News

Global Battery Metals Initiates Field Exploration Program on North-West Leinster Lithium Project

October 19, 2022

October 19, 2022, Vancouver, British Columbia – Global Battery Metals Ltd. (the “Company” or “GBML”) (TSXV: GBML; OTCQB: REZZF; Frankfurt: REZ), an international critical mineral exploration and development company focused on growth-oriented battery metal projects supporting the global transition to clean energy, announces field exploration work has started on its North-West Leinster Lithium Project (the “Property” or the “Project”), with a particular focus on Prospecting Licence Area (“PLA”) 1597. 

PLA 1597 forms part of the Company’s Property exploration block, which is operated under an exclusive Option and Earn-in agreement with Technology Minerals Plc (LSE: TM1), the first listed UK company focused on creating a sustainable circular economy for battery metals, and its wholly owned subsidiary LRH Resources Limited (“LRH”). 

Highlights:

  • The Company has been issued new PLA 1597 by the GeoScience Regulation Office (GSRO) of the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications of Ireland to add to the 15 licences already held bringing the total area of tenure to 526km2. 
  • Preliminary ground truthing and prospecting on PLA 1597 at two localities Knockeen and Carriglead have yielded high grade spodumene pegmatite samples in float ranging up to 2.95% Li2O. 
  • Work program due to commence to include detailed mapping, prospecting and deep overburden sampling at the Knockeen and Carriglead targets.
  • Five previously identified target areas on the northern block are also to be targeted with follow up prospecting and sampling.
  • Field exploration programs beginning with a view to identifying specific areas for follow up drilling.

New Licence PLA 1597 and Initial Prospecting Results

PLA 1597 was identified as prospective for lithium pegmatite potential by the Company’s Project partner LRH and its exploration consultants Aurum Exploration Services (“Aurum”) following detailed desktop studies which outlined two proximal areas of spodumene-bearing pegmatite reported by previous operators in the mid 1970s as part of their exploration programmes. The lithium pegmatite boulder trains at Knockeen and Carriglead are separated by a north-south valley and form an initial area of interest covering approximately 2km east-west and 1km north-south. A historical exploration map and report also described a trench excavated at Knockeen as having uncovered a 1.8m wide bedrock spodumene-bearing pegmatite vein, however no detailed laboratory assays or geological maps of the trench were reported at that time.

LRH completed an initial one day reconnaissance site visit to the Knockeen - Carriglead prospects with Aurum geologists visually confirming the presence of spodumene in float and collecting six samples which were submitted for analysis to ALS Laboratories, Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland, and returned values between 0.70% Li2O to 2.95% Li2O (Table 1).

Sample ID

Licence

Prospect

Li ppm

Li2O %*

210724CL02

PL 1597

Knockeen

3240

0.70

210724CL03

PL 1597

Knockeen

11200

2.41

210724CL04

PL 1597

Knockeen

11000

2.37

210724CL05

PL 1597

Knockeen

13700

2.95

AES61137

PL 1597

Carriglead

3550

0.76

AES61138

PL 1597

Carriglead

7470

1.61

Table 1: Results from prospecting at Knockeen and Carriglead Prospects PL 1597 *Li2O % = Li ppm % (x 2.153)

Dry stone field walls in the immediate vicinity of the historical Knockeen trench revealed abundant, spodumene-rich pegmatite float with three of the four samples collected returning values of between 2.37% Li2O and 2.95% Li2O (Fig 1 & Photo 1).

Photo 1: Spodumene pegmatite samples from Knockeen and Carriglead

A & B Spodumene pegmatite field samples Knockeen, C Spodumene pegmatite Knockeen Sample 210724CL05 (2.95% Li2O), D Spodumene pegmatite Carriglead Sample AES61138 (1.61% Li2O)

Further detailed exploration work on PLA 1597 is expected to commence in late October 2022 in the form of prospecting, mapping and deep overburden sampling surveys which are aimed at defining targets for drilling.

The Leinster Property

The Leinster Property, located in the counties of Wicklow, Dublin and Wexford, is focused on the exploration for lithium mineralisation within spodumene-bearing pegmatites. The Property consists of fifteen prospecting licences, termed ‘the North-west Leinster Block’, which cover a total area of approximately 477km2, and the PLA 1597 comprising 48.32km2, in County Wexford. 
The Property lies along a 135km long regional structural trend of known lithium-bearing pegmatites, along the south-eastern margin of the Leinster Massif and centred on the Aclare and Moylisha occurrences which were discovered during 1960s and 1970s and are currently being explored under the Ganfeng – International Lithium joint venture. 

