Aldoro Resources is powering through a rock chip sampling program targeting high-interest lithium and rubidium pegmatites, following up some exciting previous rock chip samples at its Wyemandoo project approximately 80 kilometres southeast of Mount Magnet in WA. To date, 275 samples have been collected and of the 80 samples already analysed by portable XRF the overwhelming majority have returned highly anomalous rubidium values.
The Wyemandoo project contains what the company refers to as the “Loop Pegmatite” area and the broader “Fairway Corridor” which is the key focus of the rock chip sampling program.
A high proportion of the 275 samples collected in the central Fairway Corridor contain visually identified lepidolite which is the host for the rubidium and lithium mineralisation.
Rock chip samples were collected at 30-40 metre intervals following along strike of the outcropping pegmatites.
Of the 80 samples that were analysed in the field using a portable XRF, all but a handful of samples showed highly anomalous rubidium values. The highest rubidium value recorded to date is a 1.71 per cent rubidium sample with the average across the samples coming in at 0.24 per cent rubidium.
Portable XRF is used to delineate possible rubidium anomalies as lithium levels are not detected by portable XRF devices. The rubidium values are measured instead as a lithium proxy and considered a pathfinder element for lithium in pegmatites. The results are only being used as a preliminary indicator for lithium with assays required to confirm the results.
The aim of the portable XRF sampling in conjunction with rock chip sampling is to quickly identify priority targets for follow up RC drilling. Using the rubidium values as a lithium proxy is a method intended to fast track the planning and execution of drill programs at Wyemandoo. Assay turnaround times are currently extremely slow in recent times, in some cases taking up to several months for the results to be returned. The portable XRF results will allow Aldoro to move into the first phase of drilling before all assay results have returned from the lab.
Earlier in the year, the Loop Pegmatite area produced a rock chip going a respectable 2.6 per cent lithium and 1.7 per cent rubidium with an average grade of 1.06 per cent lithium and 0.94 per cent rubidium across the 22 samples taken.
Pegmatites in the Wyemandoo Fairway Corridor were initially unveiled by satellite imagery interpretation using high albedo anomalies as a targeting vector to identify more than 1000 pegmatite dyke-like features across the area.
The Wyemandoo pegmatites represent a new lithium and rubidium bearing lepidolite pegmatite field in WA, located approximately 25km north-northwest from Lithium Australia’s prospective tenements in the Youanmi pegmatite field.
With the price of lithium at all time high’s, the recent lithium bearing pegmatite discovery at Wyemandoo couldn’t come at a better time for Aldoro. The company plans to waste no time getting the RC rods spinning to test the magnitude of its latest lithium asset.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au
By Matt Birney
