Askari Metals has confirmed lithium mineralisation through laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy or “LIBS” of rock chip samples at its Red Peak pegmatite project approximately 130 kilometres northwest of Meekatharra. Assay results from the recent rock chip sampling program consisting of 35 samples across eleven significant pegmatites are expected back from the lab within the next week with a follow up gridded rock chip sampling program also planned to commence within the next week.
The LIBS analysis identified lithium minerals zinnwaldite, holmquistite and spodumene which are all considered to be lithium bearing minerals.
The Red Peak lithium pegmatite project covers an area spanning approximately 350 square kilometres that Askari says has extensively been mapped and shows at least eleven significant pegmatites in the project area.
Mapped pegmatites at the Red Peak project span a strike length in excess of 3km and spread out over a width of between 150m and 200m wide.
Lithium is not the only commodity of interest hidden in the Red Peak project tenure with known uranium occurrences also located on faults immediately east of the project and rare earth elements identified to the west of the project.
The Red Peak lithium project has good road access and an array of maintained station tracks across the project area.
Askari says the Red Peak project area has significant exploration upside having historically seen exploration efforts focussed only on gold or base metals with previous lithium exploration basically non-existent.
A comprehensive field exploration campaign aimed at identifying and validating the pegmatite outcrops at Red Peak is planned to commence within the next week to define a surface mineralisation model. The program is expected to include a detailed soil and rock geochemical sampling campaign covering all 11 mapped pegmatites.
Askari Metals Vice President of Exploration, Johan Lambrechts said: “The results of the LIBS test work is highly encouraging as it confirms the presence of lithium minerals in the pegmatites at Red Peak. The company has completed the design of a comprehensive follow on field program where the main objective is to representatively sample each of the eleven mapped pegmatites and determine the zonation and fertility of the pegmatites”
“The Red Peak project hosts significant pegmatites over kilometre scale strike lengths, none of which have been the focus of lithium exploration. This feature sets Red Peak apart from many other projects as the scale is not an issue.”
With visible lithium mineralisation now confirmed for the budding $9 million market-capped Askari Metals – it now comes down to a highly anticipated wait for assay results to shed some light on just how much lithium is lurking within its Red Peak pegmatite swarm.
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By Matt Birney
