E79 Gold Mines Identifies Lithium Anomalous Pegmatites at Jungar Flats

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: E79 Gold Mines (ASX: E79) hasn’t let the Western Australia lithium rush pass it by after furthering the lithium exploration potential at the company’s Jungar Flats gold project in the state’s Murchison Region.

E79 Gold Mines recently carried out rock chip sampling of a soil auger geochemical anomaly returning lithium assays of up to 0.29 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from rock chip field samples.

The company’s exploration field work to follow up a recent soil auger program has demonstrated that rock chips over the main soil lithium anomaly contain elevated levels of pathfinder elements lithium, caesium, tantalum and niobium.

“These exciting greenfields results show the untapped potential at Jungar Flats,” E79 Gold CEO Ned Summerhayes said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The company initially undertook a short field trip to ground-truth the highest ranked gold, copper and lithium soil geochemical anomaly from the recent auger geochemical program.

“A second trip was subsequently completed which mapped numerous pegmatites in the region, with more comprehensive follow-up sampling completed and assays pending.

“While these results are early stage, they confirm the presence of lithium anomalous pegmatites in an area previously not explored for lithium.

“Additional tenement applications adjacent to the Jungar Flats project have been submitted in areas identified by the Geological Survey of Western Australia as having the potential to host lithium-bearing pegmatites.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Encounter Resources Meets Copper Sulphides in First Drilling at Jessica IOCG Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) has been encouraged by copper hits from the first two drill holes completed at the Zeta target at the company’s Jessica copper project in the Northern Territory.

The Jessica project deposits is being explored under a farm-in agreement with South32 and covers some 10,300 square kilometres along structural corridors east of Tennant Creek and is considered prospective for sediment-hosted copper and IOCG style.

Two diamond drill holes have been completed at the Zeta target a coincident gravity and magnetic anomaly associated with a discrete seismic reflector.

Encounter reported first drilling at Zeta has intersected a number of key IOCG indicators including:

Chalcopyrite/bornite in thin quartz-carbonate veins;
Intense and pervasive red rock hematite alteration; and
Bimodal felsic volcanic-basalt sequences (indicating a major, long lived structure).

“South32, our farm-in partner at Jessica, has informed us that observations from the first drill holes at the Zeta target have provided encouragement for the targeted IOCG copper model,” Encounter Resources managing director Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“In a previously unexplored region of the NT, both holes drilled have intersected red-rock hematite alteration together with copper sulphides contained in quartz–carbonate veins.

“The 6,500 metres diamond drill program at Jessica/Carrara is ongoing with drilling to continue through to November 2023.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Global Lithium Resources Completes Ore Sorting Trial at Manna Lithium Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Global Lithium Resources (ASX: GL1) has completed the second stage of ore sorting trials at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Manna lithium project east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

The company explained the testwork forms part of a wider scope of work being undertaken to progress the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) at the Manna lithium project towards completion by Q1, CY24.

The recent work consisted of two trials, the first an initial ore sorting testwork program that established the ability of ore sorting technology to upgrade a low-grade pegmatite ore from 0.9 per cent to 1.5 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O).

The second ore sorting trial focussed on a high-grade pegmatite ore and demonstrated technology is also capable of generating a high-grade SOC product for which there is strong customer demand.

Further ore sorting variability testwork using bulk PQ diamond drill core will be performed to establish a grade recovery curve for proposed SOC production and over life-of-mine (LOM) for the Manna Processing Plant.

“Both trials have demonstrated that the Manna pegmatite ore body is highly suited to ore sorting,” Global Lithium project director Tony Chamberlain said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“This work will unlock further value for the Manna project through potential early production of a SOC product and increase spodumene production for the main concentrator.

“The high-grade SOC product will be a very attractive product for potential offtake partners.

“The company is nearing completion of a pre-feasibility study in relation to SOC and is in discussions with several potential partners.

“With ore sorting now being incorporated into the main flowsheet, this will enhance the economics of the project due to the expected generation of additional revenue.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Wildcat Resources Claims Major Lithium Discovery at Tabba Tabba

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Wildcat Resources (ASX: WC8) has claimed a “major lithium discovery’ from the first drilling program undertaken at the company’s Tabba Tabba lithium tantalum project in the Pilbara, near Port Hedland in Western Australia.

Wildcat Resources released the first assay results from maiden drilling at the Tabba Tabba project which it claims to confirm high-grade lithium mineralisation from surface in the project’s northern and central pegmatite clusters, demonstrating potential for a large-scale lithium camp.

Best results from the central cluster included:

TARC086
85 metres at 1.1 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from surface (down-hole length), including 59m at 1.5 per cent Li2O from surface and 218m at 0.8 per cent Li2O from 16m; and

TARC089 (down-hole length)
Including 22m at 1 per cent Li2O from 31m, including 23m at 1 per cent Li2O from 152m, including 51m at 1.5 per cent Li2O from 183m to end of hole – estimated true width is approximately 53m.

