Paradox Basin Lithium Brine Property

The Paradox Property consists of 111 mineral claims covering approximately 2,220 acres that contain eight historic oil and gas drill holes. The Paradox Property exists over an area with historic fluid analysis ranging from 81 to 1,700 ppm lithium in saturated minerals brines, which was previously disclosed by Voltaic Minerals Corp.’s press release of February 18, 2016. Well No.1 Long Canyon returned 500 ppm lithium. This well is located within 400 feet of the Paradox Property and is fully enclosed by the boundary (“Concentrated Subsurface Brines in the Moab Region, Utah”, Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey, June 1965). The brine was discovered in the 1960s when over pressurized oil exploration wells encountered blowouts upon drilling.

The Paradox Basin area is a semi-desert region with an average of over 300 days of sunshine per year, existing infrastructure, and year-round access to road and rail.

The Paradox Property is located approximately 4 kilometres northwest of Intrepid Potash’s Cane Creek Operation and is contiguous to the north of Voltaic Minerals Corp.’s “Green Energy” lithium property. As disclosed in Intrepid Potash’s 2015 Annual Report, the Cane Creek Operation produced 93,000 tonnes of potash in 2015 through solution mining and solar evaporation ponds. The Property is approximately 530 miles east of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada.

Approximately eight wells have been drilled on the Paradox Property with approximately 25 historic wells in the immediate area. Of these 25 historic wells, five near the Paradox Property have analytical data for lithium and are concurrent with a zone determined by the USGS to contain greater than 40% total dissolved solids in oil field brines. Lithium occurs at the basin in oversaturated mineral brine (40 per cent minerals, 60 per cent water) and was discovered during oil exploration when drill wells intercepted the main brine zone (clastic break 31) of the Paradox formation. The main brine zone is approximately 6,000 feet deep, and consists of 28 feet of shale, anhydrite and dolomite; the bed is not part of any oil reservoir. The fractured clastic zones form an excellent reservoir for brines derived from underlying evaporate units. The fracturing is caused by salt flowage, and it is possible that, when brine is removed from the zones, salt will flow into voids assisting to maintain the high reservoir pressure and high recovery of brine (“Concentrated Subsurface Brines in the Moab Region, Utah”, Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey, June 1965).

The Company has not undertaken any independent investigation of the drill results, fluid analysis or other information contained in this press release nor has it independently analyzed the results of the previous exploration work in order to verify the accuracy of the information or whether the information was prepared in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”). The Company believes that the historical drill results, fluid analysis and other information contained in this press release are relevant to continuing exploration on the Paradox Property. The Company intends to conduct a review of recent and historic well logs, along with chemical analysis in the area and reprocessing of seismic data focusing on mineral brine. Evaluation of reservoir potential will be done in preparation for the re-entry of shut-in wells.

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