Interview with Andrew Dornan, Executive Director of James Bay Minerals

Recording date: 22nd November 2023

James Bay Minerals is on a hunt for lithium, and this early-stage explorer has pegged Quebec’s underexplored James Bay region in its crosshairs. With surging demand for lithium to feed the electric vehicle and battery storage revolution, juniors like James Bay Minerals aim to tap emerging districts to supply critical minerals.

Strategically Positioned Among Significant Discoveries
The company boasts nearly 35,000 hectares spanning three properties – Arrow, Jewel, and Aqua. These land packages sit on the Eastmain greenstone belt, part of the Superior Craton known to host lithium pegmatites within its ancient geological structures.

Importantly, James Bay Minerals’ projects neighbor recent significant discoveries that sparked a staking rush. Lithium leader Patriot Battery Metals saw high-grade drill intercepts at its nearby Corvette property in 2022, while other explorers unearthed minerals just over the fence. “We’re looking for similar large structures,” says Executive Director Andrew Doran.

Experienced Team to Propel Exploration
Supporting the company’s exploration efforts is a proven leadership team. Non-Executive Chairman Gerardo Fernandez co-founded Battery Mineral Resources and opened Pilbara Minerals’ first lithium mine. Fellow Non-Exec Judy Baker discovered a major Quebec lithium deposit. These valuable veterans provide technical and capital markets guidance to aid rapid success.

Maiden Field Program Yields Pegmatite Discoveries
James Bay Minerals used its team’s regional expertise to launch fast-paced field work shortly after its August 2022 ASX listing. Prospecting across its tenure uncovered two significant pegmatite structures with visual spodumene crystals. These early lithium confirmations will help target ongoing exploration activity across the three properties.

Well-Funded to Advance Priority Targets
A healthy treasury fuels next exploration steps. The company completed a successful $5.5M IPO and holds approximately C$4.3M to deploy. Strategically leveraging data from surrounding mines and explorers to identify targets, James Bay Minerals can unlock value both through new discoveries and potential partnerships on district development.

Scalability to Supply Regional Processors
Zooming out, Quebec offers fertile ground for discovery, especially as resource nationalism impacts South American lithium investment. Supportive policies even incentivize regional exploration. Doran sees further advantage relative to Australia in James Bay’s proximity to North American markets. Lithium producers are actively looking to establish domestic supply chains in Quebec to feed ramping battery gigafactory capacity over the coming decade.

James Bay Minerals recognizes this convergence of relative under-exploration compared with Pilbara, constructive policy frameworks, and rising battery industry demand signals future opportunities. Its vast property package and regional team relationships provide the tools to supply Quebec lithium production, should economic deposits be delineated.

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