New World Resource has reported the mid-program results from its Pastos Grandes lithium brine project located in south-west Bolivia.
The company has yielded high-grade lithium and low ratios of magnesium to lithium and sulphate to lithium from the drill locations 1,4,12 and 18. Second and third drill locations are signified by 2A and 3A, 3B and are inferred to cut a high energy aquifer consisting of sands and gravels. These sites do not have the potential for potassium and lithium.
Due to the rapid estimate for appraising the probability of extraction, high ratios of potassium-magnesium and sulphate-magnesium developed the potash recovery from the ideal production technique by means of solar evaporation ponds. Also, low magnesium-lithium and sulphate-lithium ratios assist in the lithium recovery.
Every drill location has a first pilot hole to discover the widths and depth of the aquifers present, subsequent to the drilling a group of holes at a radius of around 15 m from the pilot hole. All holes in the cluster will separately examine one of the aquifers, recognized by the pilot hole.
The aquifers with considerable values of potassium and lithium are dominated by fine silty sand and grained sand, along with local ulexite layers. The company encountered a depth of 83 m in the salar.
Following the aquifer identification drill campaign, the company will choose many locations for hydrologic appraisal. This process will contain the completion of a sequence of monitoring wells around every pump well. New World will perform a controlled pumping in the pump hole situated centrally and the monitoring wells will find out the rates of drawdown for every aquifer. This information is a part of a current comprehensive hydrological evaluation of the Pastos Grandes aquifer system and will be vital for the development of the company’s resource estimate.
New World has extended and built the onsite accommodations, laboratory and offices. Currently, this drilling is 50% completed and will start again soon when there is an improvement in the environmental conditions.
Source: http://www.newworldresource.com/