Vancouver, British Columbia–(April 23, 2019) – Â Iconic Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ICM) (OTC Pink: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB) (“Company” or “Iconic”) has finalized plans for its 2019 drilling program (the “Drilling Program”) at Bonnie Claire. Five drill holes averaging 90 meters (300 feet) depth will be drilled in the southern portion of the project area in an area of anomalous surface lithium values and interpreted faults. The purpose of the Drilling Program is to define shallow lithium mineralization which the Company can utilize for bulk sampling and extend the resource to the south. If results are favorable, one or more of the shallow holes will be deepened to +600 meters (2,000 feet) to further enlarge the resource. A map of the drilling, surface lithium sampling results and interpreted faults can be found on the Company website (www.iconicmineralsltd.com).
The Drilling Program is located 2-5 kilometers (1.3-3.1 miles) south of drill hole BC1602 (see map). The shallow holes will be drilled using a tracked or buggy reverse circulation (RC) rig suitable for the salt flats being tested. Down-hole sediment samples will be collected continuously in 6 meter (20 feet) intervals and sent to a geochem lab for analysis.
Drilling will be initiated when the wet season has ended and the salt flats dry sufficiently to allow access. This year has seen the fourth wettest season in history.
The Bonnie Claire Lithium Property Characteristics:
The Property is located within Sarcobatus Valley that is approximately 30 km (19 miles) long and 20 km (12 miles) wide. Quartz-rich volcanic tuffs, that contain anomalous amounts of lithium, occur within and adjacent to the valley. Geochemical analysis of the local salt flats has yielded lithium values up to 340 ppm. The gravity low within the valley is 20 km (12 miles) long, and the current estimates of depth to basement rocks range from 600 to 1,200 meters (2,000 to 4,000 feet). Four drill holes have identified an open ended, 43-101 compliant resource of 28.58 billion kilograms of lithium carbonate equivalent. The drilling that defined the current resource only covered an area of 3.0 km2 (1.2mi2), while previously run MT geophysics show a potentially mineralized area of 27.3 km2 (10.5mi2). Drilling to date has shown strong correlation between the MT results and the lithium mineralization. The thickness of the lithium mineralization is unknown, but drilling indicates it is greater than 600 meters (2,000 feet). The current claim block covers an area of 57.5 km2 (22.2mi2). Further drilling has been permitted and metallurgy to determine the most efficient recovery method is currently in progress.
Richard Kern, Certified Professional Geologist (#11494) and CEO of Iconic is the Qualified Person who has prepared and reviewed this press release in accordance with NI 43-101 reporting standards.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
SIGNED: “Richard Kern”
Richard Kern, President and CEO
Contact: Keturah Nathe, VP Corporate Development (604) 336-8614
For further information on ICM, please visit our website at www.iconicmineralsltd.com. The Company’s public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com
Forward Statement: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements or information. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. 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. Iconic expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation.
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.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44232
Investment Highlights
Kenbridge Ni Project (ON, Canada)
FULL DISCLOSURE: Tartisan Nickel Corp. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
(TSXV: ICM) (OTC Pink: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB)
FULL DISCLOSURE: Iconic Minerals is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE) Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14 million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information
The battery industry’s cobalt demand last year rose by 102pc from 2017 to 16,629t, while nickel use climbed by 101pc to 41,521t. Lithium use for EV batteries increased by 76pc to 10,902t, while manganese demand rose by 36pc to 17,673t, as a shift toward more high-capacity models pushed consumption toward cobalt and nickel that yield higher energy density.
Shipments of EVs with lithium secondary batteries last year rose by 71pc by capacity to 95.7GWh, INI said. China remained the global leader in EV demand, accounting for 58pc of car shipments. China also had a 126pc rise in cobalt use to 9,092t and a 123pc gain in nickel consumption to 17,605t. Chinese lithium demand climbed by 78pc to 6,461t.
South Korean battery producers were cut out of the Chinese EV boom because cars equipped with their products were excluded from qualifying for generous government subsidies on vehicle purchases. This market barrier saw South Korean demand for EV battery materials rise just by 46pc last year in each segment, pushing lithium use to 1,538t, nickel demand to 6,150t and cobalt to 3,194t.
But China’s EV subsidies are scheduled to end next year, with South Korean battery producers to capitalise with production expansions. Much of the growth will not show in statistics as South Korean demand because most of the new production lines will be in China, Europe and the US. South Korea’s SK Innovation started work this week on a $1bn plant in the US state of Georgia that is scheduled to be completed in 2021, aiming to boost the company’s production capacity to 60GWh by 2022 from 4.7GWh currently.
Japanese cobalt demand rose by 116pc in 2018 to 4,330t, while the country’s nickel use rose by 108pc to 17,739t, INI said. Japan had the largest gain in lithium use, up by 93pc to 2,891t. But its manganese demand dropped by 29pc to 2,134t.
EV battery producers have formed partnerships with materials producers to help stabilise their supply lines, INI said. But the industry needs to minimise use of cobalt and develop next generation products that use less of the element because of its high and volatile cost, it added.
Source: https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/1869102-ev-battery-industry-doubles-use-of-cobalt-nickel
SPONSOR: Iconic Minerals Ltd. ICM:TSX-V Bonnie Claire Lithium Property hosts Inferred resource of 11.8 billion pounds of lithium carbonate equivalent and has the potential to be the largest lithium resource globally. Learn More.
Parent company of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis Motor will launch a new platform for electric cars in the next two years
Hyundai Group – the parent firm of Hyundai, Kia and luxury brand Genesis Motor – will launch a new platform for electric cars by 2021.
