RENO, NEVADA--(Marketwired - July 18, 2013) - Western Lithium USA Corporation ("Western Lithium", the "Company") (News - Market indicators)(OTCQX:WLCDF) is pleased to announce that it has initiated the excavation of two bulk sampling sites at its Kings Valley hectorite clay deposit. The Company expects to sample up to five thousand tons of clay for testing and to visually inspect the clay lenses for mine planning. Hectorite clay from the bulk sampling sites will be crushed in the nearby City of Winnemucca and transported to the Company's organoclay plant site in Fernley, Nevada. The clay will be used to test the organoclay plant that is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2014.

The mining permits for the Kings Valley hectorite clay deposit are expected to be received towards the end of 2013. A Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the deposit was submitted to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for internal review on July 2, 2013. The Draft EA is tentatively scheduled for public review and comment in October 2013. The BLM has scheduled a tentative decision date in December 2013. 

Western Lithium is pursuing the opportunity to be a supplier of specialty drilling additive, hectorite clay for the oil and gas industry, and in particular, to support the growth of high pressure high temperature, deep directional drilling applications. The Company is also developing its Kings Valley, Nevada lithium deposit into a strategic, scalable and reliable source of high quality lithium carbonate. The Company is positioning itself as a major U.S.-based supplier to support the rising global demand for lithium carbonate that is expected from the increased use of hybrid/electric vehicles. 

The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information: Certain disclosure in this release constitutes forward-looking statements and information. When used in this release, the words expects", "expected", "scheduled", "will", "planned", "tentative" or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this release include, among others, the construction of a manufacturing facility in Fernley, Nevada, the expected timing of the commissioning of the organoclay plant facility, and the expected timing of the permitting for the Kings Valley hectorite clay deposit. Such statements and information involve the application of certain factors and assumptions by the Company that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements and information. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's development activities will be different than those expected by management, that the Company will be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required government approvals, the ability to procure required infrastructure, equipment and supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis, that the Company's purchase of an industrial facility in Fernley, Nevada will not close, as expected, in the near-term, and the conditions of the markets generally. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements and information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.