Venari Minerals (ASX:VMS) is seeking approval to expand exploration activities at the Red Mountain Lithium Project in the US, to expedite a drilling program.
As such, the company has filed for an exploration plan of operations with the US Bureau of Land Management, which will allow Astute to expand beyond the current five-acre disturbance limit imposed by notice-level exploration permitting on public land.
The plan of operations contemplates a 100-acre disturbance, conducted in two phases. Phase one comprises a series of 17 east-west drill traverses spanning the full strike length of the project.
Venari, which has a market capitalisation of $19 million, says the drilling will support delivering a resource estimate, as well as opening up additional expansion areas.
Chairman Tony Leibowitz says the technical team continues to expand the known footprint of lithium mineralisation at Red Mountain, which necessitates an expanded capacity to secure disturbance clearances for access tracks and drill pads.
“We are pleased to be able to work within the current administration’s critical minerals policy frameworks, which are designed to expedite the development of major new critical minerals projects like Red Mountain,” Leibowitz says.
The Red Mountain Project is located in central-eastern Nevada and has broad mapped tertiary lake sedimentary rocks known locally as the Horse Camp Formation.
Since the project was discovered in April 2024, Venari has permitted 32 holes in four drilling campaigns. The rapid advancement of exploration has resulted in the company approaching Red Mountain’s five-acre limit of disturbance under notice-level permitting.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Venari Minerals
