Aldoro Resources confirms extension to rubidium-lithium mineralisation at Niobe project
Aldoro Resources’ rock chip sampling program at Niobe returned peak values of 9,307ppm rubidium, 0.40% lithium and 1,934ppm tantalum.
Assays from rock chips collected at Aldoro Resources’ (ASX: ARN) Niobe tantalum-lithium project northwest of Mount Magnet in Western Australia have confirmed an extension of rubidium-lithium mineralisation beyond the main pit.
Results from 46 samples collected at the Niobe East, Niobe Southeast and Breakaway pegmatites returned grades up to 0.93% rubidium and 0.86% lithium oxide, indicating an extension of mineralisation.
The average rubidium value was 1,892 parts per million with a range of 34.7ppm to 9,307ppm, while the average lithium value was 0.0725% with a range of 0.005% to 0.40%.
Caesium content across all three targets averaged 200ppm with a range of 3.1ppm to 1,934ppm.
At Niobe East, anomalous rubidium and lithium values extended over 400m in strike, providing Aldoro with justification for a proposed drilling program into the multi-layered pegmatite section.
At Breakaway, to the west of Niobe East, anomalous rubidium and lithium extended up to a strike length of 100m, while at Niobe Southeast the few samples collected had some rubidium values up to 0.2%.
Outcrop dispersion
Aldoro said the outcrop dispersion of rubidium and lithium results was generally consistent with those obtained by Pancontinental Mining in the mid 1980s.
It provides confidence in historic drilling assays from the same period which were used to define an exploration target over the Niobe main pegmatite.
That target totals between 33,000 tonnes and 150,000t grading from 696-1,457ppm rubidium oxide over an 80m by 65m area bound by detailed drilling.
The company’s forward plan involves expanding the exploration target area encompassing the mapped pegmatite on the western side of Niobe, as well as the high-interest rubidium-bearing sections of Niobe East and the Breakaway and Niobe Southeast pegmatites.
Earlier this month, Aldoro received approval for a program of works and negotiations are underway with the local Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation for a heritage survey over the area.
A reverse circulation drill rig has been contracted and is awaiting mobilisation following heritage approvals.