Avarone Metals begins drilling at Moab

Jun 21, 2016

AVARONE COMMENCES SHORT HOLE DRILLING AT ITS MOAB LITHIUM PROJECT

Avarone Metals Inc. is currently executing phase two of its exploration program at its 100-per-cent-owned Moab lithium project in the South Big Smoky Valley, Nevada. The company has commenced drilling and plans on completing up to 16 holes utilizing a Vibracore drill and a Shaw diamond drill with large-diameter NQ rods (47.6-millimetre core diameter) as well as AQ rods (27 mm core diameter) for superior sample recovery to depths, depending on ground conditions, of up to 50 metres. The purpose of the drilling is to test subsurface layers for lithium and other commercial elements, such as boron and potassium, and the company is fully permitted for up to 20 holes.

The Moab lithium project fits well into the playa-type brine deposit model as it is located adjacent to, and shares geological similarities with the Clayton Valley, home to the only lithium-producing brine operation in North America. A playa is an internally drained brine deposit, the surface of which is primarily composed of silts and clays in which lithium can accumulate from the surrounding source rocks during successive evaporation and concentration events. Evaluation of regional gravity data has led to the hypothesis that the Big Smoky Valley has been infilled with an estimated 2,000 m to 2,500 m of alluvial fill and may have the potential to host a significant mineral deposit.

“Our short hole drilling program will provide a more accurate assessment of the project at depths of up to 50 m. We look forward to receiving these results and moving towards phase 3 of drilling exploration. As well, we are very encouraged that the salt-bearing zones, in addition to the volcanogenic clays encountered at Moab, support previous observations made by historical USGS surveys on both the Moab property as well as Ultra Lithium’s contiguous property, which is currently being drilled within the same enclosed basin,” said chief executive officer Marc Levy.

The technical content of this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Peter Born, PGeo, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, standards of disclosure for mineral projects.

http://www.avarone.com/index.php/news