ASX-listed Aurumin has kicked off a diamond drill program at its Mt Palmer project in Western Australia’s Goldfields region, where it will target lithium-bearing pegmatites with a focus on its Vickers Find South prospect.
The target hosts confirmed pegmatites within a mafic-ultramafic sequence in a geological setting similar to that at the hulking Mt Holland lithium deposit, which is about 65km to the south.
Aurumin says exploration to date at the prospect has identified lithium and pathfinder element anomalies from rock-chip, soil and drill-spoil sampling campaigns. The new drill program will test four targets across 1000m to a nominal depth of about 250m.
Two priority targets are based on a soil-sampling program where multi-element lithium anomalism was defined and has not yet been drilled, while additional targets were highlighted in tantalum anomalism from resampled historical drill spoils from shallow holes. The targets are within holes designed by the company after it was recently awarded co-funding for direct drilling costs.
Last month, management executed an agreement with the State Government’s Department of Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety, through its subsidiary Aurumin Mt Palmer, to receive up to 50 per cent of direct drilling and mobilisation costs. The funding is capped at $150,000 through the Exploration Incentive Scheme designed to assist with the diamond drill program.
Last year, Aurumin completed a 12-hole reverse-circulation (RC) program at the site with up to 370 parts per million lithium detected across several samples. The campaign drilled 1212m into the Vickers Find South prospect and intersected pegmatites ranging in thickness from 1m to 40m in 11 of the 12 holes – with a typical width of 20m.
While previous RC drilling intercepted multiple flat-lying pegmatites, extensive pathfinder elements and low-level lithium, the campaign was considered unsuccessful in drilling from below about 100m due to ground conditions and excess water.
Aurumin managing director Brad Valiukas said: “Mt Palmer is prospective for lithium mineralisation and shows great potential, remaining unfinished business for the Company since we announced results from orientation drilling in June last year. The EIS funding is a competitive process and excellent recognition of the lithium potential at Mt Palmer and the work completed to date.”
The funding program is a WA Government initiative that aims to encourage local exploration for the long-term sustainability of the State’s resources sector. A total of 40 applications were successful from 35 different companies, in addition to a single prospector application.
Once its pegmatite campaign is completed, Aurumin expects to move its drill team to its Sandstone project, where it has a gold exploration program planned.
While Mt Palmer is considered a gold project, having produced about 158,000 ounces at a respectable grade of 15.9 grams per tonne between 1934 and 1944, the market will be keeping a close eye on what Aurumin can produce from testing its pegmatites at the operation.
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By Michael Philipps
