Cruz has Acquire the ‘Central Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project’ strategically located in the heart Clayton Valley with access to the deepest sections of the only producing lihtium brine basin in North America. This new project consists of 29 claims completely surrounded by SLB’s (SLB-NYSE) (formerly Schlumberger Limited) Clayton Valley lithium brine project. Cruz will now have a footprint of 820 acres prospective for lithium brine in Clayton Valley, Nevada.

James Nelson, President of Cruz, commented “We believe there are several reasons why the Central Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project has potentially major upside value. These claims are located with access to the deepest part of the Clayton Valley lithium brine basin in Esmeralda County, Nevada, and are completely inside of SLB’s (formerly Schlumberger) claims. We are very pleased to acquire this project at a time when SLB has successfully completed the 100% earn-in of Pure Energy Ltd.’s Clayton Valley lithium brine project and has recently demonstrated successful ongoing, high purity direct lithium extraction (DLE) production from this basin. In addition, the incoming Trump administration brings with it a lot of ‘Made in America’ sentiment. It’s clear that a reduction of USA reliance on foreign resources will be a priority for the Trump administration. We believe this will provide a tail wind in the demand for domestic lithium production. As Albemarle’s Clayton Valley Lithium Brine operation is currently the only lithium production in North America, we see this opportunity as a potential major catalyst for other lithium players to build up a domestic resource with what will be seemingly less regulatory restrictions and political red tape to go through. Management is excited as we enter a period of increased corporate activity in 2025 and the potential growth this year may bring for Cruz shareholders.”

According to a CNBC article dated January 2, 2025, China’s push to develop its own electric cars hit a tipping point in July, with the share of new energy vehicles sold accounted for more than half all passenger cars sold that month, according to the passenger car association. New energy vehicles include battery-only and hybrid-powered cars. The trend persisted through November, which saw a penetration rate of 52.3%, according to association data.

On January 3, 2025, GM announced that for the fourth quarter, sales were up 21% from the year-earlier period. Electric vehicle sales jumped 50% for the quarter and 125% for the year, roughly doubling our market share over the course of the year. GM was the #2 seller of EVs in the U.S. across the second half of 2024.

Mr. Nelson went on to say, “Despite the ferociously negative sentiment around lithium and EV’s over the last two years, the recent data clearly shows that EV sales are increasing and the momentum for EV sales globally is in fact strengthening, not weakening. Therefore, we feel domestically sourced lithium projects in 2025 will garner significantly more market interest than the previous two years.”

Cruz’s Phase-4 Drill Program Confirms Lithium Mineralization is Open in All Directions on the 4,938-acre Solar Lithium Project in Nevada, Directly Bordering American Lithium Corp.’s (AMLI – Nasdaq, LI – TSX.v) TLC project.  Three Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes from the phase-4 drill program were submitted for assaying; all three drill holes discovered the presence of lithium. Solar-13, the farthest North RC hole, had a high value of 1,050 parts-per-million lithium (ppm Li), including 626 ppm Li over 130 feet. Solar-11 had a high value of 950 ppm Li, including 612 ppm Li over 60 feet.  Solar-10, Cruz’s Southernmost drill hole, located immediately North of the American Lithium Claim boundary, had a high of 1,060 ppm Li, including 476 ppm Li over 70 feet.

Frank Bain, the on-site Project Geologist, Qualified Person and a director of Cruz Battery Metals, stated: “Assays have been received from ALS Global for the recently completed Phase-4 drilling program.  All holes discovered lithium mineralization with thicknesses varying from 70 to 135 feet. The drilling confirmed that the mineralization is open in all directions from the Phase-4 holes.  The Phase-5 drill holes have been permitted and will test for lithium mineralization both North, West and South of the Phase-4 drill sites.  Drilling is expected to recommence shortly.”

In previous news, Cruz discovered lithium in every drill hole of the phase-3 drill program, including the highest lithium value to date, on the 4,938-acre Solar Lithium Project in Nevada, Directly Bordering American Lithium Corp.’s (AMLI – NASDAQ, LI-TSX.v) TLC Project. On January 17, 2023, American Lithium Corp. announced a resource estimate, in an independent National Instrument 43-101 titled “Technical Report TLC Property” prepared by Stantec Consulting Ltd., for the TLC lithium claystone property containing 8.83 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) measured & indicated with another 1.86 million tonnes LCE inferred (See map below).

The phase-3 drill program discovered the presence of lithium in all 4 drill holes with a high value of 1,460 parts-per-million lithium (ppm Li). Hole-6 had a high of 1,460 ppm Li including 871 ppm Li over 50 feet. Hole-7 had a high of 1,220 ppm Li including 873 ppm Li over 47 feet, starting at 18 feet. Hole-8 had a high of 1,240 ppm Li. Hole-9 had a high of 1,160 ppm Li

This, and other recent developments have sparked a renewed interest in Cruz at a time when the demand for battery metals has never been stronger. Cruz is in a great position to capture additional market share within the insatiable battery metals super cycle as the Company prepares to enter the most active time in recent history.

Cruz Battery Metals has now discovered lithium in every hole drilled to date on the Solar Lithium Project in Nevada. Cruz has discovered lithium in all 14 holes drilled on the Solar Lithium Project during phases 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Cruz Battery Metals’ Phase II drill program discovered lithium on the Northern section of the Solar Lithium Project in Nevada. During the phase I drill program, Cruz Battery Metals drilled a significant new lithium discovery in Nevada with values as high as 1,300 ppm Li. Multiple intercepts of the targeted potential lithium-bearing claystone formation were encountered in all the holes drilled in this initial phase of drilling. Values in Hole-1 were as high as 1,300 ppm Li and encountered lithium bearing clays from 10 feet to 200 feet with a 60-foot intercept averaging 968.33 ppm Li.  Hole-2 had a high value of 1120 ppm/Li including a 60-foot interval averaging 768 ppm/Li.

Prior to receiving the drill results, significant intercepts of the targeted potential lithium-bearing claystone formation were encountered in all the holes drilled in phase I.  Hole 2 encountered a very substantial 345 feet of the targeted potential lithium-bearing claystone.  Hole 1 intercepted approximately 180 feet of claystone formation starting from 10 feet below the surface.  Cruz’s sampling program discovered 5 separate samples with lithium values over 1059 and one as high as 1610 ppm Li.

As you can see there are many exciting and compelling things coming ahead for Cruz which is why you should be paying close attention to the company right now. Cruz is fully-funded for all drill programs and expects to produce its maiden resource estimate on the Solar Lithium Project in 2025.