Maximus Resources Ltd (ASX:MXR, OTC:MXRRF) has expanded the drill target area at the Lefroy Lithium Project joint venture in the highly prospective Eastern Goldfields Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) Province in Western Australia with a number of high-priority lithium targets defined.
These targets were identified on receiving assay results from the first phase of a systematic, project-wide soil geochemistry program at the US$3 million (~A$4.5 million) joint venture with South Korean Government mining corporation KOMIR.
Maximus owns 100% of the Lefroy Lithium Project, with KOMIR able to farm into a stake of up to 30% by spending up to US$3 million, with Maximus retaining management of the project.
“Very encouraging”
Maximus’ managing director Tim Wither said assay results from the completed soil-sampling program were very encouraging.
“These initial results from the first phase of the project-wide soil sampling campaign have defined a significant anomalous lithium trend over 5 kilometres in length, allowing us to set high-priority drill targets at the Lefroy Lithium Project.”
Extensive sampling
The company executed a project-wide soil geochemistry sampling program over the entire 50 square kilometre Lefroy Project area with a total of 3,290 soil samples collected on a spacing of 200 by 50 metres.
Assay results have been received for the 1,780 samples taken in the phase 1 area and Maximus is awaiting laboratory results from Phase 2 and Phase 3 sampling.
Assay results have defined numerous zones characterised by strong lithium soil anomalism. Soil values that exceed 60ppm lithium oxide (Li2O), accompanied by elevated levels of pathfinder elements (cesium, gallium, tantalum, tin, niobium, beryllium and rubidium), are significant for pinpointing LCT pegmatites at Lefroy.
Anomaly expanded
These assay results expand the Lefroy soil anomaly to greater than 3 kilometres in strike and 1.5 kilometres in width.
Maximus’ Lefroy and Larkinville lithium projects, on the Eastern Goldfields lithium corridor.
There is strong correlation between highly elevated lithium-in-soil anomalies and recent spodumene-bearing pegmatite intersections up to 6 metres at 1.11% Li2O including 3 metres at 1.99% Li2O from 91 metres.
The defined lithium-in-soil anomalies are extensive and open to the south, indicating further exploration potential within the tenements ahead of phase 2 and phase 3 assay results.
"The presence of a large 3 kilometres x 1.5 kilometres lithium-in-soil anomaly, extending from the recent discovery of spodumene-bearing pegmatites, provides more encouraging signs that the lithium-in-soil anomalies may be associated with a very large mineralised system,” Wither said.
Yilmia also holds promise
Maximus has also collected a further 136 soil samples at Yilmia, which is only about 16 kilometres south of Mineral Resources’ Mt Marion lithium and proximal to Kali Metals’ Spargoville Prospect and Dynamic Metals’ Spargos East lithium prospect.
Using spacings of 100 by 50 metres, the lithium concentration in soil exceeding 80ppm Li2O reveals a robust and consistent anomaly spanning about 800 metres in strike.
Geochemical peaks include 423ppm Li2O, 62ppm cesium, 29ppm tantalum, 11ppm tin, 68ppm niobium, 20ppm beryllium, 22ppm gallium and 442ppm rubidium.
“In addition to the main Lefroy area, soil geochemistry values at the Yilmia prospect are highly anomalous, surpassing typical background soil values at Lefroy by more than 10 times, highlighting a fantastic drill target for the company,” Wither said.
“Both the soil geochemistry mapping and the successful first-phase drill program are utilising KOMIR’s non-refundable deposit, with the larger program to start early this year.
"We are continuing with field mapping at Lefroy and expect the second and third phases of soil mapping to be returned in the current quarter, delivering additional drill targets in the southern areas.”
Follow-up work
Maximus has started follow-up fieldwork from the first phase of soil geochemistry results at Lefroy with additional infill soil sampling and further field mapping.
The company expects a follow-up reverse circulation drill program will start at Lefroy this quarter, pending final approvals.
Drilling will focus on expanding previous intersections of spodumene-bearing pegmatites and testing additional targets at Kandui.
The Lefroy Project is on granted mining tenements in between Mineral Resources’ Mt Marion Lithium mine, recently ASX-listed Kali Metals and Develop Global Ltd’s Pioneer Dome Lithium Project.
Maximus also holds a diversified portfolio of exploration projects in the Kambalda region of Western Australia, with more than 335,000 ounces of gold resources across its granted mining tenements.