Metals Australia (ASX: MLS) has identified further lithium-bearing pegmatites from preliminary field work at its Manindi Project in WA’s Murchison District.
The discovery includes the largest pegmatite discovered to date, the Foundation Pegmatite, which is reported to be over 500m long and includes multiple outcrops over a 200m stretch.
Limited RC drilling has previously tested only three of the identified pegmatites to date, with the majority of holes intersecting ‘significant’ lithium-tantalum mineralisation
Foundation was identified immediately to the northwest of the Mulgara, Mulgara North, and Warabi pegmatites, where three mineralised pegmatite dykes were mapped with strike lengths of over 300m and widths of up to 25-30m.
The company says that the fieldwork also extended the mapped corridor of pegmatite occurrences to over 3km in strike length.
Map of the Manindi Lithium Project displaying pegmatites including the newly-discovered FoundationLimited RC drilling has previously tested only three of the identified pegmatites to date, with the majority of holes intersecting ‘significant’ lithium-tantalum mineralisation.
Standout results from the 17 RC percussion drill holes completed for a total of 837 m include:
- Hole MNRC0305: 8m @ 1.06% Li2O from 18m; including
- 3m @ 1.65% Li2O with up to 1.96% Li2O
- Hole MNRC033: 8m @ 1.00% Li2O, 158ppm Ta205 from 32m; and
- 7m @ 1.29% Li2O, 242ppm Ta205 from 42m; including
- 5m @ 1.53% Li2O
- 7m @ 1.29% Li2O, 242ppm Ta205 from 42m; including
MLS reports that it is now planning further drilling to test the newly-discovered Foundation Pegmatite, as well as to follow up previous drilling intersections at the Mulgara and Mulgara North pegmatites that included grades of 15m @ 1.2% Li2O and 117 Ta205 from 34m.
In addition, further systematic sampling and mapping is set to be carried out over identified pegmatites and the southern areas of the project, which remains open for a further 5km to the southeast.
Images: Metals Australia Ltd
