Scotia Metals discovers spodumene boulder trains at its Acadia Lithium Project, Nova Scotia

Scotia Metals Corp. [CSE: SMET] reported results of first-pass prospecting at its 100%-owned Acadia Lithium Project in southwestern Nova Scotia, where five high-grade spodumene boulder trains grading up to 3.40% Li₂O have been identified less than 8 km up-ice of Brazil Lake, the only proven spodumene deposit in the province.

Brian Talbot, Chairman of Scotia Metals, comments, “The Acadia Project shows the same geological signature I have seen on other projects I was involved in, particularly at Grota do Cirilo and Bandeira. Coarse, angular spodumene in surface float has been the first evidence of pegmatite swarms that later supported operating mines at systems I have worked on. What matters at Green Wolf is the behaviour right next door: glacial transport at Brazil Lake is documented from as far as 50 metres to less than a kilometre, and Green Wolf’s boulders sit less than eight kilometres up-ice, on the same regional trend as Brazil Lake, in five separate aligned trains rather than one.

“It points to multiple bedrock sources, typical of LCT pegmatite swarms, and it points to them being on our ground. Detailed till sampling and geophysics will tell us where to put the first hole.”

Multiple spodumene-bearing boulder trains have been identified at Green Wolf through first-pass prospecting. At least five trains have been defined over an approximately 3 km by 1 km area, comprising 32 samples grading 1.0% to 3.40% Li₂O, of which seven returned between 2% and 3.40% Li₂O. Individual spodumene crystals show salmon-pink UV fluorescence, consistent with fresh, largely unweathered, high-grade spodumene.

Most boulder trains are aligned along and coincident with north-northeast structural trends which match both the regional structural fabric and the Brazil Lake pegmatite trend. Documented glacial transport distances of spodumene boulders at the Brazil Lake deposit are typically from 50m away to <1 km (700m). Green Wolf lies less than 8 km up-ice of that deposit, indicative of potential new LCT pegmatite sources.

Taken together with the angular, unweathered character of many of the boulders, the company interprets the source LCT pegmatites could potentially lie within the Acadia Project’s land package. Glaciation is why the target exists: the ice sheet stripped and dispersed the bedrock, leaving a debris trail that could point back to its source.

Independent datasets, including government lake-sediment geochemistry, geophysical structural and radiometric anomalies, high-resolution LiDAR, and till sampling, converge on the same area, defining multiple first- and second-order targets at Green Wolf, none of which has been drill tested.

Nova Scotia has historically been explored for gold and tin, with minimal modern lithium exploration. The Brazil Lake deposit is the only known spodumene deposit in the region, and the company believes it could potentially be part of a larger provincial system that is fertile and capable of hosting multiple sources of economic lithium mineralization. Brazil Lake hosts three known spodumene-rich dykes (part of a larger swarm), in a setting consistent with other major global LCT pegmatite Provinces.

Scotia controls most of the claims along strike of Brazil Lake to both the north and south, sharing the same host-rock geology and structural architecture. The Company’s land package spans more than 80 km of prospective strike across 43 licences, 37,268 hectares and 2,320 mineral claims, and is located on the U.S. East Coast EV and battery supply-chain corridor.

Acadia has excellent access to infrastructure. Shelburne Port, a one-hour drive from the Project, offers a 13-metre draft suitable for deep-water vessels and barges; Yarmouth Port is a 15-minute drive away; and Halifax Port, approximately 312 km away, offers a 17-metre draft with year-round ice-free operation and global shipping and rail connectivity.

The project is served by Halifax International Airport and Yarmouth Airport, an extensive paved road network crossing the project and right next to Green Wolf, ample water, and a major transmission line approximately 14 km from the project. The temperate coastal climate permits drilling twelve months a year.

Nova Scotia has identified critical minerals as a priority sector, and supports the industry through the NovaMINE permitting portal, the Mineral Resources Development Fund, and the provincial Capital Investment Tax Credit.

Rodrigo Roso, CEO and Director, Scotia Metals, said, “Brazil Lake has one proven spodumene deposit, and we own the ground on both sides of it. Our task over the next few months is a clear one: turn the boulder trains into ranked bedrock targets using till sampling and geophysics, before we spend a dollar on a rig. This team has built lithium operations on four continents and has taken juniors to acquisitions, and we would rather be measured on what we deliver than on what we describe.”

At Green Wolf, detailed till sampling is underway across all five boulder trains, followed by ground geophysics to build and rank drill targets. The company expects to complete target definition and publish a ranked first-order drill target inventory, together with the design and timing of the initial scout program, on completion of that work.

Regionally, Scotia is currently working on infilling high-resolution geophysics and interpreting results across the North, Central and South Blocks, completing first-pass mapping and prospecting at a regional scale to identify additional spodumene-bearing pegmatite districts, and conducting regional till sampling to define new lithium target corridors ahead of the next wave of drill targets.

Additionally, the company announces that it has granted 2,500,000 restricted share units (RSUs) to directors, officers and consultants of the company in accordance with the company’s omnibus incentive plan which will vest over a two-year term. The RSUs are subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with applicable CSE requirements.

Scotia Metals has no interest in, or rights to, the Brazil Lake property. Information in this news release regarding Brazil Lake has been sourced from public disclosure by third parties.

A report prepared for the Brazil Lake project under the JORC Code (2012) reported 10.01 million tonnes at 1.20% Li₂O at a cut-off grade of 0.33% Li₂O. The JORC estimates apply a different cut-off grade than the NI 43-101 estimate.

The historical estimates referenced above were prepared by third parties and have not been verified by a qualified person for the company under NI 43-101.

Scotia Metals is focused on the acquisition and advancement of lithium and battery-metals projects. Its principal asset is the 100%-owned Acadia Lithium Project (formerly known as the L3 Lithium Project) in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, comprising 43 exploration licences covering 37,268 hectares and 2,320 mineral claims, the largest lithium land package in Atlantic Canada, and spanning more than 80 km of prospective LCT pegmatite strike on trend with the Brazil Lake spodumene deposit.