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Future Battery Minerals Delivers Large-Scale Nevada Strike Extension

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Future Battery Minerals (ASX: FBM) received assay results from RC drilling carried out at the company’s 80 per cent-owned Nevada lithium project (NLP) in Nevada, U.S.

Future Battery Minerals completed the RC drilling as part of a Phase 3 Mineral Resource drilling program at the Nevada lithium project.

The RC component of Phase 3 Mineral Resource drilling comprised six holes designed to test a potential southern strike extension of the shallow Lone Mountain deposit.

Drilling also tested for higher-grade zones (+1,000 ppm Li) within the shallow claystone.

Assays returned for these holes included:

LM-001
128 metres at 770 ppm lithium from 37m, including 23m at 1,106 ppm lithium from 131m;

LM-002
98m at 478 ppm lithium from 35m, including 14m at 1,010 ppm lithium from 105m;

LM-003
88m at 553 ppm lithium from 44m, including 9m at 1,000 ppm lithium from 102m; and

LM-004
130m at 706 ppm lithium from 35m, including 37m at 1,001 ppm lithium from 117m.

“Our Phase 3 drill program at the NLP has been a huge success,” Future Battery Metals managing director and CEO Nick Rathjen said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The RC assay results released today demonstrate an approximate 130 per cent extension of the known strike of the Lone Mountain mineralisation, which now sits at over three kilometres (north-south).

“When coupled with the results from the diamond drilling component of Phase 3, which significantly extended the depth of the high-grade mineralisation (and which remains open at depth), it is evident as to why we are so pleased with the outcomes from this phase of drilling.

“All Phase 3 assay results are now with our geological partner in Nevada, Stantec Consulting, which is on track to deliver the targeted maiden Mineral Resource Estimate declaration for the NLP this month.

“We look forward to reaching this milestone and demonstrating the scale and opportunity that exists at the NLP, particularly given the broader regional context in which it is located.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Future Battery Metals (ASX: FBM) managing director Nicholas Rathjen at RIU Explorers Conference 2024

Wally Graham hears the lithium aspirations of Future Battery Metals (ASX: FBM) from managing director Nicholas Rathjen at RIU Explorers Conference 2024

Future Battery Minerals Enthused by Metallurgical Results From Kangaroo Hills

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Future Battery Minerals (ASX: FBM) was keen to release results achieved from a maiden metallurgical testwork program carried out for the company’s 100 per cent-owned Kangaroo Hills lithium project (KHLP) in Western Australia.

Test work included X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), test results from which confirmed spodumene is the predominant lithium mineral (comprising ~90% of the Li2O) in the projects Big Red pegmatite.

Metallurgical results demonstrate Big Red to be amenable to conventional Dense Media Separation (DMS) and Froth Flotation separation techniques.

FBM explained the testwork results indicate a hybrid flowsheet utilising both DMS and Fines Flotation can produce a high-grade, marketable spodumene concentrate with low levels of contaminants.

The company stressed the testwork conducted was at a preliminary stage with the application of only first-principles processing methodologies and minimal optimisation work.

Although preliminary by nature, FBM said the results leave potential for further improvement in lithium recovery and concentrate product parameters with subsequent, more advanced testwork programs.

“The testwork results indicate that processing of Big Red material via a hybrid flowsheet utilising both DMS and Froth Flotation can produce a high-grade, marketable spodumene concentrate with low impurity levels at robust recoveries,” Future Battery Metals managing director and CEO Nicholas Rathjen said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Being only preliminary testing, the results also demonstrate ample opportunity for further optimisation with more refined process evaluation across subsequent metallurgical testwork phases.

“The next stage of metallurgical testing is set to commence after completion of the upcoming Phase 4 drilling program at the KHLP.

This drill program will test the interpreted extension of the Big Red mineralisation, as well as other high-potential resistivity targets in the northern part of the project.

