Future Battery Minerals Ltd (ASX:FBM)'s phase two reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its 80%-owned Nevada Lithium Project (NLP) is on schedule to kick off in the first week of June.
Planning and permitting is wrapped up and the drills are on the verge of breaking the surface within the fortnight.
Following up phase one results
The 3,000-metre campaign will target extensions of thick lithium claystone the company discovered at Western Flats earlier this year, which included strong lithium results:
- 109.7 metres at 766 parts per million (ppm) lithium from 135.6 metres depth to end-of-hole, where mineralisation remains open, including 29 metres at 1,010 ppm from 210.3 metres; and
- 44.2 metres at 570 ppm lithium from 169.2 metres.
Even better, the company’s geological team thinks that regional mapping observations point to shallow mineralisation extending south and west onto the Lone Mountain Prospect.
This could potentially add large-scale mineralisation from this style of deposit at both prospects.
Drilling will also test the regional Heller prospect, where two to four RC drill holes will test the stratigraphy for lithium claystone potential.
A further 36 claims have been staked at the highly prospective Western Flats and Lone Mountain, which grow the project footprint, and holes are planned at Western Flats, Lone Mountain and the untested Heller prospect. The campaign will also test out these unexplored areas.
“Following the outstanding results of the NLP Phase 1 RC program in April 2023, FBM’s in-country team has worked expediently to reach this drill-ready stage,” FBM technical director Robin Cox said.
“With permitting now approved, we look forward to commencing drilling within the next two weeks.
Highly prospective contiguous ground
“In addition to planning and preparation works, the team has staked highly prospective ground contiguous to Western Flats and Lone Mountain.
"The plus-100-metre-thick intercept at WF23-011 remains open to the south and west at depth and given the hole ended in mineralisation, provides the potential for the NLP prospects to host large scale, high tonnage mineralisation.”
This drill campaign will be managed by the company’s in-country team, with assistance from the West Australian-based technical team.
The company has again engaged drilling contractor Alford Drilling LLC, which completed the phase one drilling program in a safe and efficient manner, albeit with a larger drill to reach unexplored depths.
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