Critical metals exploration and development company MetalsGrove Mining Limited (ASX: MGA), (“MetalsGrove” “MGA” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that it has completed its maiden 4,200m Reverse Circulation (“RC”) drilling programme at the Upper Coondina Lithium Project, located 80 km south of Marble Bar.
Highlights
- 4,200m Phase 1 drilling programme completed at the Chola, Happy Go Lucky and Shaw River Lithium Prospects – on time and on budget
- High priority Chola Prospect is a pegmatite corridor measuring approx. 4.0 km x 2.0 km
- Previously completed first pass soil sampling assay results at Chola Prospect confirm strong lithium and tantalum potential
- Deep Ground Penetrating Radar (DGPR) survey has identified 23 new potential pegmatite structures conjugate with existing known mineralised pegmatites within Chola Prospect
- DGPR is proven to be highly effective for identifying pegmatites in previous known pegmatite outcrops
- First drilling assays are expected to be reported in late February
This maiden drilling programme was designed to test the priority lithium targets at the recently discovered Chola Prospect in the south-east of the main Upper Coondina Project area (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 below). The Company can report that drilling has successfully intersected the main target zone at Chola with first assays expected to be reported in Q1 2023.
MGA is also pleased to confirm the completion of a DGPR survey at Upper Coondina. DGPR is proven technique for identifying additional pegmatites and establishing a more detailed understanding of subsurface mineralisation.
Commenting on the completion of the maiden drilling programme at Upper Coondina, MetalsGrove’s Managing Director, Sean Sivasamy said:
“We are delighted to have completed our maiden RC drilling programme at the Chola Prospect on time and on budget before the end of the year. Chola is an exciting structure with soil sampling already confirming the strong lithium and tantalum potential in the region. Our first drilling programme was designed to confirm the width, tenure and mineralisation profile of the pegmatites, down from 60 to 120m plus depths, and we are confident these initial objectives have been achieved.
Our DGPR survey has also highlighted a host of new potential pegmatite structures nearby to the Chola Prospect which is highly encouraging.
MetalsGrove is well positioned to hit the ground running in early 2023 with a busy pipeline of activity planned across the portfolio. We look forward to providing further updates as initial assays from Upper Coondina come to hand early in the New Year.”
Deep Ground Penetrating Radar (DGPR) survey
Ultramag Geophysics was engaged by the Company to undertake a DGPR survey to identify pegmatites and investigate subsurface potential for the known, mapped and sampled at Upper Coondina lithium project.
Excellent signal quality from depths of 30m to 100m was recorded and a total of 28.5 km of line-data at 50m to 150m spacing was completed.
The DGPR survey has identified 23 new potential pegmatite structures conjugate with existing known mineralised pegmatites within the Chola Prospect.
During the first phase drilling programme, MGA tested approximately 50% of the DGPR anomaly, and the untested anomaly will be drilled during the next phase of drilling programme.
DGPR is a geophysical technique similar to seismic that emits very short pulses of electromagnetic (EM) radiation into the ground via a transmitter, measuring the reflected energy in a receiver to produce profiles of subsurface resistivity.
The DGPR survey was planned to test the extensions at depth of existing surface-mapped, known lithium-rich pegmatites; and potential to identify additional blind pegmatites.
The new interpreted pegmatites, shown in green in Figure 2, appear to be much wider than the mapped and sampled pegmatites at Chola. They are also interpreted to start below the surface and extend slightly deeper; orientation is correlated with the known surface outcrop pegmatite.
Next Steps
- RC Drill samples have been sent to the laboratory for analysis.
- Continue detailed field mapping in the areas north of Chola, Happy Go Lucky and Shaw River Prospects to further enhance the geological modelling.
- Continue DGPR survey in the areas north of Chola, Happy Go Lucky and Shaw River Prospects to identify potential extensions of the undercover pegmatites.
- Planning for follow-up programmes once assay results have been received and interpreted.
- Commence planning for heritage surveys prior to drill programmes.
- Planning underway for surface field mapping and sampling.
