Solid news, samples sent to the lab :)
Umbral Energy to conduct geophysical surveys at Gerlach
2016-06-23 11:32 ET - News Release
Mr. Jag Bal reports
SAN EMIDIO PROPERTY, GERLACH, NV, EXPLORATION PROGRAM UPDATE
Umbral Energy Corp. has provided an exploration program update on the Gerlach (San Emidio Desert) property, located near Gerlach, Washoe county, Nevada. The San Emidio Desert is the name given to the playa extending south from Gerlach. San Emidio is the southern "tongue" of the largest dry lake bed in North America (Black Rock Desert). The 89 claims cover an area of 1,780 acres, property is less than 3 miles from the town of Gerlach, NV.
The claim block is located within the southern lobe of the Black Rock Desert, a graben feature of the Basin and Range geological province which dominates throughout Nevada. San Emidio is a dry lake bed (playa), its edges covered with a thin veneer (up to 3m) of wind-blown sand dunes and mounds. In this respect, San Emidio is not a pure evaporite basin, such as Great Salt Lake, Sevier Lake, or the Bolivian and Chilean salars, where active evaporation and salt/phosphate-deposition (?Li) is on-going.
Although composed of dried mud/silt/ash, the compacted playa mud is salty (indicating some form of evaporation during the life of the playa). In this respect, the San Emidio playa may be more appropriately compared to Clayton Valley. Country rock along the eastern margin of the playa has been hydrothermally altered (eg, Empire Gypsum deposit, Wind Mountain epithermal Au/Ag deposit), suggesting high heat flow and intense groundwater flow. This activity would have leached lithium where present.
All well-known natural hot springs in the region occur to the north and NE of the town of Gerlach. These springs are located adjacent to the Black Rock Desert, and may feed its groundwaters, and those of the San Emidio basin. More important for UMB's property is the presence of US Geothermals' electro-generation plant located 27km south of the G01-89 claims on the E edge of the southern lobe of the San Emidio playa. This confirms the presence of geothermal activity (hence brines) in the San Emidio playa.
Nevada Energy Metals (TSX-V: BFF) states on their website that previous work on their San Emidio Lithium project has detected the presence of up to 312ppm Li (0.03%), averaging 250ppm, in the playa sediments (located in the southern lobe of the San Emidio playa, 26km south of UMB's property, and adjacent to US Geothermals' plant). Furthermore, they state that US Geothermal has reported "anomalous" Li content from brine samples at their facility.
The San Emidio playa appears to be a closed valley, may have lithium-bearing clays and/or ash in its sediments (see "xiv" above), has active, hot, Li-bearing groundwater flow along its eastern margin (US Geothermal, gypsum mine, etc), and has been affected by evaporite-style processes. The San Emidio property may therefore be conducive to the presence of lithium-bearing groundwater.
San Emidio exploration is expected to focus initially on geophysical surveying, particularly IP, to detect conductive layers beneath the playa floor. Brines are salty, and are therefore strongly conductive. The thicker and strongest conductive zones can subsequently be drill-tested for lithium content. Further research into the distribution of active hydrothermal activity along its eastern edge is also required.
Jag Bal, President of Umbral commented, "I am excited about the rapid prog r ess Umbral has made on both the Tule and Gerlach Projects and look forward to continuing progress on both. Regarding Tule, initial samples collected have been sent to ALS Chemex in Elko, NV. and company is awaiting results. "
We seek Safe Harbor.