Lightning Minerals Ltd (ASX:L1M) has welcomed promising results from its infill soil sampling campaign at the Dundas South Project, where it is seeking lithium.
The campaign has successfully identified an extensive lithium in-soil anomaly spanning a 2.6-kilometre by 1.0-kilometre area, with assays exceeding 100 parts per million (ppm) lithium.
Confidence to drill test
“We are pleased to announce that follow-up geochemical sampling has confirmed the previously reported lithium in-soil anomalism identified in March 2023 within E63/2000," managing director Alex Biggs said.
“Importantly, the clustering of these results provides us with confidence to effectively drill-test priority areas in early 2024.
“With the heritage survey also now complete, we are finalising drill locations. We look forward to keeping the market up to date when drill targeting is complete.”
Early in 2023, Lightning Minerals embarked on a comprehensive first-pass reconnaissance soil geochemistry program, which involved collecting 1,391 soil samples across the Dundas South Project.
A significant portion of these samples, specifically 682 from tenements E63/2000 and E63/1993, led to the discovery of a broad lithium in-soil anomaly spanning roughly 8 square kilometres. This included a peak result of 218 ppm lithium.
To further delineate these areas of interest into more precise drill targets, the company initiated an infill sampling program.
Encouraging lithium values
This follow-up effort entailed collecting samples on variably spaced east-west grids, encompassing spacings of 200 metres by 200 metres, 200 metres by 100 metres, and high-resolution grids of 100 metres by 100 metres across priority areas.
The results of the infill campaign have been encouraging, reporting peak assay values of up to 177ppm lithium, alongside significant concentrations of caesium and rubidium.
Two distinct anomalous areas were identified, with the larger zone exhibiting elevated levels of lithium, caesium and rubidium over an area measuring around 2.6 kilometres in length and 1 kilometre in width.
A secondary zone, some 2.7 kilometres northeast of the primary anomaly, presented a cluster of 16 samples with lithium values exceeding 80 ppm.
Future drilling prospects
The local geology of the Dundas South Project consists of complex felsic granitic plutons and rafts of ultramafic and mafic volcanics.
These geological features are close to the anomalous zones, which indicates a conducive environment for lithium mineralisation, as do the multiple phases of intrusive events visible within state geophysical datasets.
The upcoming drilling campaign, set to commence in early 2024, will explore these targets, following the completion of heritage surveys and securing necessary approvals from the Department of Mines, Industry, Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).
About the Dundas Project
The Dundas Project, wholly owned by Lightning Minerals, is strategically located near Norseman in Western Australia. The region encompasses eight tenements, totalling 454 square kilometres, and has a rich history in mining, particularly in gold and nickel.
In recent years, the area has gained recognition as an emerging province for lithium and critical minerals, placing Lightning Minerals at the forefront of this development wave.