Lithium (oilfield brines)

POTENTIAL & KNOWN RESERVES IN ALBERTA

82.5 Mt LCE in place (Leduc 77.7 Mt, Swan Hills 4.8 Mt); 62 Mt within existing leases

Confidence: Indicated

• AGS in-place estimate82.5 Mt LCE50 mg/L cut-off; validated by McDaniel Jan 2026; ≈2 M ha leasedAGS INF 159 — Lithium resource in Alberta brines ↗
• E3 Bashaw (Clearwater)16.2 Mt LCE M&I @ 75.5 mg/L; reserves 1.1 Mt LCEAGS INF 160 — Lithium project summary (Jun 2026) ↗
• LithiumBank Boardwalk / Park Place5.2 Mt M&I + 2.78 Mt inferred @ 81.6 mg/L / 15.1 Mt inferred @ 80 mg/LAGS INF 160 — Lithium project summary (Jun 2026) ↗
• NeoLithica Peace River10 Mt LCE inferred @ 70 mg/LAGS INF 160 — Lithium project summary (Jun 2026) ↗
• Sample statistics1,635 records; 87 above 75 mg/L; max 140 mg/LAGS lithium brine data ↗

Where it occurs

• Bashaw / Clearwater (Leduc)
• Garrington
• Swan Hills (Boardwalk, Park Place)
• Fox Creek deep Leduc
• Peace River (NeoLithica)
• Rainbow Lake Keg River (LibertyStream, idle)
• Drumheller (Highwood, stale)

Official reserve pins on the map

• Lithium in place — Leduc & Swan Hills brines82.5 Mt LCE · Resource estimate · 2026AGS INF 159 / 160 ↗
• E3 Bashaw (Clearwater) — M&I16.2 Mt LCE · Resource estimate · 2025AGS INF 160 / E3 Lithium ↗

Live Atlas valuation (reference scenario)

1 subsurface asset priced by the Atlas engine: economic value $2B. Move the Scenario Laboratory sliders on the map to reprice.

• Devonian Brines — Leduc / Beaverhill Lake0.42 Mt in place · recoverable $3B · economic $2B (91% clears break-even)

GEOLOGY: WHAT MAKES A DEPOSIT MORE LIKELY

Lithium enriched in hot, saline Devonian carbonate formation water; recovered by direct lithium extraction (sorbent / ion exchange) from re-entered or purpose-drilled wells with brine reinjection.

Host formations

Leduc · Swan Hills / Slave Point · Nisku · Keg River / Sulphur Point · Wabamun (potential)

Depth range

2K–4K m

Favourable conditions

• Dolomitized reef aquifer with high permeability and large connected pore volume (Clearwater aquifer ≈200 m thick)
• Lithium above 50 mg/L (project grades 54–82 mg/L) with manageable Mg, Ca and TDS for DLE
• Reservoir temperature 60–110 °C that speeds sorbent kinetics
• Dense legacy well control, produced-water handling and gas for power already in place

Prospectivity envelopes on the map (3)

• Leduc reef trend (Rimbey–Meadowbrook–Clearwater)Producing / drill-proven
  Lithium-enriched Devonian carbonate formation brine (DLE target) · 2K–3K m
  • Dolomitized Leduc reef aquifer 1,800–2,800 m deep with high permeability and large connected pore volume
  • Formation-water lithium 60–140 mg/L (AGS DIG 2019-0029 / 2021-0021 samples)
  • Reservoir temperature 60–90 °C which favours sorbent-based DLE kinetics
  • Dense legacy oil & gas well control for re-entry and brine disposal
  Source: E3 Lithium Clearwater and Leduc NI 43-101 resource areas; AGS lithium brine geochemistry.
• Swan Hills / Beaverhill Lake reef complexesHighly favourable
  Lithium brine in Middle Devonian Swan Hills reef carbonates · 2K–3K m
  • Swan Hills Formation reef aquifers 2,300–3,200 m deep
  • Lithium 75–130 mg/L in produced water samples with elevated K, Br and B
  • Hot (90–110 °C) brines near the deep basin thermal maximum
  Source: AGS DIG 2019-0029 Swan Hills samples; Volt / LithiumBank project areas.
• Fox Creek deep Leduc (Duvernay fairway)Favourable
  Deep Leduc / Duvernay brine with co-produced lithium · 3K–4K m
  • Leduc reefs below 3,000 m flanked by Duvernay source rock
  • Lithium 50–100 mg/L; higher salinity and temperature raise DLE throughput
  • Produced water already handled by Duvernay operators
  Source: AGS brine chemistry compilation; Duvernay produced-water lithium reports.

DATASETS THAT TEST THE TARGET

Stack these layers on the integrated map

Discriminating datasets first, then every catalogued public dataset tagged to this commodity. Verified endpoints draw directly; link-only entries open the publisher page.

