Minerals exploration company Aruma Resources (ASX:AAJ) reports it has encountered further ‘high-grade’ intersections at the Mt Deans Lithium-Rubidium Project in Western Australia.
These assays were recorded from the recently completed second phase of drilling, which comprised 21 reverse circulation (RC) holes for 1,409m to a depth of between 20m and 120m.
Assays returned from 19 holes completed in this drilling, plus the results from 7 historic holes that were re-assayed returned Li-Rb grades in excess of 2%, with a total of 12 intersections with grades over 1.5%.
New ‘high-grade’ results encountered include MDRC0011 with 8m @ 1.89% Li2O+Rb2O from 26m; MDRC0014 with 5m @ 1.51% Li2O+Rb2O from 55m; and MDRC0016 with 2m @ 1.51% Li2O+Rb2O from 26m.
Aruma says this drilling has confirmed and extended the lithium and ‘high-grade’ rubidium intersected in multiple pegmatites in the company’s first phase of drilling in the central part of the project area.
The company reports broad spaced drilling and surface sampling conducted in 2022 identified a thick vertical sequence of lithium and ‘high-grade’ rubidium bearing pegmatites over a strike length of about 1.5km at Mt Deans. All assays for this program were all validated from the second phase of drilling.
broad spaced drilling and surface sampling conducted in 2022 identified a thick vertical sequence of lithium and ‘high-grade’ rubidium bearing pegmatites
Based on the continuing positive results from drilling and exploration activities at Mt Deans, Aruma reports it may look to identify micaceous pegmatites with ‘high-grade’ lithium-rubidium-caesium-potassium (Li-Rb-Cs-K) ore, which may potentially be capable of being concentrated using simple froth floatation and gravity circuits.
The company says this could produce a saleable lithium-potassium (Li-K) concentrate with valuable Rb and Cs by-products with possible tin (Sn) and tantalum (Ta) gravity concentrates.
The wholly owned Mt Deans Project is located in the Mt Deans pegmatite field, located within the Eastern Goldfields Terrane of the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia. The project lies about 170km south of Kalgoorlie and approximately 10km south of Norseman in Western Australia.
Aruma Resources is an ASX-listed minerals exploration company focused on the exploration and development of a portfolio of gold and lithium projects located in gold mineralised belts in Western Australia.
The company’s projects include the Mt Deans Lithium Project, the Salmon Gums Gold Project, the Saltwater Gold Project, and the Melrose Gold Project.
Images: Aruma Resources Ltd
