PHOTO BY BEV CALLSEN
Kindersley RCMP execute search warrants
Absorbs
In addition to the search warrant that was conducted on January 26, the Kindersley RCMP conducted a search warrant previous to this in the 200 block of 3rd Avenue West on January 24th. Once inside the residence RCMP members located several items related to drug tra cking and one suspect was taken into custody and charged with the following:
• 32-year-old Falyn Milner has been charged with: 2 counts of Possession for the Purpose of Tra cking under section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and Proceeds of Crime over $5000.00 under section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada. Milner will be back in Kindersley Court on February 20th.
“ e Kindersley RCMP recognize the danger these drugs bring to our communities here and across the province, stated Sta Sergeant Kevin Peterson. We are committed to deterring drug dealing in our communities and appreciate any and all tips the public can provide to help us continue discouraging this activity.” Pe-
terson went on to say.
ere were also several mailboxes broken into last week that Kindersley RCMP continue to investigate. Kindersley RCMP o er the following tips in regards to preventing mail the :
• Collect your mail frequently and ensure your address is always up-to-date at both the post o ce and nancial institutions.
• If you will be away, have a trusted person collect your mail during your absence.
• If you are sending money, consider using electronic methods. If you must mail it, consider using postal money orders, available at the post o ce instead of cash or cheques.
• If you witness suspicious activity surrounding mailboxes or a post o ce, report the incident to your local RCMP.
If you believe you were a victim of mail the , report the incident to your local RCMP or you have the option of reporting this online to the RCMP here: http:// report.rcmp.ca.
Carol Taylor
Celebrity Extra
What is Jeff Goldblum up to these days? I only see him on commercials for apartments, but not in any movies lately. — P.T.
A:Despite having what is surely a lucrative gig as the spokesman for Apartments.com, Jeff Goldblum is still very much a beloved and sought-after actor in Hollywood. Originally from Pittsburgh, Goldblum started out as most actors do when they move to California — landing guest-starring roles on hit primetime shows. He landed small but memorable roles in movies like “Annie Hall,” “The Right Stuff” and “The Big Chill.”
In 1986, he starred in the sci-fi/horror film “The Fly,” but it would be the “Jurassic Park” movies that would bring him his greatest box-office success. He’s caught the eye of other big-name directors, including Taika Waititi for “Thor: Ragnarok” and Wes Anderson for “Asteroid City,” the latter of which was just released last year. So, yes, Goldblum’s acting days are far from over. He even has a role in the highly anticipated film “Wicked,” which is based on the hit Broadway musical.
Q:Is there going to be another season of “The White Lotus” on HBO? If so, where will it take place? I hope they return to Hawaii. — G.J.
Jeff Goldblum (Upcoming in “Wicked”)
satiric film “Best in Show,” then later in “Legally Blonde,” opposite Reese Witherspoon. Coolidge has won two Critics’ Choice Awards, one Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmys for playing ditzy Tanya, so it’s no wonder that stars are lining up to work for White. ***
Q:I saw a headline that said singers Alanis Morissette and Ciara are distant cousins? Did they just find this out? — L.B.
West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre Inc.
A:There definitely will be a third season of “The White Lotus,” but not until sometime in 2025. Once again, the story will be set at a luxury resort, but instead of Hawaii and Italy, it’ll be Thailand.
We now have established Satellite Offices in two surrounding communities. On Tuesday, there is a counsellor in Kerrobert and on Wednesday, there is a counsellor in Eston.
Natasha Rothwell, who played spa manager Belinda in season one, will be returning to the series. Joining her is an impressive cast that includes Carrie Coon (“The Gilded Age”), Parker Posey (“Best in Show”), Jason Isaacs (“Archie”), Walton Goggins (“Justified”), Michelle Monaghan (“True Detective”) and Leslie Bibb (“Popular”).
“White Lotus” creator Mike White and his cast have been a strong presence at the Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for the past two years. The series has also relaunched Jennifer Coolidge’s career since she starred in Christopher Guest’s
A:The two singers aren’t related; however, both did appear on the same PBS show “Finding Your Roots.” In Ciara’s case, she learned that one of her distant cousins is former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. The two actually met almost 10 years ago at the ESPY Awards and were even photographed together, but didn’t know that they were related at the time. Alanis Morissette was informed on “Finding Your Roots” that she also has a famous relative. In fact, her distant cousin is someone she already considered a friend — actress Claire Danes (“Homeland”).
