A two-phase, 14,000-metre drill campaign is underway at the Root Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, where Green Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:GT1, OTC:GTMLF) is hoping to expand its mineral resource base.
“We are pleased with the preliminary visual indications of spodumene in pegmatite drill core at the ongoing drilling at Root Bay,” GT1 managing director Cameron Henry said.
Underground resource expansion
“The drill program is progressing well and has confirmed the downdip extent of pegmatites RB006 and RB007, highlighting strong potential for underground resource expansion.
“Our flow-through spending commitments have also enabled us to resume work to the east, where we are excited to continue drilling from 2023 and early indications from the maiden drilling suggest significant potential for a similar discovery to Root Bay which has a current combined JORC resource at the Root Bay and McCombe deposits of 14.6 million tonnes at 1.21% Li2O.”
Phase one of the program, which focuses on a deep extensional drill campaign at Root Bay, has seen six holes completed so far, amounting to 3,771 metres, with another 10 holes scheduled for completion over the next month.
Notable intersections include substantial pegmatite thicknesses with visual estimates suggesting spodumene content as high as 30% in some areas.
Specific highlights from three separate drill holes include:
- 17.3 metres of pegmatite with ~30% spodumene;
- 16.3 metres with ~28% spodumene; and
- 17.6 metres with ~25% spodumene.
The visual spodumene concentrations seen in southern sections of pegmatites RB006 and RB007 are promising indicators of high lithium oxide (Li2O) grades, which, if confirmed by assays, could extend the mineralisation depth beyond current open-pit boundaries.
Notably, one of the drill holes demonstrates a downdip reach of more than 1,000 metres, with 700 metres below the present US$850 pit shell, potentially supporting an underground expansion.
Another continues to show mineable thicknesses at depth, with further testing underway.
Pegmatite extensions
Phase two of the campaign, scheduled to start imminently, will drill 4,000 metres across 10 holes at Root Bay East, 1.3 kilometres east of Root Bay.
This phase was designed to delineate the pegmatite extensions identified in the 2023 maiden drill campaign, which recorded several significant lithium intersections.
GT1 anticipates initial assay results in the coming weeks with a revised mineral resource update pending the full interpretation of data.
In its announcement to the markets, the company has specifically called out its partnership with Indigenous communities to reinforce its commitment to respectful collaboration in the spirit of reconciliation.