Tambourah Metals discovers more pegmatites in world-renowned lithium and gold region
Assays are pending from rock chips collected at the newly identified pegmatites at Tambourah earlier this month.
More lithium potential has been identified at Tambourah Metals’ (ASX: TMB) Tambourah project, which lies in a similar geological setting to Pilbara Minerals’ (ASX: PLS) world-renowned Pilgangoora lithium operation in Western Australia’s north.
During a field trip to the project in April, 17 rock chip samples were collected and analysed. Of the rock chip samples analysed, 12 had elevated rubidium (151-842 parts per million), while four contained elevated lithium of 95-226ppm.
Tambourah executive chairperson Rita Brooks said the first lithium assays from the project were “very encouraging”.
A second field trip was completed to the project this month and led to the discovery of new pegmatites. These were mapped and 21 rock chip samples were collected.
Ms Brooks said she looks forward to receiving the assays from these samples and further exploring Tambourah for lithium.
Gold potential
As well as being prospective for lithium, Tambourah is in a similar setting and in proximity to Kairos Minerals’ (ASX: KAI) 873,500-ounce Mt York gold project, where spodumene-bearing pegmatites were discovered earlier this week.
The Tambourah project contains historical workings that prospectors have been exploiting since the 1890s.
Recent drilling at the project uncovered 22m at 2.83 grams per tonne gold from 22m, including 9m at 6.46g/t gold and 1m at 9.86g/t gold.
Another hole intercepted 16m at 1.2g/t gold including 2m at 3.77g/t gold.
Proximity to majors
At Mt York, Kairos has identified potential to increase the existing 873,500oz resource following a review using “cutting-edge” software.
As part of this, Kairos is planning a 15,000-20,000m drilling program in the September quarter with the aim of increasing the resource “significantly”.
Meanwhile, routine earthmoving activities at the project are what led to the discovery of pegmatites next to the Mt York deposit.
“The discovery of spodumene pegmatite3s on our tenements in a world-class spodumene pegmatite district is highly significant,” Kairos managing director Peter Turner said.
He added the samples discovered may be part of a larger pegmatite dyke swarm which is largely under cover.
Also nearby to Tambourah are Mineral Resources’ (ASX: MIN) Wodgina lithium mine and Pilgangoora.
Both Wodgina and Pilgangoora are among the world’s largest known hard rock lithium deposits.