Nemaska Lithium Increases Mineral Resource at Whabouchi Nemaska Lithium Inc. ("Nemaska" or the "Corporation") (TSX: NMX)(OTC:NMKEF)(FRANKFURT:NOT) is pleased to announce that, following the completion of the Summer 2016 definition diamond drilling campaign, (see press release of July 13, 2016), an updated Mineral Resource estimate has been completed by Jean-Philippe Paiement, P.Geo., M.Sc., of SGS Canada Inc. The Mineral Resource was interpolated using ordinary Kriging and was limited inside an optimized pit shell. Following interpolation by SGS Canada Inc., the block model was submitted to Met-Chem/DRA to run pit optimization using MineSight©. The portion of the block model located below the optimised pit shell is not included in the updated Mineral Resources. The company is currently preparing a National Instrument 43-101 format updated Feasibility Study on the Whabouchi project, which will include the updated Mineral Resource estimate. Currently, there is a National Instrument 43-101 format Feasibility report on the Whabouchi project with an effective date of April 4, 2016 (revised on June 8, 2016), that incorporates the past Mineral Resource estimate prepared by Jean-Philippe Paiement, P.Geo., M.Sc. of SGS Canada Inc. with an effective date of January 22, 2014.
The following table presents the 2016 Mineral Resources, with a comparison with the 2014 resource estimate:
| 2016 vs 2014 Mineral Resource Estimate (In-pit) - Whabouchi Project |
| Resources Categories | 2016
Tonnage (Mt)* | 2016
Li2O Grade (%) | 2014
Tonnage (Mt)* | 2014
Li2O Grade (%) | Increase in tonnage
(Mt) |
| Measured | 15.767 | 1.58 | 12.998 | 1.60 |
2.769 |
| Indicated | 20.853 | 1.41 | 14.993 | 1.54 |
5.860 |
| Measured + Indicated | 36.620 | 1.48 | 27.991 | 1.57 |
8.629 |
| Inferred | 7.188 | 1.37 | 4.686 | 1.51 |
2.502 |
Bulk density of 2.71 t/m3 is used. Effective date November 30, 2016. * Rounded to the nearest thousand.
"I am very pleased to see the significant resource tonnage increase within our pit shell," commented Guy Bourassa, President and CEO of Nemaska Lithium. "As you can see from the longitudinal image the new resource will increase the open pit design enabling us to mine for a longer period using low cost open pit mining methods, which should reduce our cost of concentrate. This is very important when one considers that it takes approximately 7.5 tonnes of concentrate to produce one tonne of lithium carbonate equivalent. While our updated Feasibility study, which we are targeting to release in January 2017, will further define those numbers, I am nonetheless very pleased with the results of this new resource and the positive impact it should have on our project economics. The deposit remains very strong below the pit shell and there is potential to continue to mine beyond the optimized pit shell in an underground scenario, but that now looks to be pushed further into the future, especially when one considers the potential of the Doris Zone which is within the pit shell, near surface and open along strike. We are planning a drilling campaign this winter to further explore the Doris Zone. It seems the potential at Whabouchi is even greater than we initially thought."
The mineral resources were estimated based on the following geological and resources block modeling parameters*:
- Mineral resources were estimated from analytical results of the diamond drill holes and channels completed by Nemaska since 2009. Historical drill holes and channels were not used for the current mineral resources estimates. A total of 545 drill holes/channels and 13,770 assays were used for the mineral resources model.
- The 3D modeling of mineralized pegmatite dyke was conducted using a minimal modeling grade of 0.50% Li2O over a 2m horizontal thickness.
- Block Model Interpolation was conducted using Ordinary Kriging on 2m uncapped composites. The block model was defined by block size of 5m long by 3m wide by 5m thick and covers a strike length of 1,315m to a maximal depth of 520m below surface. The modelling and interpolation was conducted in Genesis© software.
- The block model was submitted to DRA for pit optimization using the parameters stated in the table below. The mineral resources which are located inside the optimised pit shell reach 390m below surface (maximum depth of optimised pit).
- The cut-off grade of the reported Mineral Resources was estimated at 0.30% Li2O by DRA using the parameters from the following table.
*Based on the Memorandum received from SGS Canada Inc., dated November 30, 2016.
| Parameters | Value | Unit | References |
| Sales Revenues |
| Concentrate Price (6% Li2O : 2.81Li%) | 688.00 | C$/Tonne | Nemaska Lithium Inc. |
| Operating Costs |
| Mining Mineralized Material | 4.48 | C$/t milled | DRA |
| Mining Overburden | 2.86 | C$/t | DRA |
| Mining Waste | 3.88 | C$/t | DRA |
| Crushing and Processing | 22.81 | C$/t milled | DRA |
| General and Administration | 5.00 | C$/t milled | DRA |
| Freight Mine to Refinery | 50.00 | C$/Conc. | Nemaska Lithium Inc. |
| Metallurgy and Royalties |
| Concentration Recovery | 83.8 | % | SGS Canada Inc. |
| NSR Royalties | 1.665 | $/t | Nemaska Lithium Inc. |
| Geotechnical Parameters |
| Pit Slopes | 56 | Degrees | DRA |
| Mineralized Material Density | 2.71 | t/m3 | SGS Canada Inc. |
| Waste Material Density | 3.06 | t/m3 | DRA |
| Overburden | 2.1 | t/m3 | DRA |
| Cut Off grade | 0.30 | % Li2O | DRA |
The technical information in this press release has been reviewed by Jean-Philippe Paiement, P.Geo., M. Sc., Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.
About Nemaska Lithium
Nemaska Lithium intends to become a lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate supplier to the emerging lithium battery market that is largely driven by electric vehicles, cell phones, tablets and other consumer products. The Corporation is developing in Quebec one of the most important spodumene lithium hard rock deposit in the world, both in volume and grade. The spodumene concentrate produced at Nemaska Lithium's Whabouchi mine will be shipped to the Corporation's lithium compounds processing plant to be built in Shawinigan, Quebec. This plant will transform spodumene concentrate into high purity lithium hydroxide and carbonate using the proprietary methods developed by the Corporation, and for which the Corporation holds three granted patents and several patent applications that are pending in different countries, covering different aspects and improvements of its proprietary technology for preparing high purity lithium hydroxide and carbonate.