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Submit your event to: kate@yoursouthwest.com or text 306-463-2211
BROCK
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17
• 2024 Brock Annual Open Bonspiel. Meat Prizes! $200 entry per team. Call or text Jill Speir 306-460-9701 to enter. Come enjoy home cooked meals and a fun time!
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
• Brock Cemetery AGM 7:00 PM at the Brock Vesper Club Hall. Annual general meeting will include 2023 financials. Everyone is welcome to attend.
BURSTALL
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24
• Town of Burstall Community Supper & Charity Auction. Proceeds going towards ongoing maintenance and operating costs of the Burstall & District Community Complex, Swimming Pool, Arena, Curling Rink and Golf Course. Auctioneer: Donnie Peacock.
ESTON
- Eston Wheatland Centre Chase the AceDraws every Wednesday at the Centre. Ticket sales 4-7 PM. Draw at 7:30 PM. See our Facebook page for details. Lic#LR23-0068.
- Wheatland Centre Potluck Supper fourth Friday of each month 6:00 PM. $5.00. Bring your own utensils. Coffee & tea provided. Wheatland Centre Bingo - 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month 7:00 PM. Regular Bingo plus Bonanza, 50/50 Draw. Must be 14 years of age. Call 306-962-7117 (ask for Linda) for more info.
- Youth Curling Mondays 4:30-5:30 PM. Call Garrett for more information 306-962-4460.
- Youth Bowling Mondays 6:30-7:30 PM. Call Garrett for more information 306-962-4460.
- Adult Bowling Tuesdays at 7:30 PM. Call Garrett for more information 306-962-4460.
- Mens Curling Wednesdays at 7:30 PM. Call Garrett for more information 306-962-4460.
- Mixed Curling Thursdays at 7:30 PM. Call Garrett for more information 306-962-4460.
KINDERSLEY
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2
• Movie Trivia Night 7:30 PM at the Norman Ritchie Centre. Doors open at 6:30. To guarantee a table (5-6 people), message us on Facebook (@kindersleytrivianights) $10 each.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24
• Kindersley Screen Arts presents “What Happens Later” 4:00 PM at the Sunset Theatre. $10 cash at the door.
FRIDAY, MARCH 22
• Kindersley Arts Council presents Andrea Superstein at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre 7:30 PM.
- FREE! Drop-In Soccer (Ages 15-99) Westberry School Gym every Thursday at 8:00 PM; Elizabeth School Gym every Friday at 7:00 PM. All welcome. Contact Kevin for more info: 306-430-4103 or email: kindersleysoccerboard@gmail.com
- Youth Curling hosted by the Kindersley Curling Club (Grades 4-12 welcome). Wednesdays at 5:30 PM on a weekly basis until March. No fee! More info contact Lexie at 306-831-5330.
- Parkinson’s Support Group Meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month 2:00 PM at the Kindersley Hospital. Everyone is welcome! For more info call Nancy at 306463-4514.
- Monday Night Jam Sessions at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre. Doors open at 6:30 to set-up, then the fun begins at 7-11 PM. Call Keith 306-460-8633.
- Interested in a support group for weight management? TOPS meetings; every Monday at 6:00 PM in the Kindersley Senior Centre OR contact Jill at 306-463-4210.
- PickleBall every Sunday & Wednesday 7:009:00 PM at Elizabeth School $50 per season or $5 drop in. More info call 306-460-8356.
- Prairie Crocus Quilt Guild meet the second Tuesday of the month (September to May) at the Pensioners Hall (3rd Ave. E., Kindersley) at 7:00 PM. For more info contact Donna at 306-463-4785.
LEADER
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 & 3
• Ladies Bonspiel Chicken & Wine at the G3 Iceplex. Raffle Prizes. Chicken Draw to the Button. $60/person. Includes Banquet Saturday Night. Entry Deadline: January 20. Call Melanie Charnetski 306-460-7647, Leah Butt 306-628-7573, Krista Loudon 306-587-7379.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16
• Toddler Tunes & Tales 10:30 AM at the Leader Library. Join us for an hour of songs, rhymes, stories & fun learning activities for children 0-2 years old and their grownups. Siblings welcome!
