Venus looking to unlock WA lithium

Perth-based Venus Metals’ Henderson project north of Menzies in WA could turn out to be a triple header with the company recently completing a hard-rock lithium sampling and mapping program at the gold and nickel site. A suite of 97 rock samples were bagged during the renaissance trip which sought to review the lithium potential of the company’s landholdings with assays currently pending.

The area looks to be developing into a hub for battery mineral exploration with Red Dirt Metals having just uncovered a fresh suite of spodumene-bearing lithium pegmatites at its Mt Ida project, around 10 kilometres from Venus’ tenure.

The lively neighbourhood also includes Ora Banda Mining’s lepidolite-rich pegmatite tenure south of Venus’ Henderson project. Interestingly, Ora Banda recently used historical geological mapping to uncover several lithium-bearing pegmatites over a 10 km zone near its’ Riverina fold mine.

Venus’ Henderson project is a five-piece puzzle of exploration licenses. The area covers an 800 square kilometre zone that takes in an approximate 25km strike length of the Ularring Greenstone belt.

The company has previously sunk air core holes in the region to capitalise on its historic gold production. Remarkably, a 300,000-ounce gold resource lies a mere 15 km away from the Henderson project.

Venus will be hopeful the Henderson project can be just as fruitful in delivering lithium.

Lithium is quickly becoming one of the world’s most sought-after metals on the back of increased electric vehicle production. Demand for the resource has skyrocketed in recent times and there is a strong belief this trend could linger as the world moves towards “cleaner” energy.

Australia produces about 20 per cent of the world’s lithium, mostly from the hard-rock mining of spodumene. The bulk of global production is from Chile which manufactures over 50 per cent of lithium through hyper-saline brines called ‘salars’.

Meanwhile at Venus’ Youanmi gold project near Mount Magnet in WA the company recently extended its high-grade mineralisation. Its latest drill round intercepted high-grade gold 200m down plunge from the existing resource.

If Venus can follow up its successful gold drilling at Youanmi with solid lithium results from even a handful of its 97 samples at the Henderson project, the company could be for a bumper end of year.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au