Auroch Minerals (ASX:AOU) reports it has begun a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program targeting lithium pegmatites at the Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project (KHLP) in Western Australia.
The company says the 3,000m program is being carried out by Western Australia-based RC drilling company Australian Surface Exploration, and will comprise of up to 10 angled drillholes to a depth of 250m.
The program is designed to test 3 identified pegmatite targets defined by a recently completed mapping and sampling program. Auroch says the ‘highest’ priority target is a mineralised pegmatite swarm that returned peak assays of 2.37% lithium oxide (Li2O) earlier this month.
Selective drillholes will also test for potential strike continuation of the initial discovery hole NPRC084 which returned 6m @ 1.38% Li2O from 198m.
Auroch plans to explore the project for hard rock lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites with an ‘aggressive’ exploration strategy in 2023.
Commenting on the drilling program, Auroch Minerals Technical Director Robin Cox says: “We are excited to hit ground running early in the new year with drilling at Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project. The mapping and sampling completed in late 2022 has successfully defined high-priority targets.
The Goldfields region is well known for its high-grade, high-tonnage lithium deposits and the KHLP is showing early encouraging signs. The company has an ambitious exploration strategy to test lithium potential of both Kangaroo Hills and Nevada in Q1 2023 and we are on track to meet that goal.”
“The mapping and sampling completed in late 2022 has successfully defined high-priority targets”
Auroch reports drilling is expected to finish in 3 to 4 weeks, with all pegmatites intercepted to be submitted for assays. The company will also be evaluating the nickel sulphide potential of all intercepted komatiite ultramafics.
The Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project is part of Auroch’s larger Nepean Nickel Project, and was discovered during exploration drilling in late 2022. The project is located in the Goldfields region of Western Australia about 17km south of Coolgardie.
The larger Nepean project is operated by Auroch under a joint venture (JV) agreement with exploration company Lodestar Minerals (ASX:LSR). The company says the discovery of lithium mineralisation and ‘strongly’ fractionated pegmatites is ‘significant’ given its proximity to the Mt Marion Lithium Project operated by Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) which hosts a mineral resource of 60.5 million tonnes @ 1.36% Li2O.
Auroch Minerals is an Australian exploration company focused on its portfolio of assets in Western Australia, South Australia, and the US. These projects include the Saints Nickel, Leinster Nickel, and Nepean Nickel projects in Western Australia; as well as the Bonaventura Zinc-Copper, the Torrens East Copper, and Arden Zinc-Copper projects in South Australia.
The company also holds the Nevada Lithium Project in the US.
Images: Auroch Minerals Ltd