• Deadline to register for the Leader & District Chamber of Commerce Tradeshow on April 13, 2024. To register: 306-628-7887 or email: leadercdo@gmail.com
• Leader & District Arts Council presents Rory Gardiner 7:30 PM at the Leader Community Centre
THURSDAY, MARCH 21
• Leader & District Chamber of Commerce AGM Doors open: 6:30 PM. Meeting starts at 7:00 PM at the Leader Friendship Center. Speaker: Corwin Boechler - Chamber Insurance. Everyone welcome.
SATURDAY, MARCH 23
• Leader & District Arts Council presents Piano Heist 7:30 PM at the Leader Community Centre.
- Mondays are Family Fun Night (open to all ages) at the Leader Library 6:30-7:30 PM.
- Tuesdays & Thursday Stretch Exercises 10:00 AM at the Leader Friendship Centre.
- Wednesdays Toddler Time (ages 1.5 to 3) at the Leader Library 10:30-11:00 AM.
- Thursdays Baby & Me at the Leader Library 10:30-1:00 AM 0-2 years old (older siblings welcome)
- Adult Volleyball every Tuesday 7:30 PM at LCS Gymnasium (student parking lot door). Participants must be Grade 10 or older. Call Shelley 306-628-7643 for more information.
Celebrate the Chinese New Year With Firecracker Shrimp
When it comes to demystifying Chinese cooking, my friend Katie Chin, daughter of restaurateur Leeann Chin, knows what it takes to bring tasty recipes into American homes. As a chef, cookbook author and television personality, Katie believes in spreading the word about how truly delicious Chinese cuisine can be, starting with sharing culinary traditions with her 8-year-old twins.
“Chinese New Year is coming up on Feb. 10,” she reminds me. “Firecracker shrimp is a tasty and whimsical appetizer to kick off the celebration in our home in Southern California. My sous-chef kids mix the dipping sauce and roll up the ‘firecrackers,’ revealing shrimp tails and carrot strips for ‘fuses.’ As we prep, I’ll tell them about their grandmother’s memories of growing up in China — and how firecrackers (believed to ward off evil spirits) lit up the sky on New Year’s Day.”
Roll up her firecracker shrimp for an appetizer that explodes with flavor in every bite. The recipe was adapted from her cookbook “Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes From My Mother’s Kitchen.”
FIRECRACKER SHRIMP
Serves 6 as an appetizer
— 1 large carrot, cut into 3-inch-by1/4-inch matchsticks
— 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, divided — 12 shelled and deveined large, raw shrimp (tails left intact)
— 4 spring roll wrappers
— 1 egg, beaten
— Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Place carrot slices in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining garlic salt. Set aside.
Cut each spring roll wrapper into thirds to make 12 long strips. Brush the top third of each strip with the egg. Lay 1 shrimp at the bottom of the strip. Set a carrot slice on top of the shrimp. Tightly roll, letting the egg seal it together at the end. (The tail of the shrimp and the carrot should protrude from one end to resemble a firecracker.) Repeat with remaining wrappers.
In a large wok or deep skillet, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 350 F. Fry the shrimp rolls 5 or 6 at a time until golden brown (about 2 minutes), turning 2 to 3 times. Transfer to a cooling rack lined with paper towels.
Serve hot with dipping sauce.
DIPPING SAUCE
— 4 tablespoons mayonnaise — 2 tablespoons sriracha chili sauce
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and sriracha together.
Cook’s Note: Find spring roll wrappers in the freezer section of Asian markets. You can also substitute them with egg roll wrappers from the produce section of grocery stores.
Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com.
Apex Distribution Inc. 306-356-2116
Belitski Contracting Ltd. www.belitskicontracting.ca
Big Sky Steel Fabricators (2002) Ltd. bigskysteel@sasktel.net
Big Valley Sales www.bigvalleysales.ca
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Canalta Kindersley 306-463-1570
Carl’s Mobile Welding 306-372-4420
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Sim-Con Oilfi eld Equipment Ltd. 306-463-4938
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Twice last week, SaskEnergy set new daily natural gas usage records, and we can thank Alberta
Enter the big boys: 70-year-old Denison Mines buys into Grounded Lithium’s Kindersley project
BY BRIAN ZINCHUK brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca
e past weekend proved to be a closerun thing for the Alberta electrical grid, and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is making statements resolving he won’t allow that to happen here.
