TSX: CLQ; U.S. OTC: CLQMF
TORONTO, March 20, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Lithium Corp. ("Canada Lithium" or the "Company") (TSX: CLQ) (U.S. OTC: CLQMF) announced today that, on March 18, 2013, the Company became aware of a clear water discharge from a storage cell within the tailings storage facility that held decanted water being used for the process plant commissioning at its Québec Lithium Project near Val d'Or. At no time were any tailings released into the environment and the Company currently does not expect any delay in commissioning or increase in capital costs relating to the event.
Upon becoming aware of the event, the Company notified the Québec Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement de la Faune et des Parcs (MDDEFP) who attended on site to review the area where the water discharge took place. Their preliminary assessment indicated that approximately 50,000 cubic metres of water were released. The Company was allowed to carry on with the commissioning of its lithium carbonate processing plant and its use of the remaining tailings cell; however, it will undertake an inspection and provide a remedial action plan to the MDDEFP.
On March 19, 2013, in accordance with its standard practice of recording and making public every environmental occurrence involving an on-site inspection, the MDDEFP posted a release on its website and issued a news release describing the event.
The Company intends to maintain regular communications with the MDDEFP over the next few days and will proceed to excavate the area of the water discharge and conduct an inspection with its geotechnical consultants and storage facilities' liner contractors to remediate the cause of the water discharge.
The Company will continue to monitor the situation closely and is committed to its ongoing approach to sustainable development and the prevention or mitigation of the impact of its activities on the environment. The Company has developed a number of practical programs for environmental management, which include input from its local communities, as well as from experts in these fields.
About Canada Lithium Corp.
The Company holds a 100% interest in the Québec Lithium Project near Val d'Or, the geographical heart of the Québec mining industry. It has completed construction and is in the commissioning phase of an open-pit mine and on-site processing plant with estimated capacity to produce approximately 20,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually. Metallurgical tests have produced battery-grade lithium carbonate samples. A five-year off-take agreement for a minimum of 12,000 tonnes per year was recently signed with Tewoo-ERDC, one of China's largest commodities traders. A second off-take for up to 5,000 tonnes per year was recently signed with Marubeni Corp., a major Japanese commodities trading company. Lithium carbonate is used in lithium-ion batteries that power consumer electronics (laptops, tablets, etc.), power-grid storage facilities and electric and hybrid vehicles. The Company trades under the symbol CLQ on the TSX and on the U.S. OTCQX under the symbol CLQMF.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based upon the Company's beliefs, estimates and opinions as at the date of this press release, which the Company believes are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information is based upon certain assumptions by the Company or its consultants and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such information. Some of these assumptions include, among other things, that the remedial action plan proposed by the Company will be acceptable to the MDDEFP, that the leak in the storage facility can be corrected in a timely manner and without significant cost, that the MDDEFP will not impose any penalties or fees in connection with the water discharge or that such fees will be minimal, that further studies will confirm there has been no environmental damage and that the MDDEFP will not request operations to be halted while the occurrence is being further reviewed.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained in this press release. All forward-looking information contained in this press release or incorporated by reference herein is expressly qualified by this cautionary note. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking information contained herein if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.
SOURCE: Canada Lithium Corp.
For further information:
Peter Secker, CEO and Deputy Chairman (416) 361-2821
Olav Svela, Director, Investor Relations (416) 361-2821 or (416) 479-4355 or email osvela@canadalithium.com
Please visit the Canada Lithium website at www.canadalithium.com or copy the following link into your Web browser to view our Photo Gallery: http://www.canadalithium.com/s/PhotoGallery.asp. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. On our Home Page, there is also a link to a recent video that aired on Discovery Channel's Daily Planet program.
Corporate Office: 401 Bay Street, Suite 2010, Box 118, Toronto, ON, M5H 2Y4
