LE Minerals Expands White Plains Lithium Project with New Utah Mineral Leases
LE Minerals has significantly expanded its White Plains Lithium Brine Project in Utah by securing an additional 2,340 hectares of mineral leases, boosting its total landholding to around 8,520 hectares. The company now holds exclusive rights to explore lithium and other mineral salts for three years, with the option to enter a 10-year extraction lease thereafter.
- Additional 2,340 hectares secured in Utah
- Three-year exclusive exploration option with US$260,000 commitments
- Option to convert to 10-year mineral lease with extraction rights
- Project targets lithium and multiple mineral salts in brine
- Strategic location near infrastructure and other lithium projects
Significant Land Expansion at White Plains
LE Minerals Limited (ASX:LEL) has bolstered its footprint in Utah’s lithium brine sector by securing approximately 2,340 hectares of new mineral leases in the Pilot Valley. This addition complements its existing 6,180 hectares of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claims, pushing the White Plains Lithium Brine Project’s total land package to roughly 8,520 hectares. The new leases, managed by Utah’s School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), are contiguous or proximal to the current holdings, enhancing the project’s scale and potential.
Exclusive Exploration Rights and Financial Commitments
Under a three-year option agreement with SITLA, LE Minerals has secured sole and exclusive rights to explore for brine, including lithium, bromine, magnesium, and other mineral salts, across nine parcels of land totaling 2,340 hectares. The company must meet exploration expenditure commitments of about US$260,000 and pay an annual fee of US$23,256. Should these obligations be satisfied, LE Minerals can convert the option into a 10-year mineral lease granting extraction rights, with provisions for lease extensions tied to production or annual renewals.
Planned Exploration Activities and Regional Context
LE Minerals plans to submit a Year 1 Exploration Plan to SITLA that includes cultural resource surveys, surface sampling, and shallow drilling to assess brine and mineral salt mineralisation within the new leases. Concurrently, a drilling program is slated for July and August 2026 on the existing BLM claims to test lithium-bearing brines in the upper aquifer. This activity builds on prior geophysical surveys that identified two potential aquifers and auger sampling confirming lithium concentrations up to 100 mg/l.
The White Plains project benefits from proximity to key infrastructure such as US Highway 80 and the town of Wendover, and sits within a region attracting lithium and potash development interest. Nearby projects include Intrepid Potash’s potash operations and direct lithium extraction initiatives by US Magnesium and Waterleaf Resources at the Great Salt Lake.
Technical Insights and Project Positioning
Previous passive seismic and magnetotelluric surveys have delineated a Half Graben Basin structure with aquifers conducive to lithium brine accumulation. The upper aquifer lies near surface, while a deeper aquifer starts around 200 metres depth with an estimated thickness of 150 metres. These geological features provide a promising framework for lithium exploration in a mining-friendly jurisdiction with growing demand for domestic battery minerals.
LE Minerals’ expansion and exploration commitments underscore its strategic focus on battery minerals amid a competitive US market. The company’s measured approach, including modest initial expenditure and staged exploration, aims to de-risk the project ahead of potential production.
Bottom Line?
LE Minerals’ expanded landholding and structured exploration option set the stage for critical drilling results that will define White Plains’ lithium potential over the next three years.
Questions in the middle?
- Will initial drilling confirm economically viable lithium concentrations in the new leases?
- How will LE Minerals balance exploration expenditure with advancing other assets amid its $20 million graphite sale process?
- What impact will regional lithium development trends have on White Plains’ project economics and potential partnerships?
