Tallahassee, FL 2/1/12 (StreetBeat) – AmeriLithium Corp. (OTCBB: AMEL) is pleased to announce geophysical exploration has been completed on the Company's Jackson Wash lithium project in Esmeralda County, Nevada, and that positive results from the 2nd stage controlled source audio magneto-telluric (CSAMT) survey have been received. AmeriLithium has a 100% interest in the project, which comprises 65 placer mining claims totaling ~2,450 acres (3.83 square miles) and covering the center of an identified gravity low to the east of Nevada's lithium-producing Clayton Valley. The project lies to the immediate east of the Montezuma Range; to the immediate west of the range lies the Clayton Valley playa.In regard to AmeriLithium's four Nevada-based properties – Paymaster, Clayton Deep, Full Monty, and Jackson Wash – the Company has now received all reports associated with both the gravity and CSAMT surveys for each of the properties, thereby concluding the final phase of a two-phase geophysical exploration program. The purpose of the geophysical exploration program has been to identify geologic conditions favorable for lithium-bearing brine accumulation beneath the four Nevada claim blocks and to identify targets on each property for exploration drilling during the next phase of exploration. Planning and permitting for a targeted drilling program has begun. In particular, the new drill program will include further development of the first stage drilling that was completed on the Company's Paymaster property on April 11, 2011, which included the successful drilling of the initial 3 holes of that property's 8-hole drill program.
In regard to the completion of the Jackson Wash property CSAMT survey, findings from a previous gravity survey were used to place the CSAMT survey lines over the deepest central portion of the Jackson Wash basin. The stratigraphic and structural detail shown in the data for both survey lines is excellent and indicates the presence of highly conductive layers and geologic structures that are strong indicators of brines below the surface within the Jackson Wash claim block.
Zonge International completed the CSAMT survey in December 2010 over the central portion of the Jackson Wash property. A detailed interpretive report on the methodology and results of the CSAMT survey has been received from J.L. Wright Geophysics. Wright compiled and interpreted the data collected by Zonge with the objective of defining structures and stratigraphy in the basin that resemble the deposit model for lithium brine deposits in nearby Clayton Valley. As an aid to the development of a lithium brine test drilling program, Wright has identified and described geologic conditions similar to the Clayton Valley deposit model.
Sedimentary units are evident in the interpreted data along both survey lines. Distinct low-resistivity layers stand out on both survey profiles as separate from high-resistivity beds above and below. Of significance is the presence of a low-resistivity layer approximately 250 to 400 meters thick lying between 500 and 750 meters below the surface. In addition, a 200-meter thick high-conductance layer is present at a shallower depth (350 meters) in the center of the basin. These are similar geologic conditions to those in which lithium has accumulated in Clayton Valley and from which Chemetall-Foote has been producing lithium. According to Chemetall reports, the presence of highly conductive (low resistivity) sedimentary units in proximity to basin-bounding and inter-basin faults is an important indicator of the presence of brines in Clayton Valley.
While the presence of low resistivity in sedimentary layers within the Jackson Wash Basin and their proximity to inter-basin faults is highly suggestive of brine aquifers, it does not guarantee the presence of economic lithium-bearing brine concentrations. Rather, the only true test for economic concentrations of lithium is drilling, groundwater sampling, and laboratory analysis, which comprise the next step in the Company's exploration process.
Four drillhole locations have been identified based on the CSAMT results. Drilling depths are anticipated to be between 275 and 845 meters. Drillholes will be designed to penetrate into the low-resistivity units and collect water samples for analysis. An additional target will be the base of the conductive layer in order to confirm the stratigraphy in the basin.
Matthew Worrall, AmeriLithium's CEO, commented: "With the results from the Jackson Wash CSAMT survey in hand, we now have all of the required data to put together what we believe will be an effective drill program for all four of our Nevada properties. Over the coming weeks we'll be utilizing the data from those recent reports and the data received from the previous drilling to advance our exploration for commercial lithium-bearing brine concentrations in Nevada."
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