Critical minerals, vital for advanced technologies and sustainable development, are at the forefront of Australia's economic strategy.
Consequently, the country has introduced a comprehensive Critical Minerals Strategy focusing on increasing exploration, investment and development in the critical minerals sector.
This initiative, encompassing investments in infrastructure and international partnerships, positions Australia as a key player in the global supply chain of these essential resources, essential for advanced technologies and sustainable development.
Key player
Capitalising on this demand, Krakatoa Resources Ltd (ASX:KTA) is emerging as a key player in Australia’s growing critical minerals sector with its King Tamba Critical Metals Project and Mt Clere REE Project generating strong news flow in the specialty elements space.
At King Tamba, the company is targeting lithium mineralisation during its 6,000-metre, 49-hole phase 2 pegmatite exploration drilling program.
Meanwhile, Mt Clere is the largest clay-hosted REE resource in Western Australia.
Thick pegmatites at King Tamba
Krakatoa’s phase 1 reverse circulation (RC) drill program tested for lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) prospective pegmatites at King Tamba, which was previously a tantalum mine.
During the program, 13 out of the 16 holes drilled intersected thick, continuous pegmatites from 70 metres deep, including a flat-lying blind pegmatite up to 39 metres thick underneath a 4.3% lithium rock chip at the Wilsons prospect.
Owing to the success of the program, the company has expanded its exploration campaign by a further 6,000 metres of RC drilling – which is in progress.
Expanded drill program
Krakatoa kicked off its phase 2 program consisting of a 6,000-metre reverse circulation (RC) drill program of 45-50 holes backed by an A$1.6 million placement initiative
The phase 2 program is set to assess the extent of high-grade lithium present in soil anomalies within a 0.5 x 1.3-kilometre halo.
Krakatoa has completed a total of 3,938 metres of drilling to date, with 27 holes drilled and of these, 75% have intersected pegmatites, with intersections up to 39 metres downhole width.
The drilling program has now tested 30% of the broader 3-kilometre lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) corridor.
What's next at King Tamba?
Drilling is set to resume at King Tamba in the second week of January.
The drilling program commenced at the northern end of the lithium soil anomaly and is systematically progressing southwards.
Once the crew is back on site, the remaining 22 holes will be drilled to test the southern extent of the high-grade lithium soil anomaly.
“Galaxy of speciality minerals”
King Tamba continued to offer up surprises after rock chip assays showed up to 186 parts per million (ppm) gallium on top of high-grade lithium strikes.
The assays from the third phase of rock sampling returned more than 100 parts per million (ppm) gallium in six rock samples gathered near the newly discovered prospect.
Seven rock samples collected along a 130-metre strike, meanwhile, returned in excess of 1% lithium oxide (Li2O).
Additionally, the results also indicated highly elevated niobium and tantalum, with peak assays of 0.27% tantalum oxide and 0.66% niobium oxide.