Western Australian gold and lithium explorer Venus Metals Corporation has identified a strong anomaly in recent soil sampling at its Bridgetown East project just 20 kilometres southeast of the world-class Greenbushes lithium mine in southwest WA.
The phase 3 geochemical ultra-fine soil sampling produced anomalous results up to 148 parts per million lithium across a 300 metre by 400m parcel of land with mineralisation potential remaining open to the north.
Venus also noted the intriguing interplay of mineralisation at Bridgetown East around the anomaly with the occurrence of lithium sitting surprisingly close to elevated tin levels. On the western side, tungsten and tantalum were also present which, when combined, could suggest a significant pegmatite swarm lurks nearby and the potential for primary lithium mineralisation in the bedrock.
The location of lithium occurrences is also of significant importance given its sits within a magnetic low adjacent to a regional north-northeast trending magnetic high. The magnetic low feature indicates the bedrock is less magnetic than the adjacent greenstone sequence and possibly shows the presence of a felsic intrusive rock. Common felsic intrusive rocks are granites and pegmatites that both play an important role in potential lithium mineralisation.
Although exploration at Bridgetown East is still very much in its infancy, the project’s close proximity to Greenbushes - the world’s largest known hard-rock lithium mine - is hard to ignore.
The soil geochemical survey comprised 198 ultrafine soil samples and was designed to extend the previous sampling horizon of the copper-nickel-platinum-palladium target in addition to testing the area for platinum group elements at Bridgetown East. Notably, the work extended across a previously identified prominent magnetic low geophysical feature.
In addition to the lithium mineralisation encountered, sampling has also extended the palladium anomaly to 900m in length and expanded the existing copper and nickel anomalies in both width and length across the project.
Venus is now busily planning detailed follow-up fieldwork to further test the lithium anomalies at Bridgetown East. The program will include a drill campaign to test the bedrock beneath the sandplain and overburden in addition to further soil sampling analysis using the fusion digest/ICP assay method in fine soil.
Venus has been kicking goals for a while now on the gold front with its joint venture operation at the Youanmi project near Sandstone. Now, this latest reveal could result in the company adding a key battery metal to its burgeoning commodities portfolio.
With the anomalous interplay of mineralisation between lithium, tin, tungsten and tantalum occurring just 20km from the largest hard-rock lithium mine in the world, it’s easy to explain a few elevated pulses amongst the geologists at this junior explorer. The drill rig is due to arrive in coming months and there will be plenty of interested onlookers to see what the next chapter has in store for Venus Metals at Bridgetown East.
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By Matt Birney
