Lithium Australia’s Eichigt project in Germany is looking a little more interesting after a second round of samples produced 1.47% cobalt and impressive lithium values from the same patch of ground. The rare double up of cobalt and lithium is contained in mineralisation not previously discovered in Saxony and augurs well for the company’s plans to supply battery metals to Europe.
A second round of 16 grab samples from the 100%-owned project in Saxony’s Eastern Erzgebirge or “Ore Mountains” also produced assays up to 0.54% copper and 0.71% lithium oxide.
The polymetallic potential of the project was highlighted by one sample in particular, which assayed at 0.71% lithium oxide, 1.11% cobalt and 0.38% copper.
Many of the new values were significantly better than those from the first round of grab samples, which peaked at 0.6% cobalt and 0.48% copper.
Importantly, the new round of samples come with the surprising addition of lithium, placing the highly sought after mineral firmly in the exploration mix now at Eichigt.
Late last year Lithium Australia declared a maiden lithium resource at its nearby Sadisdorf project, also in Germany, which is centred on an historic tin mine.
To find lithium, cobalt and copper in the same deposit however is a little bit rare and according to the company, this style of mineralisation has not previously been reported in the region.
Lithium Australia is targeting quartz-copper veins that were last mined on a small scale in the 16th century and have not been explored previously for cobalt.
Managing Director, Adrian Griffin, said: “The results of the first exploration campaign at Eichigt strongly support our view that the licence area we applied for was neglected during systematic exploration work carried out during the time of East Germany. The combination of cobalt, lithium and copper is an indication of the genesis of the mineralised system and the strong possibility of finding source granites and greisen-style mineralisation we see nearby at Sadisdorf.”
The company also reported it had identified additional quartz veins, all of which remained open along strike and down dip.
Lithium Australia snapped up the 133-square km Eichigt licence in January as part of strategy to secure battery metals in close proximity to Europe’s rapidly expanding manufacturing base for electric vehicles.
By Matt Birney