BY BRIAN ZINCHUK pipelineonline.ca
Not only was Saskatchewan setting electrical consumption records during the cold snap of last week of December, we also set two consecutive natural gas consumption records, too.
Speci cally, a er having nearly completely divested itself of coal- red power production, Alberta’s dramatic buildout of wind and solar proved impossible to keep the lights on in that province when the chips were down and temperatures hit -35 C, or worse.
CALGARY – Up until now, Saskatchewan’s emerging lithium play has been strictly a junior affair. That changed in January, as one of Canada’s older mining firms, Denison Mines, has jumped into the province’s lithium play.
According to SaskEnergy in a Dec. 31 release, “Extreme cold weather across Saskatchewan this week resulted in record-breaking natural gas demand in the province. On December 28 and 29, natural gas consumption surpassed the previous daily record of 1.57 petajoules (PJ) which was set in February 2021.
Denison is uranium exploration and development company active in northern Saskatchewan, and just announced it will restart production at McLean Lake as well as development its of its flagship Wheeler River project. Denison just bought into a lithium play in west central Saskatchewan.
“In Saskatchewan, we will not attempt the impossible when it comes to power production in our province,” Moe said in a post on X and other social media the evening of Monday, Jan. 15.
“A new daily record of 1.62 PJ was set on December 28 and broken again on December 29 with total system delivery of 1.64 PJ. Delivery numbers for December 30 and 31 are not yet finalized, but are also expected to exceed 1.6 PJ.”
plant, very similar to Chinook, is under construction at Moose Jaw.
All of this added natural gas-fired power generation has, in turn, driven higher usage of natural gas during times of high electrical consumption.
temperatures reduced wind power generation to nothing at times, and close to nothing for most of the weekend. And since the mass of cold air stretched from the Yukon to Texas, every grid operator in between was in the same boat – high demand but short supply. e Southwest Power Pool, which incorporates parts of 14 states from south of Saskatchewan to the Texas Panhandle, as well as Texas grid operator ERCOT, all put out various forms of alerts suggesting their clients reduce electrical consumption.
But perhaps more significantly, long-established Denison is a senior player. It already has revenue flowing and the ability to raise capital on the TSX, where it’s listed under DML. It also takes the KLP from a junior play to something a lot bigger.’ “Denison’s 22.5 per cent owned McClean Lake project is host to several unmined uranium deposits and the McClean Lake mill, which is one of the world’s largest uranium processing facilities, licensed to process up to 24M lbs U3O8 per year,” their website said.
The Crown noted that increased demand from SaskEnergy’s industrial customers, including natural gas use for power production, was the main driver of this week’s record-setting consumption.
SaskEnergy said it measures daily natural gas consumption for the 24-hour period from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. A PJ is a unit of measurement equivalent to one million gigajoules (GJ) of natural gas. An average Saskatchewan home consumes about 100 GJ of natural gas each year.
The company’s market capitalization as of Jan. 23 was $2.35 billion, and its net income, as of September, 2023, was $58.2 million.
On Jan. 16, Grounded Lithium Corp. announced that Denison Mines Corp entered into a definitive agreement to buy into Grounded’s Kindersley Lithium Project (KLP). With three stages of investment, Denison has the option to earn up to a 75 per cent working interest in the KLP.
“We will not risk plunging our homes, schools, hospitals, special care homes and our businesses into the cold and darkness because of the ideological whims of others.
The natural gas records coincided with record power consumption. On Dec. 29, SaskPower set another record in power consumption for Saskatchewan. At 5:27 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2021, Saskatchewan homes and businesses reached 3,868 megawatts (MW) in power use, according to the Crown corporation. The previous record of 3,792 MW was reached four years ago to the day, on Dec. 29, 2017.
Staring into the abyss e rst three of Alberta’s grid alerts ran from mid-a ernoon until late evening, but the fourth occurred for an hour on Monday morning, as the workweek began.
In other words, this is the first major company to bring money to the plate in Saskatchewan’s lithium play.
“To support the ongoing power demands across western Canada, Boundary Dam 4 has been restarted to ensure families can continue to keep the heat on. Net zero by 2035 is not only impossible, it’s irresponsible as it would leave Saskatchewan and Western Canadian families freezing and in the dark.”
Saskatchewan’s power production has increasingly shifted from coal to natural gas as a fuel source. In December, Boundary Dam Unit 4, a coal-fired generating unit, was retired, reducing the Boundary Dam Power Station to 672 megawatts capacity. On the natural gas side, Saskatchewan has seen the construction of several new natural gas-fired power plants. They include the baseload North Battleford Power Station (289 megawatts), Yellowhead Power Station peaking plant (also at North Battleford, 135 megawatts), the baseload Chinook Power Station at Swift Current (353 megawatts) and peaking plant Spy Hill Power Station (89 megawatts). Another 353 megawatt baseload
Denison’s investment greatly contributes to the funding of Grounded’s Kindersley Lithium Project (KLP) planned pilot project, south of Kerrobert, and the investment will provide Denison with a diversification into another mineral. Denison becomes the operator of the project.
Denison was initially incorporated in 1954 as Consolidated Denison Mines Limited. Over 70 years, its history in Saskatchewan has included potash mining at Patience Lake, and the McClean Lake uranium project. Outside our borders, it was prominent in the Elliot Lake, Ontario uranium operation, among other projects. Its website notes that currently Denison has an effective 95 per cent interest in the Wheeler River uranium project in northern Saskatchewan. Denison says it “ranks as the largest undeveloped uranium mining project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region.”
It was in response to the extraordinary events that occurred in Alberta over the weekend, in which Saskatchewan played a key part. And it was also a tacit acknowledgement that as much as SaskPower’s been trying to wean itself o coal, it just can’t do it yet. We still need it to keep the lights on.
e Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) declared four “grid alerts,” over four days in a row, starting the a ernoon of Friday, Jan. 12. Desperately cold temperatures drove up demand for power, just as the same
COLEVILLE, SK
“SaskEnergy’s natural gas system design can accommodate additional capacity to manage increased consumption even on peak days,” SaskEnergy president and CEO Ken From said in a release. “Throughout the year, SaskEnergy employees inspect, maintain and enhance the system to support safe and reliable natural gas delivery in all weather conditions. In addition, employees monitor the system 24 hours a day to ensure sufficient system capacity to meet customer demand across the province.”
In an investor call on Jan. 16, Gregg Smith, Grounded president and CEO, and Greg Phaneuf, chief financial officer, laid out the deal.
e second of those grid alerts turned out to be the most signi cant. On Saturday, Jan. 13, Alberta came within a half-hour of rotating blackouts, an Alberta Electric System Operator spokesperson told CBC News on Jan. 15, con rmed by Alberta A ordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf the same day.
Smith said, “We’re very proud and excited to announce a pivotal transaction for Grounded Lithium. As has been the vision of Grounded from day one, we intend to become a producing company of battery-grade lithium in Canada in an environmentally friendly manner.
This province is now largely dependent on neighbouring Alberta to fulfill roughly two-thirds of our natural gas needs.
When natural gas prices took a tumble roughly 14 years ago, Saskatchewan’s domestic gas production fell off a cliff. Targeted gas drilling went essentially extinct, with next to no gas-specific wells being drilled in this province for most of the past decade. Our domestic gas production is now largely based on associated gas production that comes with oil production. As a result, Saskatchewan went from being a net gas exporter for the period of 1988 to 2009 to a net importer that year.
Indeed, the province stood at the brink of the abyss Saturday night, as rotating blackouts would have impacted di erent areas of the province for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, as temperatures ranged from -30 to -45 C, depending on where you were in the province. As the province’s grid-scale batteries neared depletion, and there was nothing le to call upon, the AESO and provincial government put out an emergency alert to all cellphones and TV screens, asking Albertans to shut o and unplug everything they could, from electric vehicle chargers to ovens to bathroom fans.
“For Grounded, the transaction with Denison Mines creates a strategic partnership with a technically astute, multibillion-dollar enterprise having a presence, a significant presence, in the province of Saskatchewan, and a desire to diversify its mineral interests into lithium.
“This complementary arrangement removes many of the perceived and distinct risks that the market has placed on Grounded in the quest to attain our vision. From our standpoint, as a junior public company with challenged access to capital, the strategic capital from Denison, led by David Cates, Denison’s president and CEO, allows the Kindersley Lithium Project to signifi-
CONTINUED
The pink area defines the area reserved for lithium development by Denison Mines. Grounded Lithium is free to develop additional properties outside the pink line. Grounded Lithium
cantly accelerate the project for the benefit of all stakeholders.”