Speaking to our sister title Auto Express, an insider at Hyundai Group said: “A new platform dedicated to electric vehicles is about two years away. It will probably focus on B and C-segment [small and medium-sized] cars.â€
It’ll allow Hyundai, Kia and Genesis Motor to build more bespoke electric cars. Currently, all of Hyundai Group’s electric cars are based on existing vehicles, which are also available with petrol and diesel engines,
The Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro spawned from internal-combustion-engined cars, as did the Kia Soul EV. The latter is expected to arrive in the UK at the end of 2019, although the Kona Electric and e-Niro have sold out entirely for the remainder of this year.
“Customer demand has been higher than expected,†said a spokesperson. “It’s going to take six months to adjust to that level of demand.â€
Hyundai and Kia are planning to have 38 ‘green’ cars in their product line-up by 2025, 14 of which will be fully electric. Genesis Motor is expected to launch its first electric car by 2021.
Meanwhile, Hyundai Group will also press on with the development of hydrogen fuel-cell technology; the hydrogen-powered Hyundai NEXO has just gone on sale in the UK.
“When it comes to electric vehicles, you have to ask whether you want science fiction or whether you want to conform,†design boss Luc Donckerwolke told Auto Express. “We can create something that doesn’t appeal to someone in the traditional sense.
“We need to appeal to millennials and next-generation car buyers. They’re not car people – they want to buy something else.â€
Source: https://www.drivingelectric.com/news/983/hyundai-group-launch-new-electric-car-platform-2021
SPONSOR: Iconic Minerals Ltd. ICM:TSX-V The Bonnie Claire Lithium property hosts Inferred resource of 11.8 Billion pounds of lithium carbonate equivalent and has the potential to be the largest lithium resource globally. Learn More.
The electric vehicles (EV) market is expected to be a major driver for the overall marketplace.
The growing adoption of lithium-ion batteries in portable consumer electronics and grid storage systems will accelerate its growth.
“As automakers ramp up production for evermore EVs, demand on the power grid from EVs will grow exponentially. According to best estimates, growth in EV adoption could drive a 300-fold increase in electricity consumption by 2040, compared to 2016.
“The current grid will need to evolve significantly to accommodate that growth, driving a blitz of new innovation in wind and solar power, which will ultimately shift global reliance on coal toward clean energy alternatives,” according to a statement.
The rapid growth of the EV market is a result of increased focus on EVs by governments in efforts to reduce carbon emissions through the implementation of clean environment legislations banning gas-powered vehicles.
Governments such as the US have intensified iissueng incentives to accelerate consumer adoption of EVs.
The rising demand for efficient but clean energy is also accelerating the lithium market and causing prices to rise dramatically.
The energy storage systems segment is expected to witness the fastest growth rate because of the ongoing developments in the wind and solar PV across the world.
In 2018, lithium prices surged by 45%, or to $16,500 per ton year-over-year as the demand began to outpace the supply.
Ongoing technological advancements are aimed towards reducing the weight of these batteries, while also maintaining the ability to provide sufficient power.
Source: https://www.esi-africa.com/industry-sectors/future-energy/evs-forecasted-to-drive-global-lithium-ion-battery-market/
NOTICE: Iconic Minerals – Fox Business Network – Thursday, February 28, 2019
The Company would like to give notice to its shareholders that the Company’s CEO (Richard Kern) will be featured on national Fox Business Network on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at 9:46 PM Eastern, 8:46 PM Central, 7:46 PM Mountain and 6:46 PM Pacific Time.
In this five minute segment, Richard Kern will be providing comments on
the lithium industry while onsite in Nevada, at the Bonnie Claire
property.
Please keep in mind that the allotted time slot may not be exact, and
the segment could air within an hour of the above scheduled times.
On Behalf of the Iconic Team
SPONSOR: New Age Metals Inc. (TSX-V: NAM) The company’s new Lithium Division has already made significant acquisitions in Canada and the USA. The company also owns one of North America’s largest primary platinum group metals deposit in Sudbury, Canada. Learn More.
Erik Prince, the founder of controversial U.S. private security firm Blackwater and an informal campaign adviser to President Donald Trump, is looking to raise as much as $500m to invest in metals used in the batteries that power electric cars. (Image courtesy of Miller Center | Flickr.)
Blackwater founder Erik Prince aims to raise as much as $500 million to invest in metals needed for making the batteries that power electric vehicles (EVs), the Financial Times reports.
Prince, who besides starting the controversial private security company is known for have been an informal campaign adviser to US President Donald Trump, said the fund will bring unexplored deposits into production and then sell them to large miners after four to five years.
The fund will focus mainly on cobalt, copper and lithium assets located mainly in Africa and Asia, Prince told FT.com.
“For all the talk of our virtual world, the innovation, you can’t build these vehicles without minerals that come from generally weird, hard-to-access places,†he said.
Metals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel and copper have seen demand soar in recent years as the shift away from cars powered by fossil fuels gains momentum and mining companies are investing billions of dollars into developing deposits of those key commodities.
Experts expect the need for the commodity from battery makers alone to jump 650% by 2027, while overall demand is forecast to rise more than threefold in the next nine years.
Prices, however, are projected to drop in the early 2020s as a result of an ever-rising number of projects expected to come online.
Wave of lithium supply coming online. (Source: BMO Capital Markets.)
Prince sold Blackwater in 2010, after it was hit with a series of lawsuits. Since then, he’s been running Frontier Services Group, which provides integrated security, logistics and insurance services in frontier markets and is backed by Hong Kong investor Chun Shun Ko and China’s CITIC Group.
Frontier has also invested in a bauxite mine in Guinea, and identified a copper and cobalt deposit in the Congo.
Prince’s sister Elisabeth Dee DeVos is Trump’s education secretary.
Source: http://www.mining.com/blackwater-founder-launches-fund-invest-electric-car-battery-metals/