“All necessary approvals have now been finalised and we are aiming to have the drill rig spinning in late November to test this suite of initial targets as we finish the calendar year with momentum,” said MD Sean Sivasamy.
MetalsGrove Mining Ltd (ASX:MGA) is encouraged by a recent pre-drilling exploration program that confirmed multiple pegmatite corridors and identified potential drilling targets at its flagship Upper Coondina Lithium Project in WA.
The fieldwork, consisting of soil sampling, airborne survey and surface field mapping, revealed a corridor containing multiple pegmatites coincident with the source area and with surface geochemistry.
Geochemistry defines targets
More than 2,500 soil samples were taken from the southern part of Upper Coondina’s Chola prospect. The geochemical responses and surface field mapping identified strong LCT-pegmatite anomalies.
Soil-sample assays returned 670 parts per million (ppm) lithium dioxide and 103 ppm tantalum.
Multiple outcropping pegmatite dykes occur in swarms with the pegmatite dyke-strike around 8 kilometres by 4 kilometres.
Initial observations suggest Upper Coondina has two generations of pegmatite – G1 and G2 – which host the lithium mineralisation found within the Pilbara lithium field.
MGA also believes Upper Coondina may be part of the same system that hosts the major lithium discovery announced by Global Lithium Ltd, in a similar geological setting to Pilbara Minerals north of MGA’s ground.
Expanding horizon of pegmatites
The company’s first priority drill target will be the Chola prospect – an “expanding horizon of pegmatites” along a corridor measuring roughly 4 kilometres by 2 kilometres – which it plans to start drilling in the fourth quarter of the year.
MetalsGrove managing director Sean Sivasamy said: “We are delighted with the assay results from our pre-drilling soil sampling which has confirmed the high-grade lithium potential of Upper Coondina.
“Our technical team has also used this data to refine our priority drill targets starting with the Chola prospect, which is shaping up to be an exciting structure.
“All necessary approvals have now been finalised and we are aiming to have the drill rig spinning in late November to test this suite of initial targets as we finish the calendar year with momentum.”
Next steps
The company expects more soil sample assay results to flow in over the coming weeks.
These results will allow the company to define more drilling targets to test the outcropping pegmatites at depth, to confirm their orientation and the extent of any high-grade lithium mineralisation continuing below surface.
Earthworks for the upcoming maiden lithium drill program are scheduled to commence in mid-November 2022, with drilling to kick off in late November.
Article Courtesy of Proactive
