Work at the 100%-owned project was completed by contractor Welsh Hagen Associates. The firm also provided the design for the construction and the notice of intent for that phase of the project submitted to the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

"The drill pads and roads were constructed to ensure that large-diameter deep drilling can take place under all weather conditions in the Teels Marsh valley," the company said, adding that, during construction, two flash floods tested the integrity of the engineered roads and pads - with all structures left unaffected.

Dajin's approach to the exploration at Teels Marsh is notably different than other projects in the state, officials said; the site's drill pads are designed to support a four-hole, large-diameter drilling programme to test for lithium-bearing aquifers to depth. Those preparations are in progress, with the results serving to follow up on June 2016 surface tests that were returned with favourable results.

"The drilling of deep, large-diameter cased wells with the ability to discharge will make it possible to not only measure the concentration of lithium brine in the subsurface aquifers, but to also carry out the flow testing of any lithium-bearing subsurface aquifers that may be encountered during the drilling," Dajin said.

The roadways and pad construction portion of the Teels Marsh project used construction equipment supplied by regional suppliers Tipton Trucking, Coan Equipment and MB America.

Dajin holds 403 placer claims covering 7,914 acres (3,203 hectares) at the Mineral County project. The drill programme there is expected to commence later this year.