Accelerate Resources Ltd (ASX:AX8) has received initial surface sampling results from the East Pilbara Lithium Project in Western Australia where five prominent structural features up to 4 kilometres in strike length have been identified at Sandy Creek prospect.
While only background lithium and rare earth element (REE) values were returned for these initial target areas, sampling has highlighted two gold anomalies with values up to 336 parts per billion (ppb) gold and 71 ppb.
Arsenic values of up to 184 parts per million (ppm) and 386 ppm were also associated with these extensive structures.
In lithium region
The East Pilbara lithium properties are in an area of active lithium exploration and discovery, which includes Global Lithium Resources’ Archer deposit about 30 kilometres northeast and SunMirror AG subsidiary Lithium 1 Pty Ltd’s Moolyella Project.
AX8 East Pilbara Lithium Project locations.
Mount Creek prospect returned an anomalous tin value of 33.7 ppm tin and three cerium assays over 100 ppm with a maximum of 150 ppm but the company is yet to receive results from four samples taken there.
A lithium pegmatite model has been used successfully by other explorers in the region and based on this, the Mount Creek tenement lies within a 6-8 kilometre zone prospective for pegmatite-hosted lithium mineralisation surrounding the Moolyella Monzogranite.
Work needed at Mount Creek
There were 88 samples collected from numerous pegmatite bodies within this area.
AX8 collected 88 samples from numerous pegmatite bodies within the Mount Creek project area. Results for lithium and REEs returned only background values apart from one tin value and three cerium assays.
Follow-up sampling and mapping is needed to better understand the significance of these assays and to follow up other target areas that remain untested.
Gold signs at Sandy Creek
The company collected 43 samples from various sites at Sandy Creek which showed mixed aplitic to pegmatitic intrusion.
While results for lithium and REEs only returned background values, several lengthy prominent structural features of 2-4 kilometres were recognised in the field and subsequently mapped.
Frequent signs of interpreted epithermal-style alteration led to 16 samples being submitted for gold assay, two of which returned highly anomalous values while another two returned modest values for arsenic.
Further sampling
AX8 will develop a more comprehensive sampling program to test the structures for the possibility of gold as the structures may represent splays off the known Klondyke gold mineralisation trend 20 kilometres to the northwest.
While mapping and initial exploration indicate the development of pegmatites within AX8’s project areas, the largest pegmatites, especially at Mount Creek, do not outcrop extensively and as a result are probably under-sampled.
Lithium and REE mineralisation can exhibit zoning within the host pegmatite, and AX8 believes this possibly requires further exploration.
Upcoming work
During the upcoming field season, the company plans mapping of additional pegmatites in untested areas, follow-up sampling at Sandy Creek and Mount Creek and potentially trenching to enable testing of fresher material on the larger pegmatite sites.
AX8 believes the results of this work may define targets for drilling.