”), restricted share units (the “RSUs”) and performance share units. The Options are exercisable over a term of sixty-months until February 2, 2028, and the RSUs vest after twenty-four months on February 2, 2025, and not as previously noted. Qualified Persons
Mr. Ted O’Connor, P.Geo., Executive Vice President of American Lithium, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Share Share Tweet Tweet Forward Forward Connect with American Lithium on any of our social media channels.
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