Lightning Minerals Ltd (ASX:L1M) continues to firm up the critical minerals potential of the Dundas Project in Western Australia with positive lithium assays received from an extensive aircore drilling campaign at Dundas South.
Results demonstrate a continuation of strong lithium and rubidium occurrences with up to 994ppm lithium and 1,834 ppm rubidium at depths of up to 26 metres confirming and increasing the tenor of previously identified anomalism.
The drilling program of 96 holes for 3,820 metres completed in February 2024 tested lithium and rubidium targets identified through regional soil exploration work.
A staged approach to exploration across the company’s Dundas projects continues to build confidence in lithium potential throughout the region and strategies are being reviewed to identify the potential source of the anomalous lithium values.
“Closing in on source”
Lightning Minerals managing director Alex Biggs said, “Drilling on E63/2000 has yielded positive results that suggest we are potentially closing in on what might be a source of lithium mineralisation.
"The staged approach we have taken - geophysics, soil sampling, infill soil sampling and now aircore drilling - have helped us identify the areas of highest importance and we will continue to follow up on these with further targeted drilling.
"It also demonstrates that this approach to exploration works, while at the same time conserving capital and ensuring maximum value proposition for exploration expenditure.
“Optionality in exploration”
"The company remains committed to its exploration at its Dundas project and is excited to begin exploration at its newly acquired Caraíbas and Sidrônio projects in Brazil’s Lithium Valley region of Minas Gerais.
"It is important that we generate optionality in our exploration strategy and we now hold projects in three of the most prospective lithium districts in the world - Minas Gerais, Brazil, Dundas, Western Australia and Quebec, Canada.
"We remain excited about the company’s project’s potential and are supportive of the overall lithium thematic.”
Aircore campaign
Results from the aircore drilling highlight three sites of interest which exhibit correlated elevations in lithium and pathfinder elements supporting continued exploration.
Two of the three sites are on the eastern extents of east-west orientated drill lines and will require follow up exploration to continue vectoring toward any potential lithium mineral system that may be responsible for the elevated results.
Drill holes DSAC0140 and DSAC0151 intersected albite-quartz-muscovite pegmatites, supporting the thesis that pegmatite-producing hydrothermal systems are present and may support lithium enrichment if the genetic lithological conditions are correct.
Potential pathfinders
Due to the pegmatite intersection, hole DSAC0151 was sampled at 1-metre intervals. Potassium to rubidium ratios (K/Rb) are encouraging for this intersection as they may indicate that pegmatites in this location have experienced fractionation.
Peak results for elements considered as potential pathfinders for the target commodity include 125ppm beryllium, 115ppm caesium, 35ppm tin and 38ppm tantalum.
The peak lithium result of 994ppm lithium occurs within a 2-metre composite sample at EOH in drill hole DSAC0227. The lithology for this sample is described as highly weather mafic saprock (24-25 metres), followed by moderately weathered, fine grained mafic basalt (25-26 metres EOH).
A lithium response of this magnitude is unusual for this lithology without the presence of an underlying modifying factor, and investigating this will form part of the next stage of works.