Grid Metals Corp. announced positive initial results from metallurgical tests carried out on drill core samples from its 75% owned Donner Lake Lithium Property. Samples were taken from the Main and Northwest Dykes that together are the subject of an initial NI 43-101 resource estimate currently underway.

Mineralogical assessment and a bench scale metallurgical test program on composites representing a number of the drill core intervals were completed at XPS Expert Process Solutions, a GLENCORE Company, in Sudbury, Ontario (XPS). XPS is an experienced provider of metallurgical testwork to the lithium industry. The mineralogical study positively identified the main lithium-bearing mineral in the samples as spodumene, the preferred mineral of concentrate feedstock for conversion facilities globally.

The bench scale metallurgical testing produced excellent recoveries and marketable concentrate grades. Highlights from the program were as follows: Lithium recoveries (expressed as Li2O) to concentrates of 76.9% (Northwest Dyke) and 74.1% (Main Dyke) were achieved using standard grinding and direct flotation methods. Both composite samples produced quality lithium concentrates - 6.2% Li2O for the Northwest Dyke and 5.7% Li2O for the Main Dyke.

Head grades (as Li2O %) for the Main and Northwest Dyke composite samples were 1.46% and 1.34 %, respectively, estimating average exploration drilling grades obtained in Grid's drill campaigns. Iron content of the concentrates was low. The mineralogical analyses completed as part of the testwork program found that the main lithium carrier by grade was spodumene, which accounted for 89.3% of the lithium in the Main Dyke and 94.9% of the lithium in the Northwest Dyke.

The report was successful in recommending an optimal grind size to maximize recovery from both of the Main Dyke and the Northwest Dyke composites. The report concluded that standard flotation was the best method for recovering lithium from the samples. Testing of Heavy Liquid Separation, as an initial evaluation of the Dense Media Separation process, was conducted and it was determined that this process would not be of material value for enhancing lithium recovery.