Future Battery Minerals (ASX:FBM) has expanded its initial metallurgical testwork program at the Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project in Western Australia.
The $45.89 million market capitalisation company says the expanded program will include additional sample analysis on discrete HLS and flotation work streams.
Metallurgical and engineering consultant Minsol Engineering will be conducting the testwork, with full results expected to be received in Q1 2024.
This news comes after Future Battery completed its phase three drilling program at Kangaroo Hills, which returned more shallow, ‘high-grade’ lithium intercepts.
‘Significant’ new assay results from the Rocky prospect include hole KHRC114 with 4m @ 1.37% lithium oxide (Li2O) from 25m; and hole KHRC094 with 1m @ 1.85% Li2O from 8m and 1m @ 1.42% Li2O from 14m.
Drilling conducted at Rocky to date has defined a ‘highly’ continuous mineralised system at shallow depths, although thinner and of ‘lower’ average grade than the Big Red prospect.
Future Battery reports assay results from Big Red include hole KHRC145 with 8m @ 0.91% Li2O from 34m, including 5m @ 1.21% Li2O from 37m.
The company notes that both of these prospects are expected to form a ‘significant’ part of any future development plans at Kangaroo Hills.
Future Battery Minerals Technical Director Robin Cox says the latest batch of assays have ‘significantly’ increased the overall size of Kangaroo Hills’ system and contributes to future development scenarios at the project.
“With the completion of the phase three 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.”
Both of the Big Red and Rocky prospect system’s remain open along strike to the north and at depth.
The Kangaroo Hills project is a hard rock lithium discovery in the Goldfields region of Western Australia.
Future Battery Minerals is a lithium, nickel, and copper explorer focused on discoveries in stable pro mining jurisdictions.
As of 30 September 2023, the company had $5.05 million cash at hand and zero debt, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Future Battery Minerals
