Solis Minerals Ltd (ASX:SLM, TSX-V:SLMN, OTCQB:SLMFF) has hit coarse spodumene mineralisation during its maiden drill program at the Jaguar Lithium Project in Baha State, Brazil.
Two initial diamond drill holes hit shallow-dipping, spodumene-rich pegmatites during the pioneering campaign, giving Solis plenty to write home about as it continues the hunt for Brazilian lithium.
The program’s second hole returned 52 metres of pegmatite mineralisation with 8.2 metres of spodumene-rich quartz from 32 metres while the third diamond hole intersected just under 40 metres of pegmatite with 7.9 metres of spodumene-rich quartz from 44.3 metres.
It’s still early days, but pre-lab visual estimates predict spodumene volumes as high as 20% in hole three — promising news as the team gears up for further drilling.
Solis used laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to conduct preliminary analysis on Jaguar’s diamond drill core.
Along with an additional pegmatite footprint — mapped roughly 1-kilometre northwest of the Jaguar camp — Solis has plenty of exploration work to keep itself busy.
A second rig is being tendered to kick off an additional 5,000-metre program and improve drilling rates in the weeks ahead.
Evidence of potential stacked pegmatite system
Executive director Matt Boyes called the early-stage findings “a positive result” for the team at Jaguar.
“Confirmation of a lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT)-bearing system that continues at depth below the artisanal workings is highly encouraging and we look forward to the arrival of a second drill rig,” he noted.
“As we extend our mapping and geochemical sampling programs, we are finding evidence of a potential stacked pegmatite system.
Cross section through Jaguar pit area with recently completed drilling and interpreted geology.
“Multiple spodumene bearing float samples have been collected up to 1 kilometre from the central Jaguar artisanal mine area and large outcropping pegmatites, which are completely untested, have been located.
“We are encouraged by our early results at the Jaguar project and we look forward to updating the market as we deliver results from this maiden drill program.”
Solis was initially focused on testing the known strike of confirmed pegmatite outcrops at Jaguar and commencing step-out drilling to the north, where it could test interpreted repetitions of the Jaguar pegmatites at depth.
Here, pegmatite outcrops have been identified over 1.4 kilometres of strike, with a central section that forms the elevated ridge area in excess of 800 metres.
Aerial view showing outcropping pegmatites to be tested in current drill program.
Where to from here?
With three diamond holes under its belt, Solis plans to move ahead with step-out drilling to better understand the overall strike, dip and distribution of the mineralisation within Jaguar’s lithium pegmatites.
What’s more, a large, shallow-dipping pegmatite body — measuring roughly 400 metres by 400 metres at the surface — has been mapped around 1 kilometre to Jaguar’s northwest and will be drill tested once additional drill capacity is mobilised to site.
While there’s still a way to go, early indications point to a classic, idealised, LCT-bearing pegmatite model — news that bodes well as the team advances exploration.
Solis is installing core-cutting facilities on-site and intends to start processing the existing core within the next week.
Out in the field, the explorer plans to cross another three holes off the to-do list, submitting the first batch of lab samples in late July in the hopes of securing results by late August.
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