Exploration company Aurumin (ASX: AUN) has confirmed an upcoming diamond drilling campaign searching for lithium-bearing pegmatites at the historical Mt Palmer project in Western Australia.
The campaign will comprise four holes for 1000 metres at targets previously identified from resampled drill spoils grading 391 parts per million tantalum, as well as a geochemical multi-element soil anomalism which returned up to 146ppm lithium.
The targets are located further within the preferred geological setting known as Goldilocks Zone and have not been drilled to date due to permitting requirements.
Pre-collar work
Reverse circulation pre-collars with diamond core tails will be drilled vertically to a nominal depth of 250m to test for interpreted broad, flat-lying pegmatites.
Pre-collaring will target the base of weathering, with transitional and fresh rock to be drilled by diamond core to provide material for geological, spectral and geochemical analysis, as well as core samples for the DMIRS (Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety) core library.
Pad clearing and other site works are currently underway at Mt Palmer, with the drill rig scheduled to arrive at site in the first week of July.
Mt Holland lithium deposit
Aurumin’s campaign will target geology analogous to Wesfarmer’s (ASX: WES) Mt Holland lithium deposit, located approximately 65 kilometres to the south.
Previous reverse circulation drilling in the area intercepted multiple pegmatites, extensive pathfinder elements and low-level lithium, but was unsuccessful in drilling below 100 metres due to ground conditions and water ingress.
Drilling confirmed sheet-like pegmatites measuring more than 20m in thickness, while geochemical analysis identified potentially-fertile source material.
Unfinished business
Managing director Brad Valiukas said the Mt Palmer project remains “unfinished business” for the company since it announced results from orientation drilling in June last year.
Aurumin can claim up to 50% of direct drilling and mobilisation costs to a maximum $150,000 through the state government’s exploration incentive scheme, which encourages new exploration for the long-term sustainability of the local resources sector.
Historical production
The major historical workings at Mt Palmer were mined from 1934 to 1944 and produced a total of 310,715 tonnes gold at an average grade of 15.9 grams per tonne for 158,428 ounces.
The deposit was mined over 360m along a strike length of 200m and to depths of 155m from surface, with most of the production coming from the Main and East lodes.
Mt Palmer has most-recently been recognised as a potentially-favourable setting for lithium mineralisation.
