Slide 1: March 2010
March 2010
Slide 2: Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain of the statements included in this presentation constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statemen
Slide 3: Disclaimer
DISCLAIMER The information contained in this presentation is confidential and for internal use only. The contents are not to be reproduced or distributed to investors, the public or press. The information contained herein, while obtained from sources which we believe are reliable, is not guaranteed
Slide 4: Company Highlights
Company Highlights ¾ Successfully completed $45m IPO on the TSX on May 13, 2010 Ticker symbol (TSX: LAC) Market Cap ~ $136 million ¾ Cauchari-Olaroz has the potential to be among the world’s largest lithium salares Drill results indicate attractive overall brine chemistry An NI 43-101 compli
Slide 5: Company Snapshot
Company Snapshot ¾ Properties located in the Provinces of Jujuy and Salta, Argentina Advanced Cauchari-Olaroz properties include 70 mineral exploration permits that cover approximately 36,974 ha Additional prospective regional land holdings of approximately 82,253 ha in the Puna Plateau ¾ Caucha
Slide 6: Strategic Investor Agreements
Strategic Investor Agreements Summary of Strategic Investor Agreements Current Terms of Arrangement Interest (%) * ¾ Off-take option for up to 25% of lithium production at a 5% discount to prevailing market price (at Magna’s option; subject to Magna maintaining a minimum 9.9% equity interest) ¾ Inte
Slide 7: The best Lithium district in the world: Puna Plateau
The best Lithium district in the world: Puna Plateau ¾ Approximately 84% of the world’s lithium brine reserves are contained on the Puna Plateau of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia ¾ Lithium Americas’ salt lake properties cover aggregate of 119,227 ha in the most prolific Second Largest Li Lithium camp
Slide 8: Land Tenure
Land Tenure ¾ 70 mineral exploration permits that cover approximately 36,974 ha in the Puna Plateau All environmental permits obtained Aboriginal communities on side with written contracts supporting Lithium Americas ¾ To date, 80 km2 of the 300 km2 salar area has been tested and contains lithiu
Slide 9: Exploration Results: Surface Sampling
Exploration Results: Surface Sampling ¾ 55 brine samples collected from shallow pits with most showing concentrations between approximately 200 and 2,150 mg/L Li Lithium Sample Results Potassium Sample Results 9
Slide 10: Exploration Results: Drilling
Exploration Results: Drilling ¾ Approximately 2,613 m of drilling completed to date: 9 RC holes completed (1,333 m) 5 diamond drill holes completed (1,280 m) ¾ Drilling has shown lithium bearing aquifer extends from surface down vertically up to 249 m and is open at depth 10
Slide 11: Exploration Results: Diamond Drill Holes
Exploration Results: Diamond Drill Holes ¾ Diamond drill holes show the existence of a buried salar Cauchari hosts over 200 m of a porous sodium chloride salar inter- layered with sandstones According to seismic data, this zone may extend to depths as deep as 600 m ¾ Permeability tests are favou
Slide 12: Geology
Geology ¾ Results from five diamond drill holes completed across the salar, to a maximum of 322 m, indicate that there are three main geologic units in the salar Upper Mixed Sequence (UMS) ranges from 0 m to 40 m in thickness Thin Bedded Sequence (TBS) forms intermediate unit; ranges from 0 m to
Slide 13: Average Chemical Composition Comparison
Average Chemical Composition Comparison Average Chemical Composition Comparison of Natural Brines (wt%) Salar de Salar de Hombre Salar del Silver Peak Zhabuye Salt Salar de Uyuni Cauchari Atacama Muerto Rincon (USA) Lake (Tibet) (Bolivia) (Argentina) (Chile) (Argentina) (Argentina) Li 0.051 0.023 0.
Slide 14: Cauchari Seismic Profile
Cauchari Seismic Profile ¾ Seven seismic tomography lines completed (24.7 km) ¾ Seismic data was field tested with diamond and reverse circulation drilling ¾ The results show that the main lithologies can be traced with this technique at depth ¾ Deep aquifer (CBS) extends from depth of 50 m to appro
Slide 15: Initial Resource Estimate
Initial Resource Estimate ¾ An Inferred In Situ Resource Estimate was made on the central portion of Northern Cauchari in an area of approximately 22 x 2 km where the Company has the highest confidence of a continuous aquifer 15
Slide 16: Inferred In Situ Resource Estimate
Inferred In Situ Resource Estimate ¾ The Inferred In Situ Resource Estimate was arrived at using a block model run on Vulcan 7.1 and the inverse square distance method ¾ Inferred resource estimates on the central portion of Northern Cauchari are as follows: Inferred Resource Estimate: Average Concen
Slide 17: Exploration Potential
Exploration Potential RC 04 RC 06 300 m Aquifer BLUE SKY 4 kilometres ¾ Deposit remains open at depth ¾ Deposit remains open in both directions along the long axis of the salars 17
Slide 18: Comparison to the Largest Global Li Brine Deposits
Comparison to the Largest Global Li Brine Deposits ¾ Lithium Americas’ initial inferred resource estimate compares favourably with the largest known lithium deposits to date Project Name Company Country In Situ Resources (tonnes Li) Uyuni1 Comibol Bolivia 5,500,000 Salar de Atacama1 Soquimich Chile
Slide 19: Future Development Program: Budget
Future Development Program: Budget ¾ Further work consists of two main components: A hydrogeological component to further define the resource estimate and to evaluate brine extractability and long-term aquifer hydraulics A metallurgical component to develop a brine process flow sheet and to carr
Slide 20: Future Development Program: Detailed Timeline
Future Development Program: Detailed Timeline Lithium Americas Cauchari Project Development Program Stage Activities Approximate Timing • Geophysics: Seismic + VES • Exploration Drilling • Test Production Drilling and Well Installation Geology • Multilevel Piezometers and Pump Test 2010 – 2011 • Hyd
Slide 21: Management Team
Management Team Waldo A. Perez, Ph D. P. Geo. President, CEO, Director ¾ Dr. Perez has 24 years of academic and industry experience in mineral exploration in South America ¾ Has directed project generation for Barrick Gold Corp and IAMGold Inc., throughout South America, including Peru, Chile, Parag
Slide 22: Board of Directors
Board of Directors Basil Botha, MBA (Independent Chairman) ¾ Mr. Botha joined Otavi Mining AG in 1974 as a project manager establishing mines on three continents ¾ Has extensive knowledge of the minerals and metals markets in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea where he supplied lithium to the ceramics an
Slide 23: Panel of External Experts
Panel of External Experts Frits Reidel, B. Sc. Independent Hydrogeologist ¾ Mr. Reidel is an Independent hydrogeologic consultant and the General Manager and co-founder of Nazca S.A, a company dedicated to exploration and development of groundwater resources ¾ Mr. Reidel was Senior hydrogeologist an
Slide 24: Capital Structure
Capital Structure ¾ Successfully completed $45m IPO on the TSX on May 13, 2010 IPO Share Price = $1.85 Market Cap ~ $136 million Common Shares Outstanding = 73,524,400 Fully Diluted Shares Outstanding = 86,238,504 No Debt ¾ Strategic Investor Common Shareholdings at May 13, 2010 Magna In
Slide 25: Social Responsibility
Social Responsibility ¾ The Company aims to minimize impact on both local communities and the environment The project must be accepted by the Company’s stakeholders and make sense to impacted communities The Company has a full time Anthropologist and a full time Psychologist devoted to community
Slide 26: Thank You
Thank You 26