Xantippe Resources (ASX:XTC) announces that its geophysical exploration program is in progress at the Carachi Lithium Brine Project in the province of Catamarca, Argentina.
The company reports the program will cover 21,900 hectares in the region and the geophysics covers all tenements using 35 vertical electrical sounding (VES) locations, aiming to describe the stratigraphy and resistivity profiles of the basin infill.
This work is expected to define the thickness of the freshwater horizons (between 100 and 200m) that need to be crossed in future drilling and will identify the extent of the ‘highly conductive’ brine aquifer that underlies the fresh water.
The results, interpretation, and technical report of the VES geophysical survey are expected late in October.
The company is taking a fast-track approach to the project, intending to begin exploration drilling as soon as the VES results and drilling permits are in hand.
Following completion of the ongoing Environmental Impact Report (EIR), drilling permit requests will be submitted for selected exploration well locations. The EIR was previously granted and the company is seeking approval of the re-application.
Xantippe Managing Director Richard Henning said the survey will be used to finalise locations for the phase one drilling program.
“The company is hopeful that the survey will confirm that the lithium brine continues east from the LKE reservoir”
“The company is hopeful that the survey will confirm that the lithium brine continues east from the LKE reservoir. We look forward to commencing the maiden drilling program when all permits are approved by the Mines Department.”
Xantippe expects that, being contiguous to Lake Resources (ASX:LKE), the survey will confirm that brine continues east from the Lake Resources reservoir. At the district level, the Carachi asset is immediately east of Lake’s Kachi lithium project.
The Carachi Lithium Brine Project is located in the province of Catamarca, within the “Lithium Triangle”, some 100km south of the Salar del Hombre Muerto, where Livent is producing lithium brine and Allkem’s Sal de Vida (former Galaxy Resources) and Posco’s Sal de Oro projects are under construction.
Xantippe recently acquired 100% of Western Australian company Carolina Lithium, which holds a number of lithium tenements in Argentina, through its subsidiary Arlupo SA. The company is focused on lithium exploration at the Catamarca Project in Northern Argentina, in the heart of the prolific ‘Lithium Triangle’.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Xantippe Resources Ltd
