U.S. Energy Storage Surges 46% In Q3; 2018 Could Be A Breakout Year For Vanadium Batteries

Jan 5, 2018

Summary

U.S. energy storage increases 46% in third quarter. Hawaii, California, Massachusetts aim to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2045.

Global storage market to double six times by 2030 to a total of 305 GWh. China reportedly started construction of world’s biggest 800 MWh battery and it’s made with vanadium.

Lithium batteries’ parasitic load factor and scalability may hamper growth. Vanadium batteries could start dominating the utility energy storage sector due to their proven reliability and longer battery life.

With fierce competition amongst vanadium battery makers and without a clear winner, investing in vanadium mining company may be the best way to participate in the rise of vanadium usage in batteries.

The considerable upside of vanadium mining company valuations can be seen when compared with uranium mining company valuations.

U.S. energy storage increases 46% in 3rd Quarter. Hawaii, California, Massachusetts aim to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2045.

The article “US Energy Storage Increases 46% in 3rd Quarter” by Joshua Hill, published on December 7, 2017, revealed the latest U.S. Energy Storage Monitor report by Greentech Media (“GTM”) Research showed a total of 41.8 MW (megawatts) worth of new energy storage capacity was deployed in the third quarter of 2017, representing an increase of 46% year over year and 10% quarter over quarter.

Texas led the way in the utility-scale segment with its 30 MW project, followed by Massachusetts, California, and Hawaii. GTM Research also highlighted the increasing role that energy storage is having in utilities’ integrated resource planning (IRP), with utilities across 14 states including nearly 2 GW (gigawatts) worth of storage into their IRP thinking.

Another article by Joshua Hill – “California To Meet 2030 Renewable Energy Targets By 2020”, dated November 21, 2017 – indicates California state’s major utilities have already met and should soon exceed the state’s 2020 renewable energy target of 33%. The article also says they will likely meet the 2030 target of 50% by 2020.

ABOUT SJR:

Thank you for your interest in Spearmint Resources Inc. Spearmint Resources is a Canadian junior resource exploration company dedicated to the aggressive pursuit of world class mineral deposits. The company is focused on assembling a portfolio of low risk, high reward properties at the exploration stage and developing them so as to maximize shareholder value. Several upcoming project milestones make this an exciting time period for Spearmint’s corporate growth potential. As you can see there are many compelling reasons to look at Spearmint immediately.

Spearmint’s current projects include a portfolio of lithium projects comprising of the ‘Clayton Valley Lithium Prospects’ in Nevada comprising of two claim blocks totaling 800-acres bordering Pure Energy Minerals (PE.v), and three lithium projects in Quebec including the 4,485-acre ‘Pressiac Lithium Prospect’, the 524-acre ‘Whabouchi Lakes Lithium Prospect’, and the 2,636-acre ‘Whabouchi Lakes West Lithium Prospect’.

Spearmint’s ‘Chibougamau Vanadium Prospects’ comprising of five separate claim blocks totaling 9,735-acres borders the vanadium deposit of BlackRock Metal’s (private) Ilmenite vanadium project, Vanadiumcorp Resource Inc. (VRB.v) and Vanadium One Energy Corp. (VONE.v).

Spearmint’s current projects also include three areas of focus on gold in British Columbia; the ‘Golden Triangle Gold Prospects’ comprising of four separate claim blocks totaling 4,095-acres bordering GT Gold Corp (GTT.v), the ‘Gold Mountain Prospects’ comprising of three separate claim blocks totaling 1,245-acres bordering Barkerville Gold Mines (BGM.v), and the 3,052 acre ‘Neba Prospect’ bordering Aben Resources Ltd (ABN.v). Spearmint’s 8,482 acre ‘EL North’ Nickel-Copper Prospect is a contiguous land package that includes the ‘EL North, EL North 2.

Current Projects

Lithium Properties:

The “CLAYTON VALLEY LITHIUM PROSPECTS” – Spearmint Resources Inc. has acquired two separate claim blocks in Nevada that are prospective for lithium known as the Elon property and the McGee property which cover an aggregate area of 800 acres. These two separate claim blocks border Pure Energy Minerals’ (PE.v) Clayton Valley project and Cypress Development Corp’s (CYP.v) property. Pure Energy is in the only known lithium-bearing brine in North America that is in production and Spearmint is very pleased to be in this area. Historic and present drill programs in adjacent and nearby properties are suggestive of the potential for the discovery of lithium-bearing brines.

