Neometals Rejects Mandrake Claim Dispute at Utah Brine Project

The latest update is out from Neometals Ltd ( (AU:NMT) ).

Neometals has issued a clarification regarding its Utah Brine Project after Mandrake Resources alleged that lithium placer claims filed by Utah Brine Corporation, in which Neometals holds a 51% stake, overlap Mandrake’s existing claims and are therefore invalid. The company firmly rejects these allegations, stating that UBC’s U.S. legal counsel has confirmed the claims were validly filed in good faith over land open to location, supported by affidavit testimony.

UBC has also asked Mandrake to relinquish regulatory operatorship of certain wells, arguing Mandrake’s right to use them has expired, so UBC can be formally recognised as the authorised operator under Utah regulations. In parallel, UBC has secured an exclusive access and use licence with American Helium and Ascent Resources over 23 existing wells, oil and gas leases and related infrastructure, enabling brine sampling, test work and potential extraction, while filing additional potash and lithium placer tenure applications tied to those wells.

The dispute highlights the strategic importance of operatorship and tenure control at the Utah Brine Project, a key asset within Neometals’ critical minerals portfolio. By asserting the validity of its claims and strengthening access rights, Neometals is seeking to protect its U.S. lithium and potassium brine position and preserve the potential for rapid, capital‑efficient development that aligns with its broader clean‑energy materials strategy.

More about Neometals Ltd

Neometals Ltd is an Australian company focused on enabling the sustainable production of critical and valuable materials for a cleaner future. Its portfolio spans upstream mineral assets, including the Barrambie gold project in Western Australia, a high‑grade titanium and vanadium deposit at Barrambie now in divestment, and a controlling stake in the Utah Brine Project in the U.S., alongside proprietary low‑cost processing technologies for lithium chemicals and vanadium recovery. The Utah Brine Project gives Neometals exclusive access to inactive gas wells and existing infrastructure over more than 80,000 acres in Utah, aligning with U.S. critical minerals policy and supporting potential for rapid, capital‑efficient exploration and evaluation.

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