“This program it will also deliver additional, and broader, mineralisation samples for the further metallurgical testwork planned for Kangaroo Hills.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

 

Future Battery Minerals Firming up Big Red at Kangaroo Hills

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Future Battery Minerals (ASX: FBM) reported assay results returned for the final holes from Phase 3 reverse circulation (RC) and diamond (DD) drilling at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Kangaroo Hills lithium project (KHLP) in Western Australia.

Future Battery Minerals’ earlier drilling at Rocky identified numerous pegmatites semi-parallel to and dipping below the Big Red pegmatite with visual observations of spodumene within these pegmatites leading to an expansion of the Phase 3 RC and DD drilling program.

Assays have now been received for the final 15 holes from the Phase 3 RC and DD program at the KHLP that have further increased the scale of the mineralised system, which remains open along strike to the north and at depth.

At Rocky, drilling and recent modelling of the pegmatites has demonstrated a highly continuous mineralised system commencing at shallow depths, albeit thinner and of lower average grade than the standout neighbouring Big Red pegmatite.

Assay results from the final batch of Phase 3 holes included the Rocky pegmatites plus wide eastern step out intercepts coincident with the near surface Big Red pegmatite, returning:

KHRC150
3m at 1.50 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from 37m and 1m at 0.5 per cent Li2O from 10m (Big Red);

KHRC147
1m at 1.00 per cent Li2O from 27m (Big Red East);

KHRC149
1m at 0.52 per cent Li2O from 119m Rocky);

KHRC146
1m at 0.72 per cent Li2O from 23m (Big Red East); and

KHRC154
1m at 0.31 per cent Li2O from 53m (Rocky).

“With receipt of the final batch of assays from the Phase 3 program at Kangaroo Hills, we are now sharply focussed on commencing drill testing of the area moving north from the Big Red / Rocky system,” Future Battery Metals technical director Robin Cox said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Critically, the shallow, thick, high-grade lithium mineralisation at Big Red remains wide open along strike to the north and at depth.”

“In addition to Big Red Extension, the northern part of the KHLP also offers several other high-potential regional resistivity anomaly targets including Western Grey, Quokka, Big Red West, Big Red North, and Western Grey.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Future Battery Minerals Drills Shallow High-Grade Lithium Intercepts at Kangaroo Hills

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Future Battery Minerals (ASX: FBM) reported on recent drilling activity at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Kangaroo Hills lithium project (KHLP) in Western Australia.

Future Battery Minerals’ Phase 3 RC and diamond drilling program at the KHLP predominantly focussed on grid drilling of the Rocky prospect and wide-spaced scout drilling of selected regional targets, including Big Red.

Drilling targeting east-west extensions of Big Red encountered:

KHRC145
8 metres at 0.91 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from 34m, including 5m at 1.21 per cent Li2O from 37m;

KHDD008
3m at 1.05 per cent Li2O from 34m; and

KHRC142
2m at 1.29 per cent Li2O from 6m.

Assay results returned from both RC and diamond at the Rocky prospect continued to confirm visual observations with numerous shallow high-grade intercepts, including:

KHDD009
4m at 1.34 per cent Li2O from 9m (Big Red) and 4m at 1.01 per cent Li2O from 146m (Rocky);

KHDD012
8m at 0.83 per cent Li2O from 127m, including 2m at 1.24 per cent Li2O from 127m;

KHRC093
6m at 0.76 per cent Li2O from 4m, including 1m at 1.29 per cent Li2O from 5m;

KHRC094
3m at 0.93 per cent Li2O from 7m, including 1m at 1.85 per cent Li2O from 8m, and 1m at 1.42 per cent Li2O from 14m.

“Kangaroo Hills offers so many project advancement and development advantages given its excellent location in the WA Goldfields, available road access, and proximity to substantial existing regional infrastructure,” Future Battery Minerals technical director Robin Cox said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“It is also surrounded by other substantial lithium deposits and mines that offer a ready perspective on what it might become as a future project development.

“The latest round of RC results from Rocky have returned numerous shallow, high-grade lithium intercepts that have significantly increased the overall size of this system.

