Kalamazoo Resources commences maiden drilling at Pilbara lithium projects
The 5,000m drilling program will begin at Kalamazoo’s Marble Bar project before moving to DOM’s Hill.
Kalamazoo Resources (ASX: KZR) has commenced a maiden drilling program at its Marble Bar and DOM’s Hill lithium projects in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The 5,000-metre reverse circulation program will commence with 4,000m at the Marble Bar tenements, which are considered highly-prospective for lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) mineralisation due to their proximity to the Moolyella monzogranite (an inferred LCT-pegmatite source).
The tenements are also well located along the margin of the Moolyella tin-tantalum alluvial field plus numerous local occurrences of mapped lithium-enriched pegmatites.
Global Lithium Resources’ (ASX: GL1) Archer deposit is 25 kilometres to the north and has a reported maiden inferred resource of 10.5 million tonnes grading 1% lithium oxide.
Pegmatite dykes
Drilling at Marble Bar follows on from Kalamazoo’s recently-completed field mapping and surface sampling activities which identified numerous outcrops of pegmatite dykes.
Some of the dykes were reported to contain visible amounts of lepidolite (lithium mica) with a best rock chip sample assay of 1.6% lithium oxide and 372 parts per million tantalum.
Drilling will target several dykes recorded across four high-priority prospects.
DOM’s Hill drilling
Immediately following exploration at Marble Bar, Kalamazoo will mobilise its rig to DOM’s Hill for a 1,000m drilling program to test three prospects defined by significant soil geochemistry anomalies coincident with favourable structures at its tenements.
Kalamazoo considers DOM’s Hill to also be highly-prospective for LCT-mineralised pegmatite dykes.
The project contains a similar geological setting (and host rocks strongly analogous) to the nearby world-class Pilgangoora and Wodgina pegmatite-hosted lithium deposits.
Joint venture agreement
The DOM’s Hill and Marble Bar projects are part of a joint venture agreement between Kalamazoo and Chilean lithium producer Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA (SQM).
SQM has been granted the right to earn an initial 30% interest (to a maximum of 70%) in all mineral rights by sole funding a minimum $12 million of exploration and development activity over the next four years.
SQM is one of the world’s leading lithium producers with its main asset in Australia being a 50% joint venture interest in the Mt Holland lithium project with Wesfarmers (ASX: WES).