Best results from the northern cluster:

TARC055
21m at 1.1 per cent Li2O from 42m (est. true width);

TARC015
26m at 0.9 per cent Li2O from 76m (est. true width);

TARC005
20m at 1.3 per cent Li2O from 20m (est. true width); and

TARC001
16m at 1.1 per cent Li2O from 17m (est. true width).

Tabba Tabba is near some of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium mines, 47 kilometres from Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora project and 87km from Mineral Resources’ Wodgina project.

“I’m confident we are in the early stages of a major discovery at Tabba Tabba and it’s been a welcome surprise to see the size of the system,” Wildcat Resources managing director Samuel Ekins said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Over 95 per cent of all holes to date have intersected pegmatites and we eagerly await further rounds of assays.

“Our central pegmatite is now over 1.2kilometres long (open to the north), subvertical and outcropping at widths of over 50 metrrs which is very significant.

“Given our proximity to major global lithium projects including Pilgangoora and Wodgina, we see plenty of potential to uncover a large-scale lithium deposit across the extensive 3.2 kilometres trending pegmatite system.

“We anticipate receiving Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval for our acquisition of Tabba Tabba and Ministerial Approval by the end of September and bringing our first diamond rig onto site in early October, with more results from our initial drilling expected also.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Miramar Resources Identifies Randalls Lithium Potential

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Miramar Resources (ASX: M2R) jumped aboard the Western Australia lithium train this week by announcing it has identified potential for lithium-bearing pegmatites at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Randalls project on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie.

Miramar Resources’ Randalls project is located on the northeastern margin of the Randall Dome, a folded sequence of black shales, banded iron formation (BIF) and other sediments of the Mt Belches Formation, underlain by a central granitoid core.

The company cited the Geological Survey of WA, which says the Randall Dome was formed by the combination of granite emplacement and east-west compression resulting in a doubly-plunging anticline with a NNW-SSE-trending central axis.

The places Miramar’s tenements diagonally opposite and in a similar stratigraphic position to several noted lithium-bearing pegmatites on the southwestern margin of the Randall Dome including:

• Bald Hill – the subject of a takeover by Mineral Resources;
• New Dawn – recently purchased by Torque Metals; and
• Cowan – multiple lithium-bearing pegmatite occurrences.

Regional radiometric data has demonstrated potassium anomalism associated with these known lithium pegmatites.

Miramar claims similar potassium anomalism is seen within the Randalls project tenements north of Lake Randall.

“Given the strong similarities between Randalls and the Bald Hill area and the lack of previous exploration, there was significant potential for the discovery of lithium bearing pegmatites within the company’s tenements,” Miramar Resources executive chairman Allan Kelly said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Our Randalls project is basically a mirror image of the Bald Hill and New Dawn areas, on the other side of the Randall Dome.

“The regional radiometric data strongly suggests that there could be lithium bearing pegmatites hidden under thin surficial cover within our tenements but they could be easily missed even when specifically targeted.

“We are excited about the opportunity to discover lithium bearing pegmatites on our ground.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Alto Metals Identifies Growth Potential at Bull Oak Mine

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Alto Metals (ASX: AME) has been carrying out a new review within the company’s 100 per cent-owned Sandstone gold project in Western Australia.

Alto Metals’ latest review is being undertaken on the historic Bull Oak gold mine and surrounding historic workings, which it says has highlighted potential for near-term resource growth.

The review has determined the style of mineralisation at the Bull Oak deposit to be multiple stacked lodes hosted within a granodiorite, similar to that observed at Lord Nelson and Lord Henry.

The intrusion has a strike length of approximately 500m and a width of up to 150m, within which gold mineralisation is not constrained.

Two deeper historic holes drilled respectively by WMC and Troy in 1985 and 2009, intersected multiple mineralised reefs with numerous instances of visible gold reported.

Alto has drilled one RC hole at Bull Oak to date to test and validate the deeper historical results and intersected multiple stacked lodes with the hole ending in mineralisation.

Alto considers the lack of recent exploration and untested mineralisation to offer an opportunity with potential to extend mineralisation below the shallow mined pit both up and down dip as well as along strike and at depth.

“Mineralisation at Bull Oak is multiple stacked lodes hosted within a granodiorite, similar to that at Lord Nelson and Lord Henry,” Alto Metals managing director Matthew Bowles said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Most of the historic drilling at Bull Oak has been relatively shallow, however two historic holes drilled to 300 metres depth intersected multiple lodes and reported numerous instances of visible gold.

“A follow up deep hole drilled by Alto returned a wide zone 260 metres at 0.4 grams per tonne gold from 36m, including 14.1g/t gold and ended in mineralisation.