“While not of the same thickness as the neighbouring Big Red mineralised pegmatite, the Rocky system still offers significant potential contribution to future project development scenarios at Kangaroo Hills.

“With the completion of the Phase 3 program at Kangaroo Hills, our focus now turns to the potential of the area moving north from the Big Red and Rocky pegmatites.

“Both these systems remain wide open to the north – and at depth – and several other regional target areas to the north demand prompt testing, including the highly prospective Western Grey zone.

“We expect to be drilling in these northern areas upon receipt of final permitting.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Future Battery Minerals Drills Growth to Kangaroo Hills High-Grade Lithium System

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Future Battery Minerals (ASX: FBM) drove down to the South-West Connect ASX Showcase armed with assay results for the first batch of holes from a Phase 3 reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DD) program recently carried out at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Kangaroo Hills lithium project (KHLP) in Western Australia.

Future Battery Minerals declared the first assay results received from the expanded Phase 3 drill program at Kangaroo Hills to have confirmed extensive near-surface lithium pegmatite swarm at the Big Red and Rocky prospects.

Latest assay results include:

KHDD006
22 metres at 1.24 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from 23m (Big Red);

KHRC057
8m at 1.08 per cent Li2O from 40m (Rocky); and

KHRC089
6m at 1.03 per cent Li2O from 60m (Rocky).

The company is waiting on assays for a further 43 holes with drilling continuing with one rig.

These outstanding assays include numerous further extensional intercepts of visual spodumene-bearing pegmatite drilled at the Rocky prospect.

“The initial set of assays from the recent RC and DD program at Big Red and Rocky have delivered further excellent results and confirms the early visual spodumene observations of this emerging LCT pegmatite system,” Future Battery Minerals technical director Robin Cox said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“In particular, the result from KHDD006 at Big Red provides further support to the relative consistency in that area of the system in terms of shallow, thick intervals (+20m) at a high lithium grade (+1.2% Li2O).

“Recent RC drilling at Rocky (assays pending) has also returned many shallow, substantial intercepts of visual spodumene bearing pegmatites that have significantly increased the scale of this system with assays outstanding.

“The focus of drilling at Rocky will move shortly to a diamond tail program to commence testing for extension at depth, including the potential for a thickening of mineralisation.

“In terms of ongoing scout target drilling, we are seeing encouraging early signs at Wallaroo (West) and further drilling is planned to test the identified pegmatites in this area.

“The grant of final environmental permitting will also allow us to commence drilling north from Big Red, including other attractive combined resistivity/structural target areas such as Western Grey.”

 

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Future Battery Minerals Encounters Thick Kangaroo Hills Spodumene Intersections

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Future Battery Minerals (ASX: FBM) released diamond drilling (DD) results from the Kangaroo Hills lithium project (KHLP) in Western Australia (FBM 80%, Lodestar Minerals Ltd 20%).

Future Battery Minerals reported the drilling of five near-vertical shallow holes, which was undertaken to infill previous RC drilling and provide core sample of lithium pegmatite, intersected further near surface, multiple thick spodumene bearing pegmatite intersections in widths of up to 23.8 metres.

At time of announcement DD program assays were still pending.

The company said the diamond core samples will be used in early stage metallurgical and mineralogical test work and to provide structural information while noting the five drill holes all intercepted the target pegmatite.

“Given the early exploration success at Kangaroo Hills, FBM moved quickly to diamond drilling in order to understand the potential of this significant discovery,” Future Battery Minerals technical director Robin Cox said in the company’ ASX announcement.

“The DD core samples give our geological team the ability to observe the pegmatite mineralisation with a level of detail not possible in RC drill chips and allows for the accurate logging of the lithium mineral spodumene, which has been identified as the dominant lithium mineral in fresh rock.

“Ultimately, the core will be utilised in early-stage metallurgical test work along with ongoing detailed mineralogical assessments.

“This significant phase of work is being conducted while the company awaits the return of assays from the remaining 23 drill holes from the Phase 2 RC program and finalises the new Phase 3 RC drilling program along with regional target generative geophysics.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE