Accelerate Resources Ltd (ASX:AX8) has the drill spinning for the first time at the Prinsep Lithium Project near Karratha in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia to test an area where surface sampling has shown lithium mineralisation up to 1.68% Li2O.
The company’s maiden program at Prinsep will comprise 48 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes for 3,500 metres and focus on pegmatite discoveries in an area covering 1,500 metres of strike and widths of up to 60 metres.
Drilling is planned to be completed by the end of June. Samples will be sent in batches for assaying as they become available with turnaround times of around six weeks.
“Significant milestone”
“The commencement of drilling of our Prinsep Project in the newly emerging West Pilbara lithium belt represents a significant milestone for the company,” Accelerate chief executive officer Luke Meter said.
"The maiden drill program targets significant lithium mineralisation down dip of outcropping mineralisation as well as new pegmatite sets hidden by cover.
"Over the upcoming months, I look forward reporting regularly on activities at Prinsep as well as exploration results across the larger Karratha Lithium Projects.”
Maiden drilling
The Prinsep maiden drill program will focus on the northern pegmatite system where mapping and rock chip sampling have defined lithium mineralisation.
The Prinsep maiden drill program will focus on the northern pegmatite system where mapping and rock chip sampling have defined lithium mineralisation.
Drill holes will initially be completed on fenced 80-metre spaced lines with an aim of initially targeting mineralisation at surface followed by down dip increments of approximately 50 metres and 100 metres below surface.
A small drill hole orientation program will also be completed along a portion of the southern pegmatite trend to assist with planning of the phase 2 drill planning.
Location of the Karratha Lithium Projects in relation to local infrastructure and mineralised pegmatite trends.
About Prinsep
Prinsep is a drill-ready exploration project 15 kilometres south of the regional centre of Karratha and 35 kilometres west of SH Mining (formerly Azure Minerals) Andover Lithium Project.
It forms part of the company’s larger Karratha Lithium Projects portfolio which encompasses about 85 square kilometres of prospective tenure within the emerging Karratha–Roebourne hard-rock lithium belt.
To date, mineralisation has been defined across two sub-parallel pegmatite zones, each over 1,800 metres in length with widths up to 60 metres and rock chip sample assays results ranging up to 2.06% Li2O.