Pan American Energy Collaborates With The Saskatchewan Research Council For Preliminary Metallurgical Testing To Produce Petalite Concentrates

The Company will provide a composite lithium bearing pegmatite sample from the Big Mack Lithium Project for preliminary metallurgical testing and conceptual process development

CALGARY, Alberta, March 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pan American Energy Corp. (CSE: PNRG | OTCQB: PAANF | FRA: SS60) ("Pan American” or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has contracted with the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") for comprehensive metallurgical testing and conceptual process development for bulk sample production in respect of the Big Mack Lithium Project (“Big Mack”), located approximately 80 km north of the town of Kenora, Ontario.

The Company will provide lithium bearing core samples from the Phase One and Phase Two drilling programs recently completed at Big Mack to the SRC for the purposes of the proposed metallurgical testing. The preliminary testing program is expected to include gravity separation, magnetic separation and flotation tests. Following the completion of the first testwork, the Company expects to commission SRC to complete additional follow-up work, including evaluating the production of battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate from the samples provided from the Big Mack.

In 1999, the former operator of Big Mack removed a representative 5000 tonne bulk sample from the Big Mack Pegmatite exposure. This sample was processed by International Metallurgical and Environmental Inc. to create petalite concentrate. The petalite concentrate was then sent to Corning Laboratory Services of Corning, New York for petalite analysis and trial glass metals, where three glass melts were made using the supplied petalite. The petalite yielded glass of acceptable visual quality, validating the opportunity for commercial offtake partners of the petalite concentrate material. For additional details regarding this bulk sample and the subsequent testing, please see the Company’s technical report for Big Mack entitled “NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Big Mack Property” with an effective date of December 12, 2022, filed on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Jason Latkowcer, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We specifically sought out the SRC for this work as a result of their experience working with petalite bearing pegmatites similar to that of the Big Mack. Over 25 years ago, a petalite concentrate from the Big Mack was commercially validated by a major glass and acrylics manufacturer. We believe the SRC will be able to utilize modern day technology to develop processes to optimize recovery which we believe will assist in our efforts to requalify the material extracted from Big Mack for use in commercial applications. We expect to follow this initial work with work evaluating the production of battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate from the material extracted from Big Mack. We are looking forward to working with the team at SRC.”