ASX-listed mineral explorer Leeuwin Metals (ASX:LM1) has begun sampling 7 historical drillholes at its wholly owned Jenpeg Lithium Project in Manitoba, Canada.
The company reports the project hosts pegmatite swarms mapped over more than 6km of strike that remains ‘inadequately’ tested for its lithium prospectivity.
Leeuwin says discussions with the Manitoba Government and Geological Survey have resulted in the sampling of the historical drillholes, with assays expected within 4-8 weeks. This is in addition to the 2 previously announced drillholes that returned ‘high-grade’ lithium results in April 2023.
Hole XL-10 returned 1.17m @ 2.31% Li2O from 20.5m, and 20.59m @ 1.23% Li2O from 29.87, including 15m @ 1.34% Li2O from 35m; while XL-22 returned 2.16m @ 1.86% Li2O from 92.69m and 2m @ 1.57% Li2O from 104m.
Further, historical drilling intersected multiple sub-parallel spodumene-bearing lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites up to 20m over a strike length of more than 400m.
With the detailed logging and sampling of all available historical core, Leeuwin reports it can focus on advancing a field exploration program aimed at generating ‘high-impact’ results that will assist further targeting.
The company expects to begin this exploration program in Q3 2023 and will initially focus on the more-than-6km trend of known spodumene-bearing pegmatites at Spodumene Island.
Commenting on the sampling program, Leeuwin Metals Managing Director Christopher Piggott says: “Jenpeg is an emerging lithium discovery in Manitoba, with work to date indicating that the region has the potential to host a large-scale, lithium-rich pegmatite system.
“The sampling of this historical core is a significant step towards unlocking the value potential at Jenpeg”
After successful negotiations, we have achieved a positive outcome for the company and further strengthened our relationship with the Manitoba Government and the Manitoba Geological Survey. The sampling of this historical core is a significant step towards unlocking the value potential at Jenpeg.
Manitoba has a long history and expertise within the lithium sector, and we look forward to demonstrating the potential significance of this pegmatite system at our project. With sampling underway, we look forward to updating the market in the coming weeks and months, as we receive results from all our active work programs.”
Leeuwin Metals is a Perth-based critical minerals explorer that wields a portfolio of projects in Canada and Australia. These projects include the Jenpeg Lithium and William Lake Nickel Project in Manitoba, the Ignace Lithium Project in Ontario, and the Marble Bar Lithium and Gascoyne Rare Earth Element (REE) and Lithium projects in Western Australia.
Write to Harry Mulholland at Mining.com.au
Images: Leeuwin Metals Ltd