“The mineralisation is completely untested up and down dip of these intercepts, as well as at depth, and we are excited to have an RC rig arriving shortly to test these outstanding targets, that have the potential to drive near-term growth.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Metal Hawk Commences Stage-2 Drilling at Fraser South

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Metal Hawk (ASX: MHK) has aircore (AC) drilling underway at the company’s Fraser South project, located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia.

Metal Hawk said the 50-hole Stage-2 campaign will be targeting new zones of rare earth element (REE) mineralisation and will be following-up high-grade results achieved by a maiden AC program carried out in May 2023.

Drilling will also be testing for early-stage indicators of nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation along an interpreted southern structural extension of the western margin of the Albany-Fraser belt.

“Following the excellent high-grade REE results from our maiden drilling campaign at Fraser South, we are very excited to commence the Stage-2 drilling program,” Metal Hawk managing director Will Belbin said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“We will be drilling some closer spaced holes at Bozwood and we’ll be testing new target areas for additional zones of REE mineralisation.

‘Additionally, we look forward to further exploring the magnetic high and western margin of the belt for prospective nickel-bearing mafic and ultramafic rocks.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Burley Minerals Commences Metallurgical Test Work at Chubb

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Burley Minerals (ASX: BUR) announced commencement of an initial metallurgical test work program for the company’s Chubb lithium project in Québec, Canada.

Burley Minerals explained the purpose of the program is to gather indications of spodumene recovery and spodumene beneficiation through typical spodumene processing circuits.

Two samples of diamond drill core from Burley’s maiden diamond drilling program commenced in April 2023, were composited for this metallurgical test work program and shipped to SGS Laboratories in Québec.

The company anticipates the tests to take up to four months to complete.

“Burley has core from the historic drilling program and also from the early part of our maiden drilling program at Chubb, so we have the luxury of an abundance of core samples for metallurgical test work,” Burley Minerals managing director and CEO Stewart McCallion said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“It is great that we can get this work underway at such an early stage of exploration.

“The results of this metallurgical test work will give us a preliminary indication of spodumene recovery and ore upgradability, as we continue to expand and define the mineralised zones at the Chubb lithium project.

“I am very pleased with the work completed so far this year and I look forward to progressing this highly prospective project.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

 

Balkan Mining and Minerals Commences Phase 1 Drill Program at Gorge Lithium Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Balkan Mining and Minerals (ASX: BMM) has commenced a phase 1 drill program at the company’s Gorge lithium project located in Ontario, Canada.

Balkan Mining and Minerals is drilling to test the vertical plunge extensions along strike of outcropping high-grade lithium pegmatites at the project’s Nelson and Koshman prospects.

Six diamond drill holes have been planned to be carried out at the Nelson pegmatite, focusing on anomalies identified from previous channel sampling results.

The other six diamond holes have been planned to drill at the Koshman pegmatite prospect to test targets identified from both channel and rock chips samples.

“Our technical team is very excited to be embarking on our maiden drilling campaign at the Gorge lithium project in Ontario,” Balkan Mining and Minerals managing director Ross Cotton said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Since acquiring option rights over the project in July 2022, our highly encouraging preliminary exploration work has seen Gorge become rated as a high-priority lithium exploration opportunity.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

TG Metals Encounters High Grade Nickel Mineralisation at Lake Johnston Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: TG Metals (ASX: TG6) reported results of an initial aircore drilling program conducted in August on the Burmeister nickel laterite prospect at the company’s Lake Johnston nickel-lithium-gold project in Western Australia.

TG Metals, aircore drilling on the Burmeister nickel laterite deposit produced numerous high-grade intercepts of +1 per cent nickel and up to 3.23 per cent nickel.

Highlights include:

TGAC0027
from 18m to 31m, 13m at 1.12 per cent nickel;

TGAC0024
from 17m to 23m, 6m at 1.27 per cent nickel;

TGAC0017
from 20m to 22m, 2m at 1.43 per cent nickel; and

TGAC0011
from 28m to 29m, 1m at 3.23 per cent nickel.

TG Metals explained the drilling was widely spaced, effectively testing a large area of nickel laterite mineralisation, with a future proposed infill drilling (Phase Two) required to better define the continuity of this mineralisation.

“This initial aircore drilling program was designed to evaluate the presence of high-grade nickel within the laterite profile,” TG Metals CEO David Selfe said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The results have exceeded our expectations and yielded valuable insights into factors influencing the +1% high grade nickel laterite mineralisation.

“This mineralisation has the potential to serve as direct feed for third party laterite nickel processing facilities.

“We are also keen to potentially take advantage of the extensive lower grade material, with the aim of identifying an initial resource that may perform favourably to an on-site beneficiation up-grade.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE