Trek Metals confirms lithium pegmatite system at Tambourah project
Rock chip samples collected from Tambourah assayed up to 3.07% lithium.
Battery metals-focused explorer Trek Metals (ASX: TKM) has confirmed the presence of high-grade lithium within an extensive and undrilled pegmatite system at its wholly-owned Tambourah project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Assays of up to 3.07% lithium oxide have confirmed the project’s “significant potential” together with strong rock chip sample results returned from across multiple spodumene-bearing dykes.
Other highlight grades included 2.69%, 2.36%, 2.28% and 2.11% lithium oxide.
Historic rock chip results have also highlighted the presence of a large, fractionated lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite swarm, with correlation to previously-reported anomalous stream sediment data and mapped pegmatites on the ground.
The stream sediment data suggests the presence of elevated lithium in the Central prospect area with comparable values to those taken from streams in the Eastern prospect.
While Trek has not yet located lithium mineralisation at Central, the fertility indicators, elevated lithium values and the large volume of pegmatites in outcrop add weight to it being a highly-prospective area and it has been ranked as a priority drill target.
Exciting breakthrough
Trek chief executive officer Derek Marshall said the new results were an “exciting breakthrough” for the company.
“Confirming very high-grade lithium at surface in multiple spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes is about as good as it gets for this stage of exploration and highlights the enormous prospectivity of the mineralised system at Tambourah,” he said.
“This is an exceptional greenfields lithium exploration opportunity, located in the heart of one of the world’s premier mining districts we are looking forward to getting a rig turning as soon as practicable.”
He said an “extremely strong” short and medium-term outlook for lithium demand will allow the company to elevate the project to priority status.
Project location
Tambourah is located southeast of Pilbara Minerals’ (ASX: PLS) world-class Pilgangoora lithium mine site and comprises two tenements owned by Trek subsidiary ACME Pilbara Pty Ltd.
The project encompasses the central portion of the 15km-long Western Shaw greenstone belt, on the eastern limb of an anticline folded around the Tambourah Dome.
The greenstone rocks comprise Archean-aged metavolcanic, metasedimentary and various granitoids with associated pegmatitic phases.
Samples taken during Trek’s first reconnaissance trip confirmed the lithium potential highlighted in the historical exploration results and the presence of outcropping pegmatites in the areas of stream sediment anomalism, with new rock chip samples returning grades of up to 1.04% lithium oxide.
Mr Marshall said the company was currently focused on defining drill targets with anomalous lithium and pathfinder elements such as caesium, rubidium and tantalum.