Kalamazoo Resources identifies numerous lithium pegmatites across Marble Bar project

Kalamazoo Resources (ASX: KZR) has uncovered multiple lithium pegmatites across its Marble Bar project in Western Australia’s east Pilbara, while also expanding its lithium footprint in the region.

Early-stage field reconnaissance activities across the project have discovered numerous outcrops of pegmatite dykes.

A portable XRF (pXRF) was used on the soil anomalies, with multiple pegmatite dykes also containing visible lepidolite lithium minerals.

Kalamazoo chairman and chief executive officer Luke Reinehr said the company was pleased with the results of the initial fieldwork at Marble Bar.

“We now consider the likelihood for lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatite mineralisation in the immediate area is very high, which is supported by Global Lithium’s nearby Archer deposit to the north,” he said.

Global Lithium’s Archer deposit has a resource of 10.5 million tonnes grading 1% lithium.

New exploration licences granted

With exploration underway at Marble Bar, Kalamazoo has expanded its landholding in the region to 354.4 square kilometres with the grant of two new exploration licences.

Kalamazoo considers the two new licences as highly prospective for pegmatite-hosted lithium-caesium-tantalum minerals.

One of the licences expands the Marble Bar project, while the other increases the landholding of Kalamazoo’s nearby DOM’s Hill asset.

Both of these assets are under a joint venture with Chilean lithium producer Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM).

Following the grant of the new licences, Mr Reinehr said the joint venture’s focus is to progress both areas quickly towards upcoming drilling programs.

As part of this, requisite permitting, and cultural heritage surveys are “well advanced” at Marble Bar and DOM’s Hill.

Drilling programs at the original tenements are scheduled to kick-off later this quarter.

In good company

Both projects are in the same region that hosts Pilbara Minerals’ (ASX: PLS) world-renowned Pilgangoora operation, which achieved March quarter production of 81,431t of spodumene concentrate.

The projects are also near to Mineral Resources’ (ASX: MIN) Wodgina spodumene mine.

Exploration at Marble Bar and DOM’s Hill is funded via the joint venture with SQM.

Under the joint venture which was executed late last year, SMQ can earn 30% of the projects by sole funding a minimum of $12 million on exploration and development over four years.

Kalamazoo is continuing to manage the joint venture.