Future Battery Minerals has unveiled a new raft of shallow, high-grade lithium hits at its 100 per cent-owned Kangaroo Hills project (KHLP) in Western Australia’s Goldfields region, with many intersections grading more than 1 per cent lithium oxide.
The results from 53 holes in an expanded phase-three reverse-circulation (RC) and diamond-drilling campaign continue the company’s path towards development of the project, with the focus now on the northern strike extensions of its Big Red and Rocky prospects, in addition to some prospective regional targets.
Significant new results from Rocky include 5m at 1.28 per cent lithium oxide from 24m downhole, 4m at 1.37 per cent from 9m, 4m at 1.37 per cent from 25m and 4m at 1.01 per cent from 146m. Three holes targeting extensions to the east, west and south of Big Red returned results of 5m at 1.21 per cent lithium oxide from 37m, 3m at 1.05 per cent from 34m, 2m at 1.29 per cent from 6m and 8m at 0.91 per cent from 34m.
Management says the results further expand Big Red and deliver additional confidence in the modelling of the pegmatite system that remains open along strike to the north and at depth. Its recent work also included wide-spaced scout drilling of selected regional targets and assays for 15 holes are still pending.
The company says the program has also broadened the extent of drilling at Rocky that previously identified several pegmatites sitting semi-parallel to the Big Red pegmatite. The visual observations of spodumene within the pegmatites led it to significantly expand the drilling program at KHLP.
Kangaroo Hills offers so many project advancement and development advantages given its excellent location in the WA Goldfields, available road access and proximity to substantial existing regional infrastructure. It is also surrounded by other substantial lithium deposits and mines that offer a ready perspective on what it might become as a future project development. Future Battery Minerals technical director Robin Cox
The drilling conducted at Rocky to date has demonstrated a highly-continuous mineralised system at shallow depths. The company says it has significantly increased the scale of the system.
Although thinner and of lower average grade than the standout neighbouring Big Red pegmatite, Rocky is expected to form a significant part of any future development at Kangaroo Hills given its proximity to surface and the company’s adjacent prospect.
Previous standout drilling results from Big Red include 29m at 1.36 per cent from 38m, 27m at 1.32 per cent from 64m and 22m at 1.24 per cent from 23m.
Future Battery says its focus will now shift to the next round of drilling activities, which will concentrate on the northern strike extension of Big Red and Rocky, in addition to the regional targets. Permitting for drilling of the targets, in addition to the Western Grey and Quokka deposits, continues to progress.
The KHLP is some 30km west of Mineral Resources’ highly-successful Mt Marion project, which holds 60.5 million tonnes at 1.36 per cent lithium oxide and is in proximity to several other lithium mines.
Future Battery also has a highly-prospective lithium play in Nevada in the United States and two strategically-located nickel-sulphide operations in WA’s Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belt.
With both lithium and nickel expected to play a huge role in the future energy transition and uptake of electric vehicles, the company will be hoping Rocky can be the inspiration for all its projects to punch above their weight to reap the benefits.
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