Peloton Minerals Corporation (CSE: PMC; OTCQB: PMCCF) has entered into a metallurgical research agreement with the University of Nevada, Reno to develop integrated leaching strategies for the co-recovery of lithium, rubidium, cesium, and gallium from clay deposits at its North Elko Lithium Project in northeastern Nevada. The program will run from immediately through September 2027, with results reported as each stage is completed. The agreement signals a meaningful step in advancing the project's hydrometallurgical development and may draw investor attention to Peloton's critical mineral extraction strategy.

Key Points

  • Peloton Minerals Corporation (CSE: PMC; OTCQB: PMCCF) is a London, Ontario-based critical minerals explorer
  • The company has signed a metallurgical research agreement with the University of Nevada, Reno focused on lithium, rubidium, cesium, and gallium co-recovery from NELP clays
  • The laboratory-scale research program runs until September 2027; financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed in the announcement
  • Investors may be watching for interim results as each program stage is completed over the coming year

Scope of UNR's Laboratory Research at the North Elko Lithium Project

The University of Nevada, Reno — described in the release as a Carnegie R1 research university — will conduct a laboratory-scale metallurgical research program to assess the technical feasibility of extracting lithium and potential co-products, including rubidium, gallium, and cesium, from NELP clay samples. The university's Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering specialises in critical mineral extraction from clays formed in paleolake environments, making it a relevant institutional partner for Peloton's clay-hosted deposit. The program aims to develop and optimise the leaching stage of a hydrometallurgical flowsheet.

Targeted Deliverables: Flowsheet Design and Predictive Process Models

According to the announcement, the expected outcomes of the research program include a technically supported leaching strategy, predictive process models, and a recommended process flowsheet. The company states these deliverables are intended to be suitable for planning future pilot-scale testing and economic evaluation. The research program began immediately following the agreement and is scheduled to continue until September 2027, with staged results to be communicated to the market as the various phases of the program proceed. Financial terms were not disclosed in the announcement.

NELP Project Context Within Peloton's Exploration Portfolio

The North Elko Lithium Project covers 53 square kilometres in Elko County, Nevada, and is 100% owned by Peloton with no royalties outstanding. The release states the research will be conducted in parallel with ongoing exploration or development programs at NELP. Peloton's broader portfolio also includes a Carlin-style gold exploration project in Independence Valley, Nevada, and a non-controlling interest in a copper porphyry project near Butte, Montana. Richard C. Capps, PhD, Senior Geologist and Director, is identified as the qualified person under NI 43-101 who approved the technical content of the release.