Kalamazoo Resources confirms ‘significant lithium potential’ at DOM’s Hill gold-base metals project
Kalamazoo Resources says the identified lithium potential at DOM’s Hill could be a “major development” for the project in a region that hosts two of the world’s largest pegmatite lithium operations.
A field reconnaissance exercise completed this month has identified significant pegmatite-hosted lithium mineralisation potential at Kalamazoo Resources’ (ASX: KZR) DOM’s Hill gold-base metals project in WA’s east Pilbara region.
The company believes it to be a major development in a region which already boasts two of the world’s largest pegmatite-hosted lithium mines at Pilgangoora (owned by Pilbara Minerals, ASX: PLS) and Wodgina (Mineral Resources, ASX: MIN).
DOM’s Hill covers 122 square kilometres of Archaean granite-greenstone terrane as shared by Pilgangoora and Wodgina and includes a contact zone known as the “Goldilocks Zone” which is prospective for pegmatite-hosted lithium mineralisation.
Kalamazoo’s field reconaissance work identified the presence of sparsely outcropping pegmatites within the Goldilocks Zone and the company has since initiated an exploration program including first-pass soil sample analysis to fast-track the area to drill-ready status.
Milestone achievement
Kalamazoo director Paul Adams said the discovery of the lithium potential was a milestone achievement for the project.
“The identification of lithium potential at DOM’s Hill is a fantastic development, particularly as interest in lithium is at a heightened level due to strong long-range demand and price forecasts,” he said.
“[The project is] located within the sweet spot of one of the world’s major hard-rock lithium regions and demands a very focused, well-designed exploration program.”
Project review
The lithium potential of DOM’s Hill was identified during a recent project technical review by noted WA-based lithium geochemistry expert Dr Nigel Brand, who concluded that the area’s geology was analogous to that of Pilgangoora and Wodgina.
The review evaluated bulk historical soil samples and concluded they had either not been assayed for lithium and its pathfinder elements, or were analysed using sub-optimal aqua regia digestion.
A subsequent field reconnaissance exercise completed this month identified localised outcrops of pegmatites within some target prospect areas which are still subject to analysis.
Rare-element pegmatites
Based on this early work and the project’s regional setting, Kalamazoo considers DOM’s Hill to be highly prospective for rare-element granitic pegmatites of the lithium-caesium-tantalum geochemical group.
Furthermore, the known presence of relatively ‘younger’ granites of the Sisters Supersuite (near to the south of the project) have been inferred to possibly be the ultimate source of significant lithium-tantalum-tin mineralisation in the east Pilbara region.