MetalsGrove Mining Ltd (ASX:MGA) has fielded results from initial geological mapping and surface sampling at the Arcturas Lithium Project (ALP) and Beatrice Lithium Project (BLP) in Zimbabwe.
The consensus is that further investigation is warranted, and the company has scheduled a site visit for June to continue its exploration efforts.
More groundwork needed
The focus will be on conducting more detailed geological mapping and including pathfinder elements in the assay suite to better understand the potential lithium mineralisation.
Managing director Lijun Yang said: “The final report and assay results from the initial surface mapping and sampling program fell short of the company’s expectations.
“Assay results from identified pegmatites within the Arcturas Project are barren in lithium.
“Samples collected from the Beatrice Project showed encouraging lithium grades with lepidolite observed, but only one of these samples, grading 0.88% Li2O, was collected from within MetalsGrove's granted tenements.
“However, in the absence of detailed geological observations, and with no pathfinder elements such as tantalum, potassium and rubidium included in the assay suite, the company, while disappointed with the initial results, considers that further investigation is warranted.
“The company is planning further work on these projects, including a site visit in June.”
The projects, close to Harare, were acquired on December 11 by the previous management team and encompass six new lithium claims covering 510 hectares, with one claim still in application.
This initial exploration phase aimed to negotiate and acquire tenements while defining pegmatites in the regions.
Less detailed observations
The geological mapping provided less detailed observations and focused primarily on identifying pegmatite zones.
More than a third of the samples were collected from areas outside MetalsGrove’s tenements. Unfortunately, the assay suite did not include pathfinder elements commonly associated with lithium mineralisation, such as tantalum, potassium and rubidium.
The Arcturas region, around 15 kilometres west of the Arcadia Lithium Mine, known as one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium resources, showed disappointing results.
The 95 samples collected from Arcturas recorded lithium values at trace levels or below detection limits. No lithium-bearing minerals were observed in these samples.
Conversely, the Beatrice region, near the Joyce Gold Mine and within a well-known pegmatite zone mineralised in lithium-caesium-tantalum, yielded more promising results.
Of the nine samples collected, some recorded encouraging lithium grades, with values up to 1.44% lithium oxide.
That said, only one sample, which showed a grade of 0.88% lithium oxide, was collected from within MetalsGrove’s tenements.
Given the initial nature of the work, which included less detailed geological observations, MetalsGrove plans to undertake further exploration at both sites.