Ann: Quarterly Activities Report, page-41

There was over ten bores tested
30 monitoring bores and over 2 km of trenches at different lengths and depths
120 million liters of brine pumped
This data is represented in the mine plan in the presentation

The problem with the on lake pond argument
Is that
The lake is either porouse or not
If the lake has a clay layer 1.5 meters thick in the top five meters then this is effectively a third of the resource trapped

As by definition clay holds the moisture and will not release the brine in a pond

Hence you will not be able to extract the fluid
From the clay in your lake sediments

Having a lake surface that is capable of holding the brine is not a positive in my opinion
But a floor to the project