Birimian continues expansive exploration streak in Mali

Lithium explorer Birimian (ASX: BGS) is continuing its hot streak of lithium resource expansion at its Goulamina lithium project in Mali.

Earlier this morning Birimian said it had received all analytical data for the combined exploration and sterilisation program carried out between October 2017 and April 2018 from Goulamina and confirmed that “two further anomalies have been outlined.”

Birimian also declared that based on results of reverse circulation drilling on the earlier discovered geochemical anomalies (Yando and Danaya), that it is “highly probable that these two anomalies represent lithium-bearing pegmatite deposits.”

The explorational junior added that exploratory drilling to establish pegmatite geometry and grade will be undertaken after the conclusion of Mali’s wet season, which usually finishes in October.

Birimian is also hoping to receive official confirmation that its JORC resource at Goulamina will grow further following a 32 million tonne improvement reported last month.

At the time, Birimian said that four of its other prospects ­– Yando, Danaya and Sabali and Main II – had not been included in its estimates because of ongoing exploration work. Main II is the least developed and known, having not undergone any explorative drilling to date.

Today’s news that Birimian has delineated two additional pegmatite anomalies is therefore a highly positive development that could prove commercially significant in the months to come.

With exploration work gradually moving ahead, Birimian is hoping to squeeze as much data into a forthcoming resource update as possible.

Today’s results and further exploration work suggest that Birimian is on course to seeing further resource upgrades as the junior hopes to establish a low-cost production operation from Mali and supply the growing market for lithium, largely being driven by the recent spurt in lithium-ion battery use as a result of growing electric vehicles sales.

Lithium demand is also being spurred by the flourishing market for energy storage that’s being underpinned by commodities such as lithium, cobalt and graphite.

“We believed that Goulamina’s exploration potential was significant, however we continue to be delighted by the quality of ongoing exploration results,” said Mr Greg Walker, executive director and CEO of Birimian.

“The NW-SE trending structure is now very clearly defined by auger and other drilling. The presence of this structure provides a framework for the discovery of yet more pegmatites to the SW of Bara. The scope of future exploration programs will be determined following receipt of the upgraded mineral resource estimate expected in mid-2018,” said Mr Walker.