With a maiden drilling campaign in Western Australia complete, Narryer Metals (ASX:NYM) has begun its fieldwork program for 2024 at the Big Hill Project in the Northwest Territories, Canada.
The company is following up on potential lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite targets uncovered from a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) study, as well as further channel sampling of spodumene-bearing pegmatites identified in 2023.
Narryer says the primary target area includes the strike extension to Li-FT Power’s (TSX-V:LIFT) BIG Lithium Project, where drilling recently intercepted high-grade lithium mineralisation.
Stakeholder engagement is underway and site visits in the Yellowknife area are underway, as part of the drilling application process.
Narryer is working through approval processes, with the aim of undertaking a maiden drilling campaign in the third quarter of 2024.
Meanwhile, the company has completed the first round of fieldwork at its Sapawe and Zircon Lake projects in northwest Ontario, Canada.
Fieldwork was completed in late May and early June, and identified multiple pegmatites on the ground. The company sent 99 rock samples for assaying, with the results still to come.
At Sapawe, preliminary work suggests the potential LCT pegmatite swarm also persists on the Narryer ground around the Ablwin prospect area.
At Zircon Lake, rock multi-element geochemistry results will be reported in the coming weeks and will dictate the next phase of exploration.
Executive Chairman Richard Bevan says spending time on the ground in Canada has reinforced why the company’s focus has shifted towards lithium.
“The geology of the Superior and Slave Cratons in northern Canada where the company is exploring, is some of the most prospective pegmatite lithium provinces in the world and the opportunity for discovery tangible,” he says.
The exploration work in Canada follows the completion of a maiden drilling program at the Rocky Gully Project in Western Australia.
Drilling was designed to test a carbonatite rare earths mineralisation model, via two diamond holes totalling 600m.
Narryer says logging of the drill core is ongoing, with samples being prepared for assays and mineralogical studies. Preliminary results are expected in the coming weeks.
Bevan says there has been a lot of work completed at Rocky Gully to integrate several geological datasets and develop the exploration model for a carbonatite rare earths system.
“We are encouraged by the early indications and look forward to updating shareholders on results in the near future,” he says.
Narryer Metals is a critical minerals explorer with assets in Australia and Canada. The company’s assets are considered prospective for nickel, copper, platinum group elements, and lithium.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Narryer Metals