Cates said, “Denison is excited to acquire a royalty and enter into an earn-in agreement with GLC that supports the further assessment of the KLP in Saskatchewan. Denison has developed a unique platform for the de-risking of mine development projects in the province with its innovative and highly skilled Saskatoon-based technical, regulatory, and operations teams. Lithium is a complementary mineral to Denison’s core uranium business, with both identified as critical minerals needed to support the clean energy transition. Brine extraction also has many similarities to the In-Situ Recovery mining method that the company has successfully validated for use at its flagship Wheeler River uranium project in northern Saskatchewan. Combining our deep local technical capabilities with the Grounded team’s experience on KLP has the potential to create an incredible environment to incubate the KLP to emerge as a premier lithium project in a top mining jurisdiction.”
Earn-in
The agreement includes three distinct earn-in options which include a cash payment directly to the company along with dedicated expenditures to advance the KLP, as described in the table below. During the earn-in period, KLP expenditures will generally be funded 100 per cent by Denison, and Denison will be entitled to an increased working interest in the KLP as it completes each earnin option phase.
Upon funding the total amounts of each earnin option, Denison has the right to either exercise the earn-in option and acquire the working inter-
est associated with that Earn-In Option phase or move on to the ensuing option phase.
Should Denison exercise the earn-in option and elect to acquire a working interest in the KLP, a formal joint venture will be created to govern the parties. The joint venture agreement will contain customary language and terms associated with an arrangement of this nature, including but not limited to, governance provisions, rights of first refusals, dilution provisions for non-participation and technical and management committees.
Grounded also sold a five per cent gross overriding royalty (GORR) on the KLP to Denison in accordance with the terms of a royalty agreement for a cash payment of $800,000. Pursuant to the terms of the royalty agreement, the GORR drops to 2% upon the receipt of all approvals which have been subsequently attained and press released by Grounded on January 24th. This GORR is eliminated in its entirety on the date that is fifteen (15) months after the closing of the earn-in agreement unless Denison elects to forfeit its rights to exercise an earn-in option.
Smith thanked Cates and the Denison team which “diligently assessed our opportunity and PEA, and worked hard to quickly get to a definitive agreement.”
“As you may be aware, Denison and Grounded share a lot of similarities,” Smith said. “First, we are both big believers in the resource potential of the province of Saskatchewan, and we’re proud to operate responsibly in that province.
“Second, Denison is set to become a significant uranium producer in Saskatchewan, through a novel extraction technique. Stealing a page out of the oil and gas industry specifically heavy oil, Dennison is deploying in situ extraction
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
techniques, which also shares some similarities to extracting lithium from brine resources. There will certainly be efficiencies, sharing of knowledge and a significant spectrum of benefits stemming from this partnership to make our project one of the lowest cost operations in the lithium from brine industry in our view.
“We remain actively involved in the Kindersley Lithium Project. Denison, through a management contract, pays Grounded to manage the development of the KLP for the first minimum two years. While Denison supports the initial heavy lifting to de risk the project shareholders of Grounded continue to ride the upside with reduced shareholder dilution.
Smith noted that Grounded can continue to develop new lithium plays outside of the Kindersley region. He said, “Another key aspect of the transaction is that Grounded is free to assess, explore for and develop lithium from brine assets outside of the KLP or Kindersley Lithium Project. The area of mutual interest under the agreement addresses the pink outline area … shown here, which is effectively our Kindersley lithium project. The AMI includes a 10 kilometre buffer from any further most point from a parcel of land within the KLP.”
Smith said their PEA was based on a US$25,000 per tonne price for lithium hydroxide, but their low cost operator advantage provides commodity price resilience down to below US$8,000 per tonne.
Further details
On Jan. 24, Pipeline Online spoke with Grounded chief financial officer Greg Phaneuf.
“It’s a validation,” he said. “They’re a serious player.”
That includes having teams of geologists and engineers. Their new uranium extraction method bears similarities to what Grounded is working on for lithium brine extraction.
Phaneuf said the investment from Denison for the first two phases, will basically fund a field pilot. Up until this point, Grounded did not have the funding capacity to build out the pilot. “If Denison performs under the earning, they would fully fund the pilot, which is a huge validation from a value perspective that the markets been looking for,” Phaneuf said.
