ASX-listed Askari Metals has completed the second phase of on-ground exploration at the Barrow Creek lithium project in the Northern Territory’s highly prospective Arunta pegmatite province.
The work was designed to systematically explore outcropping lithium-caesium-tantalum, or “LCT”-type pegmatites where initial reconnaissance sampling had confirmed the presence of lithium mineralisation identifying up to 817 parts per million lithium oxide.
The program included detailed field mapping and sampling. Rock chips were taken of all the pegmatite outcrops in the north-eastern segment of the project and soil samples were collected from all granite derived soils where outcrops were not available. In total, a further 119 rock and 350 soil samples were collected.
Askari says combining the sampling results will help identify geochemical signatures and will guide the design of its proposed inaugural drill program on the project. The rig is slated to start spinning as early as April, subject to the receipt and interpretation of the most recent samples sent for assay.
A key aim of the second phase was to expand and increase the sample density in the area measuring 950 metres by 500m already identified as hosting fertile LCT-type pegmatites. With the work now complete the explorer has systematically tested an expansive area measuring 3.8 kilometres by 4.8km.
High potential areas remain untested in the southeast of the project and will be assessed in a similar fashion as soon as possible, according to the explorer.
The Barrow Creek lithium project covers 278 square kilometres in the Arunta pegmatite province of the Northern Territory, an area known for hosting swarms of pegmatites. Askari believes its project’s location, under-explored nature and numerous nearby sightings of mineralisation point to significant exploration upside for the company.
Askari is not the only one competing in the highly prospective region. It is camped shoulder to shoulder between the ASX-listed $1.6 billion market-capped Core Lithium and Lithium Plus, a company with ties to the even larger Chinese battery king CATL.
Notably, the ink is still drying on the deal between Core Lithium and Elon Musk’s Tesla. The deal will see the ASX-listed giant supply the EV manufacturer up to 110,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate over four years from its Finniss Lithium project near Darwin.
Askari Metals Vice President of Exploration and Geology, Johan Lambrechts said: “We are excited to have completed the second phase of on-ground exploration at our Barrow Creek Lithium Project. Our phase one reconnaissance work discovered fertile pegmatites with assay results up to 817ppm lithium oxide. We thoroughly investigated and tested this area with the recently completed phase two program and eagerly await the results. The recent field program identified several regions with extensive Pegmatite outcrop, which are cause for further enthusiasm. The results of this last phase of work will form the basis for what the Company hopes will be the inaugural RC drilling campaign on the Barrow Creek Lithium Project.”
With the lithium sector appearing to be running without a leash, Askari will be itching to get the drills turning so it can get a valuation on its real estate in the highly prospective province. If its numbers can match its neighbours then things might get really interesting.
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