Lightning Minerals’ (ASX: L1M) drilling contractors Gyro Australia have begun mobilization to its Dundas site to begin the company’s inaugural drill program on tenement E63/2001 in Western Australia.
Highlights
o Mobilization of drilling team for drilling programme targeting outcropping pegmatites and lithium in soil anomalies within tenement E63/20011
o 2,500m of Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling and 10,000m of Air Core (AC) drilling on tenement E63/2001
o Represents a starting point for accelerated exploration program across the Dundas project to follow up multiple lithium in soil anomalies
“It is with pleasure and excitement that we announce our inaugural drill campaign at Dundas,” CEO, Alex Biggs, said.
“The past few months have been crucial in establishing target areas for drilling and I commend our team on a job well done in demonstrating multiple targets and opportunities as we accelerate our exploration. Drilling on E63/2001 is just the start with numerous other lithium targets to follow up across our Dundas tenements.
“We welcome our contractors to site and look forward to working together as we begin the journey of unlocking the potential that Dundas holds. Once again, I thank our shareholders and stakeholders for their support in Lightning Minerals and our team.”
Drilling strategy
Drill programme design has been completed for the Dundas South tenement E63/2001, with up to 2,500m Reverse Circulation (RC) and ~10,000m of Air Core (AC) now confirmed.
Drilling will follow up a combination of recent priority targets identified through the mapping of outcropping pegmatites, geophysical reinterpretations, and lithium-rubidium in soil anomalism identified in the south-eastern corner of tenement E63/2001.
It is anticipated that RC component will be undertaken first to test the continuation of the three outcropping pegmatites at depth. If the outcrop is proven to continue the program intends to collect samples from depths between 50m and 100m vertically from surface. This will provide a more representative sample from beneath the interpreted base of complete oxidation (BOCO). The continuation or orientation of the pegmatites is not yet known and as such there are no guarantees of success in the maiden drill campaign.
After the completion of the initial RC drilling the AC programme will then commence in the south eastern corner of tenement E63/2001.
The Air Core program will target the lithium and rubidium anomalism previously reported1 and the potential extensions of pegmatites present in the south of the tenement.
Composite samples will be taken through areas of saprolitic cover to help vector toward any pegmatites that are not intersected within the maiden AC programme.
If pegmatites are intersected in the AC programme, a follow up RC programme will be considered as a priority to accelerate exploration progress within E63/2001. Adjustments to final collar locations are expected as the drill program develops and evolves in the field.
With the Dundas reconnaissance soil sampling program now finalized, the company’s focus is now on the its inaugural drill programme on tenement E63/2001 and follow up soil sampling works on tenements E63/2000 and E63/1993.
The lithium anomalism within E63/2000 has been identified over a large 8sq. km area including a peak result of 218ppm Li.
Drill programme planning and permitting have already begun to facilitate potential future programmes
Additional infill sampling campaigns will now be reviewed at the Dundas North project area following positive results including lithium in soil anomalism up to 147ppm Li and three large lithium target areas identified, the largest being 35sq. km.
A comprehensive targeting exercise using the results of the reconnaissance sampling programme will now be undertaken to extract maximum value from the 62 element suite of analytes provided by the UFF+ analytical technique.
The review will include all applicable prospective commodities for the Dundas Projects including lithium, rare earth elements (REE), gold, copper, nickel, and platinum group elements (PGE).
For further information please visit: https://lightningminerals.com.au/
