Six Sigma Metals discovers more high-grade lithium at Shamva project

Six Sigma Metals (ASX: SI6) has uncovered up to 3.13% lithium from rock chip sampling across the Shamva lithium project in Zimbabwe’s north, as part of its due diligence for the acquisition.

A total of 240 rock chip samples were collected across Shamva’s Bonnyvale pegmatite, with 61 samples grading higher than 2% lithium.

The rock chips were gathered from about two-thirds of the outcrop, with more than 60% assaying above 1% lithium.

Lithium mineralisation has been identified along 550m of strike and 160m width at Bonnyvale, with the pegmatite believed about 250m wide across the centre of the body.

According to Six Sigma, Bonnyvale is the largest single pegmatite at the project and has a “diamond-shaped” body, which contains spodumene and lepidolite lithium minerals.

Other minerals including tantalum and rare earth elements were also identified in the samples.

Rock chip sampling has also been carried out across the Loch Ness pegmatites at the project, with assays pending for this area.

Once the 60-day due diligence period has been completed, Six Sigma plans to begin a phase one drilling program to more accurately determine the width and strike length of the pegmatites.

The company will also carry out soil sampling and mapping to uncover new targets.

Battery metals focus

Less than a month ago, Six Sigma emerged from a trading halt with news it had taken advantage of the new mining-friendly Zimbabwe regime by securing the rights to earn 80% in two “highly prospective” lithium and vanadium-titanium projects in the region.

Shamva was the primary focus, with Six Sigma non-executive director Josh Letcher describing the project as having “walk up ready drill targets”.

If the higher-grade lithium is contiguous and the pegmatites are as thick as Six Sigma suspects then it could potentially be sitting on a world class lithium project in a region that’s been relatively under-explored in recent years.

The project is in Zimbabwe’s north and hosts five main pegmatite bodies, with three pegmatites explored to-date returning a large amount of high-grade lithium in the samples.

Out of 73 previously collected rock chip samples, one assayed at 3.40% lithium, with numerous others grading above 1% lithium.

The other project is the Chuatsa vanadium asset which has been subjected to historic exploration where 0.80% vanadium and 7.8% titanium were returned.

Once due diligence has finished, Six Sigma plans to fast-track exploration at Chuatsa to take advantage of the rising vanadium market, which is powered by the emerging vanadium flow redox battery market.