Alba Identifies Probable Brine Aquifer at Quiron II, Salar de Pocitos, Salta Province, Argentina

Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Alba Minerals Ltd. ("Alba" or the "Company") (TSX-V: AA; AXVEF:US; Frankfurt: A117RU) the Company is pleased to announce initial interpretation of the Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) survey on its 2,421 hectares Lithium Brine Exploration Prospect Quiron II in the Salar de Pocitos, Salta Province, Argentina.

Initial Interpretation of VES Survey

In late 2017, the Company engaged Conhydro S.R.L. - a hydrogeological consultancy company with significant salar experience - to carry out the geophysical prospecting within the Property. The VES survey included two East-West prospection lines to explore the extent and the conductivity of groundwater aquifers (Figures 1, 2). Under optimal conditions like those at Salar de Pocitos, the survey allows accurate interpretation of brine aquifers to 350 meters and deeper.

Field observations at Quiron II indicate that Salar de Pocitos is an ephemeral playa lake underlain by evaporite and clastic units, which extend under the alluvial cover on the prospect.

Initial interpretation of the VES survey at Quiron II (Figures 2, 3, 4) indicates subsurface zones of high electrical conductivity that likely correspond to brines within mixed clastic and evaporite units.  A shallower subsurface zone of lower conductivity is interpreted to correspond to a freshwater aquifer above the brine.  The largest high conductivity zone underlies the western half of the property, under a veneer of alluvium that is ~100 m - ~350 m – thick.  The top of the interpreted brine zone is as shallow as 130 m depth (Figure 4), and likely is contiguous with the aquifer under Salar de Pocitos.

Figure 1: Location of Vertical Electrical Survey (VES) lines in red, on color-enhanced Landsat image of the northeastern Salad de Pocitos, Salta Province, Argentina. (To view the graphic in its original size, please click here)

Figure 2.  Station locations for Quiron II VES electrical survey.  The base map is a Landsat image of the property.  Note the white evaporites of Salar de Pocitos as close as 300 meters to the west; and the road + rail line that traverse the northwest part of the property. (To view the graphic in its original size, please click here)

Figure 3.  West – East cross section of VES line 1 along the northern boundary of the prospection license.  The red and orange zones of >~5 Ohm-m are believed to be brine within mixed evaporite and clastic units. (To view the graphic in its original size, please click here)

Figure 4. West – East cross section of VES line 2 through the central part of the prospection license.  The red and orange zones of >~5 Ohm-m are believed to be brine within mixed evaporite and clastic units. The top of the interpreted brine zone is as shallow as 130 m depth in this section.  This indicates that the brine Quiron II brine aquifer is contiguous with that under the Salar de Pocitos to the west. (To view the graphic in its original size, please click here)

Alba adds to Advisory Board

Alba Minerals is pleased to announce that the Company is adding C. Tucker Barrie, Ph.D., P.Geo. to its Advisory Board.  Mr. Barrie has over 25 years’ experience as an Economic Geologist on five continents, including detailed studies of lithium brines and clays in North America.  Mr. Barrie is presently in Argentina to review Alba’s stable of lithium prospects, along with Alba Chairman Sandy MacDougall, President Art Brown, and staff.     

Sandy MacDougall, Chairman and Director of Alba said: "The current lithium prospect review,  including this initial interpretation of the VES survey, continue the positive steps in the evaluation of lithium potential on our Quiron II  prospect.   Alba is developing a pipeline of exploration projects in Argentina and Nevada that will be pursued aggressively in 2018, keeping in mind our vison to become an international, low-cost and sustainable lithium company. Alba has more than 5,250 hectares of lithium brine exploration prospects in Argentina and a 50% -  50% joint venture with Noram Resources in the Clayton Valley lithium project in Nevada.” 

A recent NI 43-101 report has shown that the Companies' Clayton Valley, Nevada property has an Inferred Mineral Resource of approximately 17 million metric tonnes at a grade of about 1,060 ppm Li, which equates to 96,476 metric tonnes of LCE. Details of the inferred resource estimate can be found in the NI 43-101 report at (link to N.I. 43-101).

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by C. Tucker Barrie, Ph.D., P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

About Alba Minerals Ltd

Alba Minerals Ltd. is a Vancouver based junior resource company with projects in North and South America, focusing on the development of Lithium properties. The Company's Lithium Projects are located in Clayton Valley Nevada where it has earned a 50% interest in the Project after completing a 46-hole drilling program showing Li-values over 1000 ppm in claystone. The second lithium project, Quiron II, consist of 2,421 hectares of prospective exploration property with a distinguishable location within the Salar de Pocitos, Province of Salta, Argentina. The Project is located approximately 7km north of Pure Energy's Terra Cotta Project and 11km northeast of the Liberty One's Pocitos West Property. A third property known as "Chascha Norte" has been recently optioned and consists of a single mining claim that covers 2,843 hectares in the southeastern part of the Salar de Arizaro in closest vicinity to both Argentina Lithium& Energy Corp.'s and Lithium X's Arizaro lithium brine projects.

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

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

/s/ "Sandy MacDougall"

Chairman

Direct: (778) 999-2159

Alba Minerals Ltd.

This news release contains projections and forward - looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward - looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements; the uncertainty of future profitability; and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Actual results and future events could differ materially from anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward- looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressed qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstance or management's estimates or opinions change. 

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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