Balkan Mining and Minerals (ASX:BMM) reports it has returned Li2O values as high as 6.80% from its recent due diligence program at the Gorge Lithium exploration project in Canada.
The program, conducted by CSA Globa at the project, located in the Georgia Lake Area, Thunder Bay North Mining District of Ontario, included Li2O values above 3.78%, with the 2 highest results being returned at 5.75% and 6.80%. 
During the company’s due diligence, 5 grab samples were collected and sent to ActLabs in Toronto for analysis.
CSA representatives undertook a field verification and independent witness (IW) sampling program during the site visit to confirm the available historical information. The field verification process included verifying the locations of the 2018 rock and chip samples collected by a previous operator in the Koshman and Nelson lithium occurrences and pegmatites using a portable GPS and mapping software and finding evidence of spodumene mineralisation within the granitic pegmatite units on the property.
Spodumene varying from disseminated (groundmass) to several centimetres wide in size were found within 30 to 50cm wide pegmatite units in association with quartz, feldspar, hornblende, muscovite, beryl and other minerals.
CSA confirmed that the locations of the 2018 rock and chip samples are correct based on their GPS map checks and field traverses and there was evidence of this historical sampling including broken float and pegmatitic boulders in the vicinity of the historical sample locations.
Commenting on the results, Balkan Managing Director Ross Cotton stated: “We are pleased to update the market with the findings of our Due Diligence program post the overwhelming shareholder support at our General Meeting in favour of our diversification strategy into a Tier 1 mining Jurisdiction in Ontario, Canada.
“The initial results are a great start for the Company as we plan on a mapping, sampling and trenching program to commence during the Canadian fall”
The initial results are a great start for the company as we plan on a mapping, sampling and trenching program to commence during the Canadian fall. We thank CSA Global, our Canadian vendors and our brilliant team to get us off to such a promising start.”
The Thunder Bay region of Ontario has been the focus of lithium pegmatite exploration works with the delineation of hard rock lithium deposits including Rock Tech Lithium Inc’s Georgia Lake project in 2021 and Imagine Lithium Inc’s (TSX.V ILI) Jackpot Lithium project and works carried out by Ultra Lithium Inc (TSX.V-ULT) Georgia Lake and Forgan Lake Projects.
The Gorge Lithium Project is located about 215km northeast of Thunder Bay, and some 60km southwest of Geraldton, Ontario.
The historical data review for the project indicates that there is adequate historical information available to incorporate into a digital and georeferenced database for the purposes of planning initial exploration programs such as additional field mapping and prospecting, rock and chip sampling, and trenching and channel sampling of spodumene bearing pegmatites in the project area.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Balkan Mining and Minerals Ltd
