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Pure Energy Minerals Receives Water Right for Clayton Valley Lithium Project Pilot Plant
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About this update from Pure Energy Minerals Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":" NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. DENVER, Jan. 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pure Energy Minerals Limited (TSX VENTURE:PE) (OTCQB:PEMIF) (the “Company” or “Pure Energy”) is pleased to announce that it has received a water right from the Nevada Division of Water Resources (“NDWR” or “State Engineer”) to extract the lithium-bearing brine needed for operation of the planned pilot plant at its flagship Clayton Valley Project (“CV Project”). The State Engineer granted Pure Energy’s application, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Esmeralda Minerals LLC, for a finite-term water right with the total withdrawal not to exceed 50 acre-feet over a five-year period. The water right provides the permit necessary to pump brine from the Clayton Valley aquifer and deliver the brine to the planned pilot plant for pilot-scale production of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH•H2O or “lithium hydroxide”). Pure Energy plans to operate the pilot plant for a period of six to 12 months to further evaluate the innovative process technology proposed for extraction of lithium from brine and production of lithium hydroxide at the CV Project. Data from a successful pilot plant trial will be used in the design of a full-scale commercial plant to produce LiOH•H2O directly from Clayton Valley brine. The Company’s news release of May 31, 2018 provides more detail regarding the design and objectives of the pilot plant. Walter Weinig, Pure Energy’s Vice President for Projects and Permitting, explained, “This water right is a key milestone in the development of the Clayton Valley Project. As the State Engineer pointed out in his ruling, obtaining water rights approval is often a first step in obtaining other government approvals for a project. While the 20,000 acre-feet per year of available water rights in Clayton Valley are fully appropriated, about 10,000 acre-feet go unused annually. Our finite-term water right of 50 acre-feet in total, to be used within five years, is a tiny fraction of the unused appropriation. We are pleased to receive the right to put this small amount of brine to beneficial use in the next step toward developing a project that could provide significant economic benefits to Esmeralda Coun...