Mining

Kalamazoo Resources commences soil sampling across DOM’s Hill and Marble Bar lithium targets

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By Imelda Cotton - 
Kalamazoo Resources ASX KZR lithium geochemical soil program DOM's Hill Project

Kalamazoo’s early start to its geochemical program will enable assays to be analysed over summer with drilling planned for the 2022 field season.

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Junior exploration company Kalamazoo Resources (ASX: KZR) has kicked off a geochemical soil sampling program at its DOM’s Hill and Marble Bar lithium targets in Western Australia’s east Pilbara region, more than four weeks earlier than scheduled.

Comprising 4,600 samples project-wide, the program will focus on the discovery of pegmatite-hosted lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) deposits.

It will follow-up on “highly encouraging” portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) results from historic broad-spaced sampling collected within the first of seven tenements at DOM’s Hill which indicated potential for the same mineralisation.

World-class location

DOM’s Hill contains target host rocks strongly analogous to that of nearby world-class pegmatite-hosted lithium deposits at Pilgangoora (owned by Pilbara Minerals, ASX: PLS) and Wodgina (Mineral Resources, ASX: MIN).

The project area is considered prospective for gold, nickel, cobalt and base metals, and has a long and detailed exploration history for these commodities.

There has been no previous exploration for lithium, which Kalamazoo said could be due to part of the project area being overlaid by a veneer of younger sedimentary cover.

Soil sampling started at DOM’s Hill this month earlier than planned to ensure completion before the onset of the Pilbara’s monsoonal weather in December.

Marble Bar sampling

Following completion at DOM’s Hill and weather permitting, Kalamazoo’s field crews will commence sampling across the Marble Bar project, which is located to the south of Global Lithium Resources’ (ASX: GL1) Archer deposit hosting an inferred 10.5 million tonnes grading 1% lithium oxide.

Archer sits on the prospective margin of the Moolyella tin-tantalum alluvial field and contains known mapped pegmatites and lithium occurrences.

While largely comprised of lithium micas (lepidolite), Kalamazoo said the occurrences demonstrate “positive characteristics and empirical evidence favourable for the presence of spodumene-bearing pegmatites”.

The project area has not been subject to modern lithium exploration.

Accelerated campaign

Early commencement of the geochemical programs forms part of Kalamazoo’s accelerated lithium exploration campaign to fast-track its high-priority targets to drill-ready status.

Specifically, the early start will enable pXRF and laboratory assay analyses to be received and evaluated over the summer months.

The company said this would facilitate the early identification of targets and allow preparation of reconnaissance drilling programs in time for the start of the 2022 field season.