• Lithium in groundwater & formation water (DIG 2019-0029)Alberta Geological Survey · Brine & lithium · drawable · verifiedThe primary lithium screening layer: filter above 50 mg/L and overlay reef aquifer extents.Source ↗
• 3D Provincial Geological Framework: Precambrian subcrop zonesAlberta Geological Survey · Structure, depth & isopach · drawable · verifiedEntry point to the provincial 3D framework: which Paleozoic zone sits on basement controls helium traps, brine aquifers and storage seals.Source ↗
• Subsurface temperature points (BHT-derived)Alberta Geological Survey · Geothermal · drawable · verifiedThermal gradient for geothermal doublets and for DLE kinetics in lithium brines; basement temperature grids exist as LERC tiles.Source ↗
• Metallic & industrial minerals agreementsAlberta Energy and Minerals · Mineral tenure · drawable · verifiedLithium, salt, silica, limestone and metallic tenure; about 2 million ha are under lithium leases.Source ↗
• Active producing wells (Alberta Energy Geoview)Alberta Energy and Minerals · Wells · link only · verifiedWhere hydrocarbons are flowing today: live reservoir pressure, produced-water (brine) access, helium-bearing gas streams and infrastructure for re-entry.Source ↗
• AER Map-90 oil & gas fields (digitized)Alberta Energy Regulator (digitized) · Known reserves · drawable · verifiedWhere established pools sit; brine, helium and CO2 storage ride on the same reservoirs.Source ↗
• Alberta earthquake catalogue (incl. induced)Alberta Geological Survey · Seismic & crustal transects · drawable · verifiedInduced-seismicity hazard zones (Fox Creek, Red Deer) constrain hydraulic fracturing and injection.Source ↗

VALUE & VALUE CHAIN

Battery-grade Li2CO3 CIF Asia: ≈US$19,750/t (2 Sep 2026)

US$22,350–22,900/t in July 2026; E3's PFS used US$31,344/t LHM

Alberta first production: 14.0–14.8 kt Li2CO3 in 2028 (E3 + NeoLithica); Boardwalk 2029

Flat LCE contract price in the Atlas deck; not linked to oil or gas sliders.

Value chain

1. Brine production from Leduc wells
2. DLE sorbent → lithium chloride concentrate
3. Conversion to battery-grade Li2CO3 / LiOH
4. Cathode active material
5. EV & stationary storage cells

Industries and products that rely on it

DEMAND & PRODUCTION PROJECTIONS

What the forecasts say

• IEA GCMO 2025Lithium demand ×5 (2024→2040, STEPS); top-3 producer share 86 %IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 ↗
• AER ST98Alberta 14–15 kt/yr Li2CO3 from 2028AER ST98 2026 — lithium ↗
• E3 PFS (Jun 2024)32,250 tpa LHM, 50-year life, NPV8 US$3.7 B, IRR 24.6 %, capex US$2.47 B, opex US$6,200–7,250/tE3 Lithium factsheet ↗

Key risks

• Lithium price cycle
• DLE reagent and energy cost at scale
• Aquifer pressure management and reinjection
• Royalty uncertainty
• Pore-space priority vs CO2 storage

DEVELOPMENT: TENURE, ROYALTY, PERMITTING

What a developer needs to know

Tenure

Brine-hosted mineral lease: 10-year initial term, indefinite while producing, $3.50/ha rent, minimum bonus $10/ha; brine-hosted licence for exploration.

Royalty

No Alberta brine-lithium royalty rate set as of Oct 2026 (lease-by-lease pending regulation; salt royalty of $0.45/t may apply to minerals recovered in salt form). New minerals investment incentive announced Mar 2026 for 2027.

Lead time

3–4 years from feasibility to first carbonate

Permitting path

1. AER Directive 090 (brine-hosted minerals) and Brine-Hosted Mineral Resource Development Rules (Mar 2023)
2. Directive 056 facility licence (E3 filed 2026)
3. EPEA approval for the processing plant
4. Water Act for make-up water

Infrastructure needs

• Brine production and reinjection wells
• DLE plant and conversion
• Reagent supply (soda ash, sulphuric acid)
• Rail to cathode makers

Active players

Recommended next steps

• Sample Nisku, Wabamun and Keg River brines to extend the resource
• Fix the royalty regime
• Overlay CCS evaluation areas on brine leases to pre-empt conflicts

MINES, PILOTS & PROJECTS (6)

Who is already working this commodity in Alberta

• E3 Lithium — Clearwater (Bashaw District)Lithium brine · E3 Lithium · 16.2 Mt LCE M&I @ 75.5 mg/L; Phase 1 12 ktpa Li2CO3 (2028/29)Pilot / demonstration (2026)Demonstration plant Phase 2 commissioned June 2026; Directive 056 facility licence filed; Sedgman FEED.Source ↗
• E3 Lithium — GarringtonLithium brine · E3 Lithium · 5.0 Mt LCE M&I + 0.3 Mt inferred @ 54 mg/LExploration (2026)Resource June 2025.Source ↗
• LithiumBank — BoardwalkLithium brine · LithiumBank Resources (SLB FS/FEED) · 5.2 Mt LCE M&I + 2.78 Mt inferred @ 81.6 mg/L; 2 × 5 ktpa modulesPilot / demonstration (2026)150 m³ bulk brine sample April 2026; FS/FEED mid-2027; production 2029–30.Source ↗
• LithiumBank — Park PlaceLithium brine · LithiumBank Resources · 15.1 Mt LCE inferred @ 80 mg/LExploration (2026)Trimmed from 21.7 Mt after lease rationalization.Source ↗
• NeoLithica — Peace River lithiumLithium brine · NeoLithica · 10 Mt LCE inferred @ 70 mg/LExploration (2026)AER ST98 counts it toward 14–15 kt/yr Li2CO3 from 2028.Source ↗
• Rainbow Lake lithium (Keg River / Sulphur Point)Lithium brine · LibertyStream (formerly Volt Lithium) · 4.3 Mt LCE inferred @ 51 mg/LIdled (2026)Company refocused on US brines in 2025.Source ↗