Latin Resources (ASX:LRS) is on its way to deliver a potentially low cost, ‘high-grade’ mine at its flagship Salinas Lithium Project in Brazil with a JORC resource expected by the end of the month or early December.
Speaking to Mining.com.au on the sidelines of the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Sydney today (3 November) Exploration Manager Tony Greenaway notes Latin’s maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) is on track to help the world’s transition towards net zero emissions.
Greenaway says there are currently 4 diamond drill rigs on site, which will double to 8 by January as Latin Resources continues to intersect high grades at the project, located in the pro-mining district of Minas Gerais in Brazil.
“The first holes came back with some really good results and we’ve just started hammering since then. There’s a series of about 7 or so pegmatite lenses that we’ve been modelling out there and they range anywhere from 5 to 6 metres up to 25m in thickness.
Grades are generally around the 1.5% but we have had grades of up to nearly 4% over about 8 or 9 metres. And the core of those pegmatites have been some very high grades.
“So, grades are a little bit higher but tonnages are a little bit lower over in Brazil versus Australis so there’s that compromise”
Generally speaking, pegmatites in Brazil where we are, are around that 1.5% versus out here in Australia where the grades are a little bit lower at 1.2% or 1.3%. So, grades are a little bit higher but tonnages are a little bit lower over in Brazil versus Australis so there’s that compromise.”
According to Greenaway, the Salinas Lithium Project is expected to be a low capex project as it looks to be a straight Dense Medium Separation (DMS) circuit operation, however that will be confirmed from completing proper feasibility studies.
Heading into 2023, he says Latin Resources will keep on drilling.
Latin has appointed mining consultant SGS Geological Services to establish a JORC Mineral Resource and start feasibility studies at Salinas.
The company has been undertaking a large systematic drilling campaign over the Colina lithium prospect, located in the north part of the Salinas Project. It has incorporated recent resource definition drilling results into the MRE, which continue to showcase the consistent nature of the pegmatite mineralisation at Colina.
Greenaway notes that with the MRE drilling completed at Colina, the rigs are now able to shift to focus to the recently discovered Colina West pegmatites with the aim of incorporating this second area into the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and other studies that are currently underway.
As previously announced, the company has started a series of metallurgical test work programs with the initial first pass sighter test work showing a high recovery of 78.72% of the Li2O into a concentrate grading a very high 6.57% Li2O.
Further sighter test work is underway, with additional samples currently being dispatched to the laboratory. These additional sighter tests will further explore the optimal crush size, and additional heavy liquid separation (HLS) cut points, and fine fraction flotation in order to optimise the larger test work flowsheet for the planned detailed PEA.
Final assay results from resource definition drilling at the Colina prospect have returned further ‘outstanding’ intersections, confirming the continuity of ‘high-grade’ at depth and along strike.
Results include:
- SADD038: 10.91m @ 1.52 %Li2O (92.31 – 103.22m), including 5.00m @ 2.01 %Li2O (93.00 – 98.00m).
- SADD039: 8.19m @ 1.61 %Li2O (129.76 – 137.95m), including 4.00m @ 2.21 %Li2O (133.00 – 137.00m).
- SADD039: 25.00m @ 1.47 %Li2O (245.00 – 270.00m), including 10.00m @ 1.78 %Li2O (255.00 – 265.00m).
Latin Resources is an Australian-based mineral exploration company, with projects in South America and Australia, that is developing mineral projects in commodities that progress global efforts towards net zero emissions.
The company also holds the Catamarca Lithium Project in Argentina and through developing these assets, aims to become one of the key lithium players to feed the world’s “insatiable appetite for battery metals”.
The Australian projects include the Cloud Nine Halloysite-Kaolin Deposit. Cloud Nine Halloysite is being tested by CRC CARE aimed at identifying and refining halloysite usage in emissions reduction, specifically for the reduction in methane emissions from cattle.
Mining.com.au is an official media partner of IMARC.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Latin Resources Ltd & iStock