In addition to the work on PLA 1597, five target areas on the North Leinster Block (Fig 2) will be followed up. Exploration on these areas to date has identified lithium-rich aplite and spodumene pegmatite float boulders within broader zones of Geological Survey of Ireland lithium anomalism in drainage stream sediment samples. This work has been previously reported by LRH and a summary of the prospecting is presented below: 
 

  1. Aghavannagh (1.78% Li2O equivalent in large angular blocks of spodumene-beating pegmatite float );
  2. Sorrel (1.6% Li2O equivalent in spodumene-bearing pegmatite float); 
  3. Tonygarrow (1.0% Li2O equivalent in spodumene-beating pegmatite float); 
  4. Scurlocks (0.65% Li2O equivalent in aplite float); and
  5. Knocknaboley (anomalous lithium, 820 ppm Lithium in aplite float).

As part of an ongoing workflow, the Company continues to identify, fully assess and apply for new prospective areas for spodumene-pegmatite exploration opportunities along the district-scale Irish lithium pegmatite belt.Figure Figure 1: Map showing location of prospecting samples at Knockeen and Carriglead

Figure 2: Target map showing location of Northern Block and PLA 1597

“The initial prospecting results confirming the presence of high-grade lithium in spodumene-pegmatites, along with the rediscovery of decades-old information pertaining to spodumene boulder trains is an exciting find and an important view into this area’s potential,” stated Michael Murphy, President, and CEO of GBML. “GBML will now conduct a deep overburden sampling program in the Knockeen and Carriglead zones to help determine the best possible position for a drilling rig to get started.”  

The Property was selected by the Company due to significantly higher grades than nearby Ganfeng/ILC Avalonia project in stream sediments, with similar grades in soil samples. Stream sediment assays are predominantly in the 125-1000ppm range vs 60-120ppm range for Ganfeng/ILC assays. The presence of visible spodumene is noted in several areas, along with coarse spodumene crystals in one prospective area that appears to be at least a few hundred metres long. Ireland remains a geopolitically stable area and the weather in Leinster is amenable year-round for exploration and development. 

On September 20, 2022, GBML exercised its first option on the Project and will continue to have the right to exercise two further options to acquire up to a further (a) 37.5% interest for a cumulative 55% interest in the Project, and (b) 35% interest for a cumulative 90% interest in total in the Project by fulfilling the requirements of the Second Option and Third Option, respectively (see the Company’s news releases dated September 20, 2022, and August 19, 2022).

Please see the Company's NW Leinster Project Overview for additional program details, in addition to the latest version of the Company’s Investor Presentation available for download from the GBML website (www.gbml.ca).

Competent Person

All scientific and technical information in this announcement has been prepared under the supervision of EuroGeol Vaughan Williams, M.Sc., P.Geo. (a Principal of Aurum Exploration Services currently providing exploration services to GBML and to LRH), and a “qualified person” within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Vaughan Williams is also company secretary of LRH.
 

About Global Battery Metals Ltd.

GBML is a mineral exploration company with a focus on metals that make up and support the rapid evolution to battery power. GBML's common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and Frankfurt Stock Exchange and quoted on the OTCQB. GBML currently has five projects: (1) an option to acquire up to a 90% in the North-West Leinster Lithium Property in Ireland; (2) a 100% interest in the Lithium King Property in Utah; (3) an option to acquire up to a 100% interest in the Lapoile Lithium Project in Newfoundland; (4) an option to lease the Sawyer Camp prospective nickel-copper project in Michigan; and (5) a 55% stake in Peru-based Lara copper property, which has over 10,000 metres of drilling. As previously disclosed, Minsur S.A., a Peruvian mining company, entered into an option agreement (the “Lara Property Option Agreement”) with GBML and Lara Exploration Ltd. to acquire the Lara copper property for staged payments of USD$5.75 million. The Lara Property Option Agreement also provides for a 0.75% net smelter royalty in favour of GBML.

Global Battery Metals Ltd.
Michael Murphy BA, MBA, MSc., ICD
President & CEO
T: 604-649-2350
E:
W: www.gbml.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Information

This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating the future operations and activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “potential”, “possible”, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results “will”, “may”, “could”, or “should” occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things, the Company’s exploration plans at the North-West Leinster Lithium Property. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability to complete proposed exploration work given the global COVID-19 pandemic, the results of exploration, continued availability of capital, and changes in general economic, market and business conditions. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these items. Readers are urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws.

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