Mining

Venus Metals encounters lithium pegmatites enriched in tantalum and niobium at Henderson

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By Danica Cullinane - 
Venus Metals ASX VMC lithium pegmatites tantalum niobium Henderson Western Australia

Venus Metals is planning an accelerated exploration program including drill testing at the WA project.

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Venus Metals Corporation (ASX: VMC) has identified multiple outcropping lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites from reconnaissance sampling at its Henderson lithium-gold-nickel project in Western Australia.

According to the company, the prospective pegmatites are noticeably enriched in tantalum and niobium, returning maximum grades of 426 parts per million tantalum pentoxide and 392ppm niobium oxide.

In addition, many showed elevated lithium compositions with a maximum of 3.5% lithium oxide.

The results came from 143 rock samples collected late last year that were combined with historical drilling data to assess the lithium potential of the Henderson tenements.

“The sampled tantalum-niobium enriched pegmatites are considered to be part of zones LCT pegmatite swarms and exploration is ongoing to identify more extensive lithium-rich end members,” the company stated.

Following the positive sampling results, Venus is planning an “accelerated and more focused” exploration program that will include infill surface sampling and mapping, and drill testing of LCT pegmatites.

The work will also include petrological studies to determine the mineralogy of the lithium pegmatites.

Close to Mt Ida lithium project

Venus’ Henderson project comprises two tenements that lie in the central section of the Mt Ida/Ularring greenstone belt, about 50km northwest of Menzies in WA’s eastern goldfields.

It is located directly south from and abut the Mt Ida lithium-copper-gold project held by Red Dirt Metals (ASX: RDT), where substantial lithium intersections have recently been discovered in historical drill core.

LCT pegmatites

LCT pegmatites are a class of rare element pegmatites that host the major hard rock lithium and tantalum deposits in Western Australia including Greenbushes, Pilgangoora and Wodgina.

These types of pegmatites are also commonly enriched in niobium, beryllium, rubidium and tin.