Noram Ventures and Alba Minerals Report Final Results from Phase I Drilling at Lithium Project in Clayton Valley, Nevada

Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Noram Ventures Inc. (TSX-Venture: NRM / Frankfurt: N7R / OTCBB: NRVTF) ("Noram") and Alba Minerals Ltd. (“Alba”) (TSX-V: AA.H AXVEF:US) are pleased to announce the last batch of drill core sample results from the 46-hole Phase I drilling program that focused on the Zeus portion of their Clayton Valley Lithium Project in Nevada (see Figure 1). The Zeus claims are located within two kilometers (1.25 miles) of Albemarle’s Silver Peak Lithium Mine that has been in production since 1966 and is the only lithium-brine production operation in North America.

The last group of 16 holes reported herein consisted of 228.1 meters (748 feet) of core drilling with an average hole depth of 14.3 meters (46.8 feet) and core sampling done primarily on 1.22 meter (4-foot) intervals. Bradley C. Peek, MSc and Certified Professional Geologist supervised the collection of the cores and samples; and sample analysis was performed by ALS Labs (Reno, NV) on 191 samples from the 16 holes using a 4-acid digestion and MS-ICP methods for 48 elements.

Table 1 lists each drill hole’s location (NAD 83, Zone 11S), elevation and depth – all in meters.  All holes were vertical.  All core size was BQ.  Figure 2 is an overview of all of the Phase 1 drill holes.

Only three of these latest drill holes are located in the redefined area of close-spaced drilling measuring approximately 970 meters (3,180 feet) by 830 meters (2,720 feet)(shown as rectangle in Figure 3). Lithium values continue to be very consistent across the close-spaced drilling area, but values were shown to decrease to the north of the close-spaced drilling area.  Since the northern area was only tested with shallow drilling, it may still hold promise with further testing.  The areas to the east, west and south of the close-spaced drilling remain open and untested, as well as other large areas on the remainder of the claim holdings covering 17,738 acres (7,178 hectares). 

Two holes were drilled in outlying areas as preliminary tests and showed very encouraging results. These were holes CVX-01 near the Zeus Extension claims, approximately 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) northeast of the main grouping of Zeus holes; and CVH-01 on the Hades claim, approximately 5 kilomenters (3.1 miles) southwest of the main grouping, near the previously reported borehole.  CVX-01, had a weighted average of 807 ppm Li for the entire hole.  Outwash gravel in the top 4.6 meters (15 feet) of CVH-01 prevented any core recovery, but the lower 9.8 (32 feet) of the hole had a weighted average of 1,023 ppm Li, somewhat higher than the 933 ppm average of 3 samples from the borehole’s spoil pile. 

A National Instument 43-101 resource estimate based on the analytical results from the Phase 1 drilling program is being prepared and will be announced upon completion.

Table 2 lists the samples, their intervals, their weights and their lithium analytical results. The core holes were vertical and the sedimentary units that were tested are horizontal or dipping at less than 5º, so the intervals sampled are true widths. 

Sample intervals were split by geologists at the drilling program staging area. Half of the core was retained in the core boxes for future review and/or sampling. The other half was securely sent to ALS Laboratories in Reno, Nevada, USA for testing.  Core recovery for these last 16 core holes averaged 74.1%. 

The lithium content of the 191 samples from the last 16 holes had an interval-weighted average of 613.9 ppm with a minimum value of 163 ppm and a maximum value of 2,380 ppm. The minimum and maximum values were collected over 1.22m (4 ft) intersections. The samples had a median value of 560 ppm Li. Collectively, the weighted average lithium value in this last batch of drill core samples approximated the average value of previously reported surface samples (621 ppm Li).

Laboratory standards with two different lithium ranges (1,237 ppm and 783 ppm) were inserted into the sample stream, along with lithium blanks and duplicate samples (13 QA/QC samples, in all, with these samples).  The standards and blanks were obtained from MEG Labs of Reno, Nevada, USA.  Duplicate samples were obtained by splitting the remaining half of the split core (1/4 of the original core).  All analyses of the standards, blanks and duplicates were well within acceptable ranges. 

“We are extremely pleased with the results from our Phase 1 drilling program and expect to have our initial lithium resource estimate completed shorty,” said Mark Ireton President and CEO of Noram. “The Phase 1 results will also be instrumental in planning our Phase 2 drilling program that will encompass the Spartan and Hades claims and enable us to determine the lithium potential of our entire South Block property.”

Noram is amassing one of the largest land packages in Nevada’s Clayton Valley. Its non-contiguous North and South Blocks now total 888 claims covering 17,738 acres and are positioned both north and south of Albemarle’s Silver Peak mine, North America’s only lithium producer.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Bradley C. Peek, MSc and Certified Professional Geologist, who is a Qualified Person with respect to Noram’s Clayton Valley Lithium Project as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

About Noram Ventures Inc.:

Noram Ventures Inc. (TSX-Venture: NRM / Frankfurt: N7R / OTCBB: NRVTF) is a Canadian based junior exploration company, with a goal of becoming a force in the Green Energy Revolution through the development of lithium and graphite deposits and becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company’s primary business focus since formation has been the exploration of mineral properties. Current projects include lithium properties in the Clayton Valley of Nevada and the Hector Lode in San Bernardino County, California; and the Jumbo graphite property in southeastern British Columbia. Noram’s long term strategy is to build a multi-national lithium-graphite dominant industrial minerals company to produce and sell lithium and graphite into the markets of Europe, North America and Asia.

Please visit our web site for further information: www.noramventures.com.