Power Minerals reports highest average lithium grades to date at Incahuasi salar
The final hole at Incahuasi returned 214mg/L lithium, which is the highest grade to-date at the salar.
A drilling campaign by Power Minerals (ASX: PNN) at the Incahuasi salar within the Salta lithium brine project in Argentina has returned the highest average lithium grades to date and strong brine densities.
The final hole in the four-hole campaign intersected lithium-bearing brines in a 60 metre interval under an alluvial fan approximately 1 kilometre from the edge of the current salt surface.
The hole was located near the south-western boundary of Power’s licence area at Incahuasi.
Assay results from five packer brine samples delivered Power’s highest average lithium grade to date of 214 milligrams per litre and highest average brine density of 1.21 kilograms per litre.
The lithium concentration of the final hole was higher than the first three drill holes at Incahuasi, which averaged 195mg/L, 210mg/L and 185mg/L respectively.
Consistency of grade
Power said the results confirm a consistency of lithium grades across all four holes.
The alluvial fans have not been previously tested and the results are believed to have expanded the area and volume of potential lithium brine mineral resources.
Brine and drill core samples have been sent for laboratory analysis to confirm brine chemistry and density, drainable porosity and lithium grades.
Pleased with results
Power managing director Mena Habib said the company was pleased with results from the final hole.
“These results are significant and positive and confirm a consistent lithium grade across all four holes completed in this program,” he said.
“We will now move to confirm a maiden mineral resource estimate at Incahuasi, while our drill rig moves to the Rincon salar which will be the next target in our ongoing resource definition campaign.”
Power is targeting the Incahuasi, Rincon and Pocitos salares at Salta in an effort to expand the project’s existing mineral resource and to support future development plans.
Positive assays
The new results follow positive assays from the third hole of the campaign which were reported in March.
The hole was drilled on the north-eastern extent of Incahuasi and aimed to confirm the presence of lithium-bearing brines under the alluvial fan on the eastern side of the salar.
Assays from four packer brine samples returned consistent lithium grades between 165 parts per million and 196ppm, along with strong brine densities of up to 1.21 grams per millilitre.