Global Lithium Resources (ASX:GL1) expects to launch an expansive Feasibility Studies process in Q1 2023 as it finalises its Scoping Study for the 100% owned Manna Lithium Project, located 100km east of Kalgoorlie.
The company today (31 January) reports that further assay data has been received for Manna, which hosts a Mineral Resource of 32.7 million tonnes @ 1.0% Li2O. Global Lithium recently released an updated MRE with an extended drilling program continuing into 2023 to further expand the existing resource.
Speaking to Mining.com.au about the results, Managing Director Ron Mitchell says Global Lithium will expeditiously launch into Feasibility Studies, with a chief financial officer likely to be appointed in February to facilitate the process. The CFO will have experience in project financing all the way through to construction and production.
“Our strategy has always been to fast-track development where we can so we’re running multiple workstreams in parallel. The Scoping Study effectively is a key piece of work that will lay down the foundations for the full-blown Feasibility Studies, commencing Q1.
“Our strategy has always been to fast-track development where we can so we’re running multiple workstreams in parallel”
The deliverables from the Scoping Study are quite detailed – we’re looking at a capex and opex of plus or minus 30%, preliminary processes, and engineering design, and we’re also undertaking significant metallurgical test campaign as well.
From an engineering and design perspective, we have a lot of confidence in the design of the Manna Project.”
The MD told this news service that the Feasibility Studies will likely be a 9-month workstream starting Q1 and is expected to be completed in Q4 2023.
During this period, Global Lithium expects to announce a number of resource upgrades, with today’s set of results ultimately helping the diversified Western Australia-focused miner to add tonnes to the existing mineral resource at Manna.
Global Lithium has multiple assets in key lithium branded jurisdictions with a primary focus on the 100% owned Marble Bar Lithium Project (MBLP) in the Pilbara region and the Manna Lithium Project in the Goldfields.
Mitchell says having 2 JORC compliant lithium projects “gives us excellent optionality”. He says Global Lithium actually has within its portfolio 2 of the only 14 JORC compliant lithium projects within Australia.
“And obtaining JORC compliant lithium resource status is not easy.”
The established multi-asset lithium company has some 5,000 outstanding assays from the 2022 Manna drilling campaign still in the laboratory system. These assays were not included in the significant Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) upgrade announced by Global Lithium on 15 December 2022.
The assay results announced today together with these outstanding assays have not been included in the Scoping Study due for completion in Q1 CY23. These assay results will be added to the current MRE at Manna, to further extend the known size and increase the confidence levels of the classification of the Manna deposit.
Within the 2022 drilling program, the RC rigs completed 49,071m of drilling along with 5,479m of diamond core drilling.
Global Lithium General Manager Exploration Stuart Peterson comments that a drilling campaign of this size carried out safely within a year, is a clear indication of the company’s commitment to develop the Manna Lithium deposit into a mine within the shortest possible timeframe.
“It gives us great satisfaction to see that the extensive work programs at our Manna Lithium deposit continues to deliver excellent results”
“It gives us great satisfaction to see that the extensive work programs at our Manna Lithium deposit continues to deliver excellent results and that the project is clearly emerging as a significant hard rock lithium resource in Western Australian. It was a tremendous team effort for GL1 to achieve such a large resource upgrade in a relatively short timeframe, in addition to having sufficient drilling data to allow the Scoping Study to proceed uninhibited.”
Highlights from the latest RC and diamond results include:
- MRCD0133 – 9.41m @ 1.68% Li2O from 341m
- MRC0126 – 17m @ 1.60% Li2O from 114m;
- MRCD0133 – 6.43m @ 1.50% Li2O from 306m; and
- MRC0141 – 13m @ 1.40% Li2O from 34m.
Last year a high-impact year for Global Lithium with several key milestones achieved at its 100% wholly owned Manna and Marble Bar lithium projects in Western Australia. Key workstreams for 2023 will include ongoing drilling at both projects; Scoping/Feasibility Studies and advancing a significant metallurgical processing program at Manna; additional Mineral Resource upgrades; plus, several key executive and management appointments throughout H1 CY23 as we continue to strengthen the company’s team.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Global Lithium Resources Ltd
