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Lion One Announces Evaporator System Approved for the Tuvatu Gold Mine
US$1.14 Million Investment in Permanent Water Management Solution Eliminates Environmental Discha...
About this update from Lion One Metals Limited
[{"type":"text","content":"Lion One Announces Evaporator System Approved for the Tuvatu Gold MineUS$1.14 Million Investment in Permanent Water Management Solution Eliminates Environmental Discharge Risk at TuvatuNadi, Fiji--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2026) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (\"Lion One\" or the \"Company\") is pleased to announce that it has approved an investment of US$1.14 million for the procurement and installation of an evaporator system at the Company's 100%-owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji (\"Tuvatu\"). The evaporator is a permanent solution for managing excess process water in the Tailings Storage Facility (\"TSF\"), and is expected to be fully operational by late April to early May 2026, coinciding with the start of Fiji's dry season.To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/288934_capture.jpgStrategic RationaleThe Company conducted a thorough evaluation of water management alternatives for the TSF, including reverse osmosis (\"RO\") and enhanced evaporation technologies. The evaporator system was selected as the optimal solution following detailed engineering and commercial assessment, based on the following key advantages:Permanent elimination of discharge: The evaporator removes the need for any process water to be discharged into the Sabeto River system, delivering a robust environmental outcome and removing ongoing regulatory riskReduced timeline risk: The system can be operational within approximately six weeks of order placement, significantly faster than alternative solutions which face regulatory and procurement delays with no defined resolution timelineCost-effective solution: The total capital investment of approximately US$1.14 million includes US$190,000 allocated for an optional acoustic silencer to enable 24-hour operations if required. Industry experience indicates an RO plant alternative would cost a comparable amount for a single dry season rental aloneRegulatory certainty: The evaporation approach bypasses the uncertainty surrounding river discharge permits, which remain subject to completion of an independent environmental impact assessment that has been uninitiated for over six months with no end in sightWater Management ContextThe Tuvatu mine's water treatment plant currently processes water from the Mill Pond. While the ...