Mineral explorer Aurumin has completed a lithium-focused drilling program into its Mt Palmer gold project in WA, coinciding with the return of positive soil sample results.
The 12-hole program drilled 1212m into target B of the Vickers Find South prospect and intersected pegmatites ranging from one to 40m in thickness in 11 of the 12 holes – with a typical width of 20m. Assays to reveal the lithium content are currently pending.
The encouraging signs turned up with the drill bit have been complemented with corroborating laboratory results from Aurumin’s recent Ultrafine soil survey. The fresh data appears to point to anomalous zones that broadly align with areas previously identified by Portable Spectral Services’ ‘Lithium Index’.
The Index acts as a proxy for lithium concentrations as it cannot be detected in the field with a portable x-ray fluorescence analyser.
Aurumin Managing Director, Brad Valiukas says: “The full soil sample results support our lithium targeting, and indicators remain positive at Mt Palmer and analogous to other projects in the region.”
“The orientation drill program is complete with pegmatites confirmed in 11 of the 12 holes. The fresh pegmatite samples have been sent for assaying and we look forward to the results.”
A total of 735 samples were collected during the program with a sample spacing of 100m by 200m. All the soil sample assays have now been returned.
The soil sampling program defined two main areas of lithium in soil anomalism and the latest round of drilling occurred immediately west of the strongest area of anomalism – target B. The drill site also hosts a historical pegmatite intercept of 53m.
Pegmatites were intercepted in all three lines of Aurumin’s drill holes with most of the pegmatite intercepted above the base of oxidation.
Preliminary logging indicates a high degree of ‘fractionation’ – a key component in the formation of lithium mineralisation.
In basic geological terms ‘fractionation’ describes the process of a magma’s composition changing as it cools.
Intrinsically related, a ‘pegmatite’ is a rock that forms during the final stages in the cooling of a magma chamber and is distinguished by its abnormally large and coarse interlocking crystal structure. The name ‘pegmatite’ describes the rock’s physical structure rather than its mineral composition.
The composition of pegmatites is known to vary and consequently they are mined for multiple applications. Given the ongoing transition to clean energy, it is not hard to see why Aurumin is chasing the lithium variety of pegmatites so energetically.
A 2022 report by the International Energy Agency suggests meeting future climate stabilisation goals will see a quadrupling or more in mineral requirements. Lithium is forecast to experience the fastest growth in demand, increasing by 40 times by 2040 followed by an increase of 20 to 25-fold for graphite, nickel and cobalt.
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By Matt Birney
