Mandrake Resources has strategically refined its Utah Lithium Project tenure by securing three key SITLA leases in the project’s central zone and relinquishing marginal blocks, positioning itself for upcoming bulk lithium brine production and technical evaluation.
- Secured 1,320 acres of central SITLA leases with higher lithium brine volumes
- Relinquished marginal eastern and southern SITLA leases to optimise tenure
- Bulk lithium brine production to commence soon from Evelyn Chambers #1 well
- Brine supplied to Electroflow and other DLE providers for appraisal
- Technical data to underpin forthcoming Scoping Studies
Strategic Lease Consolidation Enhances Lithium Brine Potential
Mandrake Resources (ASX:MAN) has sharpened its focus on the heart of its Utah Lithium Project by securing three pivotal SITLA leases totaling 1,320 acres in a competitive lease sale. These central leases boast the thickest and most porous sections of the Leadville lithium brine reservoir, offering significantly higher brine volumes per acre compared to the marginal southern and eastern blocks the company has relinquished. This tenure optimisation reduces holding costs and streamlines project administration while concentrating resources where lithium brine potential is greatest.
Bulk Brine Production Set to Unlock Technical Insights
Mandrake is preparing to initiate swabbing operations at the Evelyn Chambers #1 well, aiming to extract bulk lithium brine in the coming weeks. This brine will be delivered to Electroflow Technologies Inc.’s Utah demonstration plant for a detailed technical and commercial appraisal. Electroflow plans to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium iron phosphate from the brine, with the resulting data on purity, recovery rates, and cost structures feeding directly into Mandrake’s upcoming Scoping Studies. Additional direct lithium extraction (DLE) providers will also receive brine samples, broadening the evaluation of extraction technologies.
Data Acquisition to Inform Commercial Modelling
The bulk brine production will support flow and pressure testing alongside staged chemical analyses, crucial for assessing reservoir deliverability and brine quality over time. These operational insights are vital for refining commercial models and guiding the next phases of project development. The total Utah Lithium Project tenure, combining both Bureau of Land Management claims and SITLA leases, now stands at approximately 77,740 acres, underscoring Mandrake’s significant land position in a region increasingly recognised for lithium resource potential.
Positioning Amid Broader Project Progress
This lease optimisation and imminent brine production build on Mandrake’s recent milestones, including a Well Access Agreement with Genesis ST Operating LLC and federal funding support for lithium brine sampling and analysis. The company’s cash position of $11.7 million as of June 2026 provides a solid financial foundation for advancing technical studies and exploration activities. While the commercial viability of the lithium brine resource hinges on forthcoming appraisal results, these steps mark important progress in de-risking and defining the project’s economic potential.
Bottom Line?
Mandrake’s tenure streamlining and upcoming bulk brine tests set the stage for critical technical data that will shape the Utah Lithium Project’s development trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the technical and commercial appraisal outcomes from Electroflow influence Mandrake’s Scoping Studies?
- What timelines can be expected for moving from bulk brine production to potential lithium carbonate output?
- Could further tenure adjustments be made as reservoir data refines the project’s high-potential zones?