The Denison funding may be enough to do not only the pre-feasibility study but the definitive feasibility study, “which then leads itself into offtake project financing, build a commercial facility and generate significant tax dollars in royalties for the province and, frankly, for our shareholders,” he said.
The timelines will be dependent on Denison. There’s an outside date in the agreement of June, 2028, but Phaneuf expects things will progress quicker than that. “We’ve been previously saying that we’d be in commercial production by early 2027.”
He noted there’s an active and willing customer market for the product.
“If we notionally said 2024 is all about the field pilot that involves design, obtain permits, construct, operate and then conduct a full post mortem on the results, that probably is a year, soup to nuts. Then if you said 2025 is a year where we, at least in the first part of it, are looking at feasibility studies, maybe some additional drilling, just to kind of confirm more of the resource that goes
into your feasibility studies, I look at that as a 2025 event. If the markets, both on the commodity itself and the capital markets are rewarding lithium developers, we might be looking at non-binding offtake agreements at the end of 2025 which dovetails nicely into discussions with one or more financial institutions that assist in structuring a complete financing package. That can happen towards the end of 2025 or early 2026 if all business aspects aligned. With those achievements, the KLP could be breaking ground sometime in 2026 with an 18-24 month construction and commissioning period. So, we could as a project be in commercial production at some point in time in 2027, with production being in the form of lithium hydroxide. All these plans though now need to be critically analyzed, discussed and approved as a group together with Denison. This is just a potential commercialization path. Many factors go into such a plan, but in any event, the plan will make sense for the benefit of all stakeholders.”
Lithium hydroxide
That last part is significant. Other lithium players in Saskatchewan are looking to produce lithium carbonate. While the pricing is similar, it is a different product. Phaneuf said in Grounded’s view, that’s where the market is going. Current lithium-ion batteries use lithium carbonate, but the upcoming generation of solid-state batteries will use lithium hydroxide. Solid state batteries alleviate some of the concerns regarding charge capacity, charge and recycle time, and range, Phaneuf said.
The final production would likely go to one or two offtake agreements, as opposed to the spot market.
As currently envisioned, Grounded is planning on 24 producer wells, seven injectors and 70 kilometres of flowlines feeding into a central processing facility just off Highway 21, near Coleville. All in, that’s looking like US$335 million, or C$450 million. And should that come to pass, Denison would be responsible for coming up with 75 per cent of the expenditure, and Grounded the other 25 per cent. Their modelling expects half equity, half debt financing for that C$450 million in CAPEX. That would mean Grounded would need to come up with around $56 million in equity.
Having a partner with “street cred,” should hopefully make raising that equity easier.
Pink line
Remember the pink line outlining the project area Denison is taking over? Well, the Duperow formation which is being targeted for lithium-rich brine covers pretty much all of the area from there to the southeast corner of the province. That’s a huge area the size of some smaller European companies that could potentially be developed. The KLP makes up about 300 sections of land, but that leaves Grounded with a few dozen sections of land elsewhere to start working up another project. Smith noted Grounded had identified other prospect areas for possible future development, and this transaction allows Grounded to pursue them. So there may be more to come, in parallel with the Kindersley project.
In conclusion, Phaneuf said, “This is a good thing for Grounded. It’s a good thing for Denison, and it’s a good thing for the province.”
EDITORS:
Citizens On Patrol
This semi annual newsletter is for the businesses of Kindersley July, August, September, October, November and December.
This is a report of activity by the “Citizens on Patrol” Numbers of patrols - 17
Numbers of Hours - 136
Kilometers - 1209.3
Call-ins - 5
Doors or gates unlocked or open - 11
CITIZENS ON PATROL ARE LOOKING FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS.
If you can spare one or two nights a month to help protect our community and are interested please phone S/SGT. Kevin Peterson at the RCMP at 306-463-4642.
Citizens On Patrol would like to thank the RCMP, SGI, The Bean, Your West Central Voice, Kindersley Social, 1210, Mix 104, Town of Kindersley, and the business community for their support.
If anyone is interested in purchasing a COPP Sign to put in their window or make a donation to our program, please call 306-463-9406. The cost is $30.00 for a 12” x 12” sign or $5.00 for a 4” x 4” sign.
