Maximus Resources Ltd (ASX:MXR, OTC:MXRRF) has completed systematic project-wide soil sampling at Lefroy Lithium Project in Western Australia's highly prospective Eastern Goldfields lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) province, discovering coarse spodumene-bearing pegmatites at the new Bird Rock Prospect.
Soil geochemistry assays from field inspections of an elevated lithium-in-soil anomaly, which completes the soil geochemistry survey, identified several pegmatites under shallow cover with observed coarse spodumene crystals up to 20 centimetres long.
"Not known to host pegmatites"
Samples from weathered pegmatites confirm high levels of spodumene, with significant assays from Bird Rock including 3.54%, 2.19%, 1.54% and 1.40% lithium oxide.
A lithium-in-soil (+80ppm lithium oxide) anomaly of around 1.5 kilometres in length was also identified at the project’s Twin Fin Prospect.
Recently completed high-resolution drone imagery and LIDAR survey have assisted in the rapid identification of high-priority targets for field reconnaissance and follow-up sampling.
Bird Rock, the latest lithium-in-soil and rock chip results, with known outcropping pegmatites. Soil geochemistry is highly effective in the identification of spodumene-bearing pegmatites under shallow cover.
Maximus managing director Tim Wither said, “Through the completion of a project-wide soil sampling program, we are extremely excited to identify coarse spodumene mineralisation at the Bird Rock Prospect in an area previously not known to host LCT pegmatites.
“Field inspection of an area with elevated lithium-in-soils has resulted in the discovery of a large area of spodumene-bearing pegmatites under shallow cover, demonstrating the effectiveness of soil geochemistry within Maximus’ tenement holding and the broader region of the Eastern Goldfields.
“These results from the soil sampling program further expand the number of priority lithium targets at the company’s Lefroy Lithium Project that require follow-up work.
"With several spodumene-bearing pegmatites already identified at our advanced Kandui Prospect and now at the new Bird Rock Prospect, this work provides further evidence of the potential for multiple large-scale lithium discoveries to be made within Maximus’ tenements.”
JV with Korea’s KOMIR
Lefroy Lithium Project is a joint venture with the Korean Government's mining agency, KOMIR, providing US$3 million of exploration funding to acquire 30% interest in the project.
The KOMIR joint venture recently received approval from the Australian Government Foreign Investment Review Board, enabling the company to advance the lithium joint venture with KOMIR's funding and full support.
Maximus holds a diversified portfolio of gold, lithium and nickel exploration projects in the world-class Kambalda region of Western Australia, with more than 335,000 ounces of gold resources across its granted mining tenements.
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