Lightning Minerals (ASX:L1M) has returned what it describes as ‘high-grade’ tungsten assays of up to 5.46% from phase-two sampling at its Warby Tungsten Project in North Queensland.
Five of the six rock-chip samples returned more than 1% tungsten (W), with the results supporting a southeast extension of the known mineralised vein trend.
The samples were collected from historical artisanal mine dumps, including areas not tested during phase one. Lightning cautions that the selective samples may not represent the grade, continuity, or scale of in situ mineralisation.
Collapsed and heavily vegetated historical workings have also prevented the company from accurately determining the veins’ widths, strike lengths, and orientations.
One sample returned 2.22 parts per million (ppm) gold (Au), 1.31% W, and 0.21% tin (Sn). It was collected around 50m west of a phase-one sample that assayed 1.4ppm Au, 0.88% W, and 0.33% Sn.
Lightning says the results provide further evidence of polymetallic mineralisation at Warby.
The company observed wolframite as coarse, needle-like crystals measuring up to 3cm and as finer crystals distributed through quartz veins. Wolframite was also identified across the boundaries of brecciated quartz clasts, which Lightning interprets as evidence of multiple mineralising phases.
Managing Director Troy Brice says tungsten’s use in several industries is increasing its strategic value.
“Tungsten is increasingly becoming a strategically important critical mineral, underpinned by demand from defence, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing industries together with increasing focus on secure Western supply chains,” Brice says.
Lightning collected 90 soil samples across four lines covering 1,000m of strike, along with 17 panned-concentrate samples from active drainage areas spanning 4.32km².
Results are expected by the end of August. The company says it plans to use the combined dataset to rank tungsten anomalies and plan phase-three exploration, including trenching and a light detection and ranging survey to identify further veins and potential drill targets.
“This will give us a more complete dataset to determine where we focus phase-three exploration and begin refining potential drill targets,” Brice says.
Separately, private company Toronga was recently reported to have increased its stake in Lightning from 16.18% to 19.96%.
Warby is located around 25km north of Mount Surprise and is held through Lightning’s 100%-owned exploration permit EPM 28262.
Lightning Minerals is an Australian explorer advancing gold, copper, and tungsten projects in Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Lightning Minerals