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Taking some time out of your usually busy social life could be just what you need. You can focus on putting some finishing touches on those plans for a possible career change.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A misunderstanding about a colleague’s suggestions could create a delay in moving on with your proposal. But by week’s end, all the confusing points should finally be cleared up.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might feel overwhelmed by all the tasks you suddenly have to take care of. But just say the magic word — “help!” — and you’ll soon find others rushing to offer much-needed assistance.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Finishing a current project ahead of schedule leaves you free to deal with other upcoming situations, including a possible workplace change or a demanding personal matter.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) Turn that fine-tuned feline sensitivity radar up to high to help yourself uncover any facts that could influence a decision you might be preparing to make. Devote the weekend to family activities.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A state of confusion early in the week is soon cleared up with explanations from the responsible parties. Don’t waste time chastising anyone. Instead, move forward with your plans.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might feel obligated to help work out a dispute between family members. But this is one of those times when you should just step aside and let them work out their problems on their own.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your ability to resolve an on-the-job problem without leaving too many ruffled feathers earns you kudos from co-workers. You also impress major decision-makers at your workplace.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Newly made and longheld friendships merge well, with one possible exception. Take time to listen to the dissenter’s explanations. You could learn something important.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Be prepared to be flexible about your current travel plans. Although you don’t have to take suggestions, at least consider them from experts in the travel business.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A problem with a recent financial transaction could lead to more problems later on unless you resolve it immediately. Get all the proof you need to support your position.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Daydreaming makes it difficult to stay focused on what you need to do. But reality sets in by midweek, and you manage to get everything done in time for a relaxing weekend.
BORN THIS WEEK: Your ability to reach out to those in need of spiritual comfort makes you a much-revered and much-loved person within your community.
ought for the Day: “It is not by muscle, speed or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by re ection, force of character and judgment, and in these qualities old age is usually not only not poorer, but is even richer.” - Cicero
www.canaltahotels.com Kindersley,
Parents & Grandparents ...
If your child or grandchild was born in 2023, don’t miss this opportunity to include their cute little ‘baby face’ in The Voice and The Chronicle’s Special ...
REGISTRY
February 13, 2024 LOW COSTOnly $40 (includes GST).We accept Visa, MasterCard, cash and cheques.Payment must arrive with order. DEADLINEPhoto, information and payment must be received by The Voice/ The Chronicle on or before Feb. 8. IMPORTANTClose-ups work best. INFORMATION REQUIREDBaby’s Full Name.Place of Birth & Date of Birth.Names of Parents, Grandparents and Great Grandparents. SEND INFORMATION TO:yourwestcentralvoice@gmail.com or text 306-463-2211.Send in an unedited JPEG format.Please call 306-463-2211 to ensure it was received. ~ Send in with your baby’s photo
Phone Number
Please print or type and include $40 (includes GST) Make cheques payable to: Your Southwest Media Group Box 727 Kindersley, SK. S0L 1S0
Kindersley & District CO-OP
Kid’s Korner
KID’S CLUB BIRTHDAYS FOR FEBRUARY 1-10, 2024
Nate Glencross
Azariah Musisi
Rowan Petrushka
Theia Gwyneth Agag
Bella Artymovich
Liam Chase
Tylin Cummings
Kala Ginther
Rowan Jamieson
Lewis Meyer
Theodore Meyer
Stella Morgotch
Reid Newmeier
Djai Anderson Rivera
Blake Tongco
Posting Date January 29, 2024
* In 2012, a 90-year-old Baltimore woman named Venus Green locked a police officer in her basement when he tried searching her home without a warrant. Afterward, she brought a civil rights lawsuit and won a $95,000 settlement.
* “Jeopardy!” contestants stand on adjustable platforms so that they all appear to be the same height on camera.
* Chess is a required school subject in Armenia.
* Before the modern glass versions we use today became commonplace, mirrors were made from bronze and were prized possessions of rich households in Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and Japan.
* The Statue of Liberty’s full name is Liberty Enlightening the World.
* A study conducted at the University of Montreal showed that young people who played the 1996 game Super Mario 64 for only two months increased their spatial and episodic memory, which improves brain capacity and helps to ward off dementia.
* More than 20% of all the world’s freshwater is in the Great Lakes.
* While humans and giraffes obviously have vastly different neck lengths, they still have the exact same number (seven) of neck vertebrae.
