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Anson Resources records its deepest flow of supersaturated brine from Paradox

Published: 10:14 26 Mar 2019 AEDT

Flow of brine from Long Canyon No 2 well
Supersaturated brine flows direct from the Long Canyon No 2 well to the cuttings pit

Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) has had success in its fourth re-entry drilling of Clastic 31 at the Paradox Brine Project in Utah, USA, with a zone of heated and pressurised supersaturated brine intersected at 6,318 feet.

The artesian flow of brine from Long Canyon No 2 well is the deepest result since the company began its exploration program.

READ: Anson Resources well positioned to benefit from increasing lithium demand: Arrowhead

A flow rate of 35 barrels per hour of heated brine was recorded and the well continued to flow consistently for 10 hours until the horizon was temporarily shut-in.

Flow rates, pressures and temperatures at Anson's wells.

This is the second and final re-entry of an existing oil well to be carried out by Anson in the third exploration program at the Paradox project to sample brines.

Brine from Long Canyon No 2 will be assayed for lithium, bromine, iodine and other minerals and the company will also use data gained from its third stage exploration to estimate a JORC resource.

Pressurised brine flow

Anson said that the free-flowing brine intercepted provided further evidence to the theory that fracturing by the geological structures in the central and southern area of the project’s claims would assist with brine flow without the need for extraction pumping.

This was a significant factor for project economics, the company added.

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The flow rate at Long Canyon No 2 indicates that there is significant pressure within Clastic Zone 31, consistent with the flow experienced at the Skyline Unit 1 well.

Pressure at the latter has remained constant since it was re-opened, indicating that the well is continually replenished by an aquifer.

Long Canyon No 2 well in relation to the Long Canyon No 1, Skyline Unit 1 and Cane Creek 32-1 wells.

Anson added that the continual flow to surface was a significant development.

“The pressure required to bring supersaturated brine to surface is considered comparable to that recorded at the wells re-entered in our exploration programs and historical wells in the Long Canyon area,” the company stated.

In addition, information gathered during the drilling program is expected to assist in determining the preferred area from which to extract brine for future processing in an industrial scale in-field pilot plant.

This proposed plant is in the design and engineering stage.

READ: Anson Resources drilling of Long Canyon No 2 well on track

Long Canyon No 2 is only 900 metres southeast of Long Canyon 1 well, which had a historical lithium value of 500ppm and is only 500 metres east of Roberts Rupture.

It is also 2.86 kilometres southeast of the recently re-entered Skyline Unit 1 well which had a flow rate of 123 bbl/hour and a grade of 193.5ppm lithium.

Assay results from the Long Canyon No 2 samples are expected in early April.

A 400-barrel tank was also collected while carrying out on-site test work and will be used for continued test work on the brine.

Anson Resources enters next development phase at Paradox lithium camp

Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) managing director and CEO Bruce Richardson brings Proactive up to speed on a crucial step towards construction at the company’s Paradox lithium camp in Utah. The critical minerals player has just commenced a pivotal front end engineering and design (FEED) study,...

on 26/5/23