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LEXI ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF ANTOFALLA NORTH & SOUTH DRILLING PROGRAM

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VANCOUVER, BC, April 23, 2025 /CNW/ - Lithium Energi Exploration Inc. (TSXV: LEXI) (OTCQB: LXENF) (the "Company" or "LEXI") is pleased to announce that it has completed drilling at the Antofalla North Project and the Antofalla South Project, in the south of the salar.

logo (CNW Group/Lithium Energi Exploration Inc.)
logo (CNW Group/Lithium Energi Exploration Inc.)

The Campaign consisted of 1,003.4 meters across the northern and southern properties. Three diamond holes were drilled in the northern LEA I, LEA XXXIV and LEA V properties. Two diamond holes to 200 m depth, and a third hole to 302 m depth, were drilled in the LEA XXVI property in the south of the salar. The average depth of all holes across these two Campaigns was 284 m.  Core samples were collected to provide measurements of porosity. Samples were collected every 12 m, with porosity results yet to be received from the laboratory for the second program.

Brine sample analyses have been conducted at the independent Alex Stewart Laboratories to yield full spectroscopic analysis of brine chemistry and lithium concentrations (see Tables 2 and 3 for results, together with the sample widths). The Alex Stuart laboratory in the city of Jujuy was used as the primary laboratory, with the laboratory in Mendoza used as the check laboratory. All brine samples have now been received from the program.

The Company used the services of specialized downhole geophysical contractor, Zelandez Limited, to collect borehole magnetic resonance (BMR) measurements of in-situ porosity (specific yield) in the holes. This provides detailed measurements of porosity on a centimeter-scale, to understand changes in porosity with depth and location, providing high quality detailed information on the porosity of the sediments. Additionally, data from spectral gamma and resistivity logging tools, was collected, to provide additional lithological information.

The Antofalla basin is a long, narrow, fault-based graben – identified as one of the world's largest depressions, hosting extensive lithium-bearing brine – although the total depth in the basin is not well known. The results of the brine sampling are presented in Tables 2 and 3, for the southern and northern drilling programs. The brine sample results are highest from the southern LEA XXVI property, which is located on the western side of the salar.

The lithium concentration increases from north to south through the Antofolla South Project (LEA XXVI), with the lithium concentration increasing from an average of 238 mg/l Li in the northern hole DDH01, to 308 mg/l Li in the central hole DDH5 and 412 mg/l Li in the southern hole DDH3. Lithium concentration also showed an increase with depth in the holes, suggesting the influence of surficial infiltration of surface water and dilution of brine, most notably in the northern hole, DDH01 LEA XXVI. The suggestion from the TEM and MT geophysics, and knowledge on other salar systems, is that lithium-bearing brine will extend west off the salar below areas of gravel, and potentially into porous Tertiary age sediments or volcanics. This concept remains to be tested by future drilling.