LiCo Energy Metals (LIC.V) significantly bolstered the power of its technical advisory board when the company announced today that it had appointed Ms. Matus Hernandez.
Ms. Hernandez, a chemical engineer from Santiago, Chile, is an old hand in mining and chemical processes with over 15 years of experience.
She has a successful track record in conceptual engineering, control of chemical processes, development and implementation of pilot testing of research projects, study and characterization of mineral ores.
From 2008- 2015, she acted as Director of Research and Processes, leading a team of 16 professionals for Sociedad Química y Minera (“SQM”), a multi-billion-dollar Chilean chemical company with commercial offices in more than 20 countries around the globe.
Currently she acts as Principal Process Engineer, developing the area of non-metallic mining in Chile and Aregentina for one of the world’s top professional services companies operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation.
Company COO, Tim Fernback, commented on the appointment, “We are very pleased to have a highly regarded chemical engineer with a great deal of lithium extraction expertise join our team. Especially one from Chile who has work experience in virtually all the important salars in the South American Lithium Triangle. The experience that Marcela has gained will also assist the Company in developing our two large exploration projects in Nevada.”
In other news, LiCo announced that it had just finished a site visit to its Purickuta project located in the incredibly prolific Salar de Atacama, Chile.
Management confirmed the Purickuta’s attractive qualities which included low-cost and near-term development opportunity.
They were also able to affirm the project’s size sat within the company’s ability to quickly define lithium reserves and establish production facilities.
Location was a big point as well considering the property is situated between both SQM and chemical giant, Albermare, where they are extracting the highest-grades of lithium brine in the world.
Last, but not least, LiCo also has an option on one of the only four exploitation concessions granted in Salar de Atacama.
All this points to a positive end, but for production to proceed, LiCo and partner will have to negotiate a special lithium operation contract with the Chilean government as well as providing any positive feasibility study.
One step at a time gets you up the mountain.
FULL DISCLOSURE: LiCo Energy Metals is an EQUITY.GURU client.