Surge Battery Metals Inc. announced that the first certified assay results from the 2023 core drilling phase on its high-grade lithium clay discovery at Nevada North (NNLP) have returned greater than 4,000 ppm Lithium (Li) for some samples starting from surface and to depths greater than 175m. The highest-grade assay of 7,630 ppm Li was observed at less than 30m depth. After the successful 2023 sonic drilling campaign at the NNLP, Surge proceeded with the diamond core drilling program.

The maximum depth reached by sonic drilling was 107.5m, whereas diamond holes extended to 243m (NN2308). Diamond holes NN2306, NN2308 and NN2309 at the south end of the NNLP intercepted extended lithium clay mineralization west from the 2022 Reverse Circulation drilling, validated 2022 RC assay results, and encountered additional mineralization at depth. It is expected that deeper clay mineralization discovered in this round becomes shallower towards the east and adds to the already extensive near-surface lithium clay mineralization outlined by drilling thus far.

Hole NN2306: Drilled to a total depth of 198.72m (652 ft), hole NN2306 was located to investigate farther west into the basin from holes NN2207 and NN2208. This diamond core step-out hole confirmed the continuation of the upper high-grade lithium clay sequence, which typically hosts three mineralized clay zones. NN2306 returned positive sample results ranging between the 1,000 ppm cutoff to 5,120 ppm Li.

These results include high grades averaging 4423 ppm Li over 9.8m, 4,673 ppm over 11.4m, and 2,805 ppm over 10.8m. Hole NN2308: Drilled to a total depth of 243m (797 ft), hole NN2308 was designed to investigate deeper mineralization beneath sonic core hole NN2301 and to compare results obtained in the sonic vs. diamond core drilling.

This diamond core hole confirmed grades observed in sonic drilling with results including high grades averaging 4,718 ppm Li over 25m, 3812 ppm Li over 9.2m, 2,300 ppm Li over 3.1m, and 2627 ppm Li over 3.4m. The entire sequence was observed at depths of less than 75m. Results for the upper clay intervals intersected in NN2301 were similar: 4,939 ppm Li over 24.4m, 3,758 ppm Li over 9.1m, 2,284 ppm Li over 3.8m, and 2,591 ppm Li over 5.3m.

The core hole NN2308 also intersected an untested mineralized clay zone beneath a thick (100m) zone of airfall and welded tuff. Continuing to a total depth of 243m revealed two deeper mineralized clay layers. Hole NN2309: Drilled to a total depth of 132m (433 ft), hole NN2309 was designed to investigate deeper mineralization beneath last year's reverse circulation hole NN2208 and to compare results obtained in the reverse circulation vs.

diamond core drilling. This diamond core hole confirmed grades observed in reverse circulation drilling with results including high grades averaging 3,446 ppm Li over 21.9m, 3,591 ppm Li over 47.4m, and 2,143 ppm Li over 4.6m. Results for the upper clay intervals intersected in NN2208 were similar with an overall positive difference of 9% for core as compared to RC.

Continued drilling revealed another mineralized clay zone of 1,177 ppm Li over 18.3m, which increases the thickness of the mineralization at this location by 19%.