Of the 91 samples collected during the phase 1 work program, and submitted to ALS Minerals in Vancouver, B.C., The highest sample value obtained was 1,630 parts per million, with an overall average value of 843 parts per million lithium. Twenty-three of the 91 samples achieved values of over 1,000 parts per million. The samples ranged from a low of 285 parts per million to the high of 1,630 parts per million. Spearmint Resources is currently awaiting approval of the notice of intent submitted to the Bureau of Land Management’s office in Tonopah, Nev., the approval of which is required before drilling activities may commence.

President James Nelson, stated, “We are very pleased that the results verified what we were hoping to find on the Clayton Valley prospect. The Clayton Valley prospect is developing nicely and these results are extremely promising for us and will enable us to continue with a larger drill program in the near future. Historic and present drill programs in adjacent and nearby properties are certainly encouraging and the success of our neighbours (Pure Energy and Cypress Development) provide Spearmint with an optimal location in the Clayton Valley. It would appear that the mudstone formation hosting the lithium moves through the Cypress-Pure joint venture properties and appears to continue on our property. We are immediately formulating the next phase of operations and look forward to either attempting to develop this property ourselves or to possibly take on a partner. Management will evaluate all possible avenues going forward.”

Below is the historical Lithium price (USD$) per metric ton

The “PREISSAC LITHIUM PROSPECT” – Spearmint’s 4,485 acre Preissac Lithium property is located in Quebec. The vicinity of the Preissac lithium property contains multiple lithium showings. Less than two km south of the property are located the Aldous and the Authier showings. Those showings correspond to spodumene mineralization inside pegmatite dikes, with a lithium content up to 1.14 per cent lithium. Less than three km northeast of the property is the Lac de Hauteur showing. Analysis reported by the MERN (Ministere de l’Energie et des Ressources naturelles) indicates anomalies in tantalium, niobium and lithium. Less than six km south are the Cominco-Nickel, Marbridge, Ataman, Lamotte and Cubric showings. These showings are ultramafic formation, with content up to 3.65 per cent nickel, with minor copper, zinc and molybdenum.

The “WHABOUCHI LAKES LITHIUM PROSPECT”– Spearmint’s 524 acre Whabouchi Lakes property is located in the James Bay area of the province of Quebec. This property consists of four claims that total approximately 2.13 square km. These claims overlay the possible source of lake sediment geochemical anomalies. The anomalous elements are bismuth, rare earth elements, lithium, niobium and tungsten, which represent good pathfinders and indicators of pegmatite-hosted type of mineralization also present at Nemaska Lithium Inc.’s (NMX.V) Whabouchi deposit.

The “WHABOUCHI LAKES WEST LITHIUM PROSPECT”– Spearmint’s 2,636 acre Whabouchi Lakes West property is located in the James Bay area of the province of Quebec, approximately 40 km east of the community of Nemaska, 228 km north-northwest of the Chibougamau municipality and in the immediate vicinity of the Whabouchi mine of Nemaska Lithium Inc. (NMX.v). It includes 20 claims that total approximately 10.66 square km.

Vanadium Properties:

The “CHIBOUGAMAU VANADIUM PROSPECTS” – Spearmint Resources Inc. has acquired a 100-per-cent interest in five separate vanadium prospects totaling 9,735 acres, the Chibougamau vanadium prospects, all located in the direct vicinity of Lac Chibougamau, Quebec. These new properties border BlackRock Metals’ (private) Ilmenite vanadium project, Vanadiumcorp Resource Inc.’s (VRB.v) Lac Dore vanadium project and Vanadium One Energy Corp.’s (VONE.v) Mont Sorcier vanadium project. This new block of claims puts Spearmint in the heart of the expanding Chibougamau mining district’s vanadium circle. Vanadium has garnered significant market attention recently as the use of vanadium in battery storage is gaining momentum and Spearmint is very pleased to be able to acquire a significant footprint in one of Canada’s best-known vanadium districts.

http://www.spearmintresourcesinc.com/