Charger Metals (ASX:CHR) is fast-tracking follow-up drilling across recently identified lithium targets at the Mt Gordon tenement within its Lake Johnston Project in Western Australia.
The lithium explorer is planning aircore and reverse circulation (RC) drilling to assess the underlying basement geology for potential lithium-bearing pegmatites.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, Charger Metals Managing Director Aidan Platel says these follow-up programs will be undertaken next year, as there are aboriginal heritage clearances that need to be done first given the entire belt lies an ‘environmentally sensitive’ area.
“We are trying to get it all done as fast as possible so that we can get out there as soon as possible.
There is some cover in parts of that tenement that seems to be like an historic, almost paleo channel, if you like, but certainly rich in lithium, and that is even more exciting.”
This news comes after previously conducted soil sampling uncovered several new lithium targets within the project area.
Charger reports the ‘largest’ identified soil anomaly extends for over 3km and contains more than 100 parts per million (ppm) lithium oxide (Li2O)
“The size and strength of the lithium soil anomalies are significant, especially in the context of the successful Burmeister lithium discovery on the adjacent tenement, which results from the drilling of a lithium soil anomaly,” Platel says.
Platel notes this was the round of first exploration activities conducted on the Mt Gordon tenement, and there are ‘strong’ soils to the northwest of the project that have not yet been drilled.
Meanwhile, at the Medcalf spodumene prospect, Platel says the company has already conducted reverse circulation (RC) drilling in the region and is now turning to diamond drilling.
“It’s a fairly consistent zone of stacked lithium in spodumene pegmatite veins, and it only stopped there because that is where we stopped drilling.
“It’s still very much open, so we now turn to diamond drilling”
It’s still very much open, so we now turn to diamond drilling. It’ll be two-fold, and we’ll keep going deeper.”
Following today’s (10 November) announcement, Charger Metals’ share price has climbed 12% to $0.37 as of 2:30pm AEDT.
Lake Johnston lies 450km east of Perth and includes the Medcalf spodumene, Mt Gordon, and Mount Day prospects.
Charger Metals is an Australia-based minerals company focused on lithium and other base metals projects in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
As of 30 September 2023, the company has $2.057 million cash and cash equivalents at hand, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Charger Metals
