Future Battery Minerals (ASX:FBM) is expecting the assays for the remaining 23 holes of the phase two drilling program to extend the width and strike of the prospective pegmatite unit at the joint venture (JV) Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project in Western Australia.
The company also reports that diamond drilling (DD) at the project is underway, with the first drillhole KHDD001 in-progress and infilling between KHRC011 and KHRC015.
Additionally, the aim of this drilling program is to confirm the orientation of the pegmatite and provide important bulk samples for early stage mineralogical and metallurgical analysis.
Future Battery Minerals announces this following the recently received assays from 4 priority holes of the phase two reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the project.
The following assays that returned thick and shallow ‘high-grade’ lithium include drillhole KHRC017 with 27m @ 1.32% Li2O from 64m, including 4m @ 2.5% Li2O from 80m; drillhole KHRC015 with 19m @ 1.03% Li2O from 42m; and drillhole KHRC022 with 16m @ 1.09% Li2O from 11m.
Commenting on the recent assays and ongoing exploration, Future Battery Minerals Technical Director, Robin Cox says: “The first batch of assays from the phase two RC drilling program have confirmed thick high-grade lithium from the step out drilling from the initial significant KHLP Li discovery.
So far, drilling immediately to the north, south and east has confirmed the continuation of Li mineralisation, with another outstanding intercept of 27m @ 1.32% lithium oxide from a shallow depth of just 64m.
The company is also pleased to advise that diamond drilling has now commenced, with the first hole targeting the high-grade mineralisation between KHRC011 and KHRC015.
“Given the immediate success of the 2023 phase one and phase two RC exploration drilling programs, the company is keen to better understand the mineralogy and metallurgy of this important discovery”
Given the immediate success of the 2023 phase one and phase two RC exploration drilling programs, the company is keen to better understand the mineralogy and metallurgy of this important discovery through the DD program now underway.”
Additionally, Future Battery states these assays confirm the ‘significance’ of the initial project discovery, proving that mineralisation extends past drillhole KHRC011.
The company has modelled the interpreted host pegmatite, which demonstrates an identified width of 200m, strike length of more than 300m, and dip of minus 20 degrees to the north.
The Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project is a JV with Future Battery holding 80% interest and Lodestar Resources (ASX:LSR) holding the remaining 20%.
Future Battery Minerals is an ASX-listed exploration company, focused on key battery minerals, lithium, nickel, and copper in stable pro-mining jurisdictions. The company has several projects operating with ‘high-grade’ shallow nickel sulphide resources, including the Nevada Lithium, Kangaroo Hills Lithium, Leinster Nickel, Saints Nickel, Nepean Nickel, Bonaventura, Arden, and Torrens East Copper projects.
Images: Future Battery Minerals Ltd
