Ameriwest Lithium Provides Update on Its Thompson Valley Lithium Project, AZ

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ameriwest Lithium Inc. (the “Company” or “Ameriwest”) (CSE: AWLI) (OTC: AWLIF) (FSE: 5HV0) is pleased to report that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Oakley Ventures USA Corp. (Oakley), it has successfully negotiated Surface Use Agreements (SUAs) with the ranchers that have grazing rights overlapping its Arizona State Mineral Exploration Permits and nearby private surface lands at its Thompson Valley Project (“TV Project”), Arizona. This is a major milestone in acquiring approvals necessary for a Phase 1 drilling program at the TV Project. 

The SUAs provide for:

• Use of the private gate and road entering the western TV Project lands for full access to that property as well as the northern TV Project lands on top of the mesa. The SUAs also provide access across private lands entering the southern TV Project lands.
• Approval for access to drill on the private lands where Oakley has Federal lode mining claims. This is important, as it negates the requirement for BLM approval of a Plan of Operations to explore and drill on these 33 claims, greatly shortening the permitting process.

The SUAs include the provisions for:

• A written plan for review and approval by the ranchers, with approval to not be unreasonably withheld.
• Payment to the ranchers for land disturbance for building roads, trenches, and drill pads on a per length or per pad basis.
• Ability to block off some lands from cattle grazing, such as for mining operations, with payment to the ranchers on a per area per month basis.
• Accessing of water rights.
• Expansion or contraction of the lands covered as Oakley’s mineral rights change.
  

Oakley has also advanced its Right-of-Way (ROW) application with Arizona State to cross the adjacent Lyles Mineral Lease to enable access to the eastern area of the property, as follows:

• The ROW was surveyed, and exhibits prepared and provided to the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD). ASLD accepted the exhibits as being suitable.
• An archaeology report was completed and submitted to the Arizona State Museum (ASM) for review, and an area of cultural importance on a section of the eastern ROW crossing an area of known cultural resources. 
• Native plant surveys were completed.
  

The Geologic Field Operations Plan (GFOP) submitted to ASLD in September should be nearing approval. The archaeology and native plant surveys, as well as information on the SUA’s were submitted to ASLD as part of this review. Discussions with ASLD are ongoing to mitigate the concern identified by the ASM, on the basis that it was a previously used legacy road in the area. It is anticipated that the GFOP will be approved early in 2024.