Surge Battery Metals Inc. (TSXV: NILI) has announced that Nevada North Lithium, LLC (NNL), its joint venture with Evolution Mining Limited, has signed a definitive Access and Mitigation Agreement with the Salmon River Cattlemens Association (SRCA) dated September 8, 2026. The agreement grants NNL non-exclusive surface access over approximately 880 acres of private land within its mining claims and resolves outstanding water permitting protests before the Nevada Division of Water Resources. For investors, the development removes two material obstacles — land access and water rights — that had been standing between the project and its next development milestones.

Key Points

  • Surge Battery Metals Inc. (TSXV: NILI | OTCQX: NILIF | FSE: DJ5)
  • NNL has executed a definitive Access and Mitigation Agreement with SRCA, securing surface access and resolving water rights protests at the Nevada North Lithium Project
  • The project carries a pit-constrained Measured & Indicated Resource of 10.51 Mt LCE and an estimated mine life of approximately 42 years; a prefeasibility study is targeted for Q4 2026
  • Investors may be watching progress toward the prefeasibility study and NNL's 2026 drill program submitted to the Bureau of Land Management

Land Access Grant Covers Full Project Lifecycle at Nevada North

Under the agreement, SRCA grants NNL a non-exclusive right of access over its approximately 880 acres of private land lying within NNL's mining claims. The release states the grant runs for a single continuous term encompassing exploration and permitting, construction, production, closure, and reclamation. SRCA also holds Bureau of Land Management grazing permits and water rights in the project area, making its co-operation integral to the project's long-term operational continuity. The agreement removes the need for NNL to negotiate ongoing access arrangements at successive project stages.

SRCA Withdraws Water Protests Under Mitigation and Monitoring Framework

A central element of the agreement is SRCA's commitment to withdraw protests it had filed against NNL's applications to appropriate water in support of the project. In exchange, NNL commits to a monitoring, mitigation, and management framework designed to protect SRCA's existing water rights and maintain stockwater availability for its cattle operations. The framework includes an independent pre-mining baseline study, a joint coordination committee with equal representation, defined mitigation triggers, and an obligation for NNL to replace or restore any materially impaired water supply. NNL will also post a performance bond securing its mitigation and infrastructure obligations.

Prefeasibility Study Targeted for Q4 2026 Amid Strong Resource Base

Surge is advancing the project toward a prefeasibility study targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026, supported by a 2026 drill program submitted to the BLM in August 2026. The project's updated Mineral Resource Estimate, filed June 30, 2026, reports a pit-constrained Measured & Indicated Resource of an estimated 10.51 Mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent grading 3,007 ppm Li. The development plan currently contemplates an open-pit lithium operation with an estimated mine life of approximately 42 years. The company also announced the grant of 2 million stock options, exercisable for five years at $1.02 per share, to certain directors, officers, and consultants.