Battery and critical metal exploration company Pan Asia Metals (ASX:PAM) has received assays for 18 more holes at the Reung Kiet Lithium Project in Thailand.
The company says these results continue to support the geological model of ‘extensive’ lithium mineralisation hosted in lepidolite-rich pegmatite dyke-veins and adjacent metasediments. The mineralised zone is currently defined over a strike length of over 1km, and remains open along strike to the north, and at depth.
“We near the end of the drilling program at Reung Kiet Lithium prospect and the results remain very positive with step-out drilling continuing to demonstrate extensions at depth and along strike”
Commenting on the results, Pan Asia Metals Managing Director Paul Lock says: “We near the end of the drilling program at Reung Kiet Lithium prospect and the results remain very positive with step-out drilling continuing to demonstrate extensions at depth and along strike of the existing mineral resource and the infill drilling supporting and enhancing the existing mineral resource.
The results at the southern end of the prospect are particularly good. Final assays required for the updated mineral resource will be received shortly and then CSA Global will start the required modelling and estimation work.
A move to Bang I Tum is imminent and then we can start our diamond drilling program there to test the exploration target as well as the extension zone as previously reported.
We are quite excited about this program; non-selective rock chip and channel assays were some of the highest received at Reung Kiet, with 44 of 64 samples averaging 1.56% Li2O at a 0.30% Li2O cut-off, 35 samples were greater than 1% Li2O, 12 samples greater than 2% Li2O, and the maximum grade was 2.62% Li2O.”
Pan Asia reports ‘significant’ results recorded in holes RKDD073 to RKDD091, and RKDD032 include hole RKDD090 with 2m @ 1.20% Li2O from 23.5m, and 2.9m @ 0.92% Li2O from 58.05m; and RKDD080 with 6.25m @ 0.82% Li2O from 73.70m.
The company says it is continuing to drill at Reung Kiet with the aim of increasing the existing mineral resource, and is also upgrading parts of the mineral resource from the inferred to indicated, and possibly measured classification. A Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) update is planned for late February to early-March, which will aid in the completion of additional project studies.
Pan Asia is currently drilling hole RKDD101, and is awaiting the results for holes RKDD092 to RKDD095. Logging and sampling of holes RKDD096 onwards is continuing with a new batch of samples recently dispatched to the laboratory. All results will be reported as they become available.
After the completion of drilling at Reung Kiet, Pan Asia reports the drill rigs will move to the Bang I Tum prospect, where the company will evaluate the existing exploration target and more recently reported adjacent target zones. This move is imminent.
Pan Asia Metals is a battery and critical metals explorer focused on the identification and development of projects in Asia, with the aim of producing metal compounds and other value-added products in ‘high-demand’.
The company’s portfolio includes the Reung Kiet, and Kata Thong lithium projects, as well as the Khao Soon Tungsten Project in Thailand.
Images: Pan Asia Metals Ltd