FBM’s Kangaroo Hills project is shaping up as a potential Kathleen Valley look-a-like according to technical director Robert Cox. Pic via Getty Images
‘A significant lithium system’: Kangaroo Hills looks STACKED
Mining
share
- FBM receives first assay results from drill program at the Kangaroo Hills lithium project in WA
- Highlights include 22m at 1.24% Li2O from 23m
- Results confirm visual spodumene observations of this emerging LCT pegmatite system
- More drilling is planned to test key targets moving north
First assay results from an expanded Phase 3 drilling program at Future Battery Minerals’ Kangaroo Hills project in WA has confirmed an extensive, near-surface lithium pegmatite swarm at the Big Red and Rocky prospects.
Future Battery Minerals’ (ASX:FBM) Kangaroo Hills lithium project is shaping up as a potentially significant deposit with all four diamond drill holes at the Rocky prospect in September intersecting spodumene-bearing pegmatites up to 23.3m thick.
Their orientation led technical director Robin Cox to draw comparisons with Liontown Resources’ (ASX:LTR) tier 1 Kathleen Valley development, the subject of a bidding war between heavy hitters Albemarle and Gina Rinehart.
“Following the outstanding results of the recent RC drilling at the Rocky prospect, which identified multiple stacked pegmatites semi parallel to the Big Red discovery, our ongoing diamond core drilling has extended the assessment of the prospect,” he said.
“This phase of drilling has successfully intercepted numerous pegmatites formations displaying visible spodumene mineralisation. These findings are consistent with the modelled stacked system and is further proof we are on track for discovering a significant lithium system.”
Consistent, thick hits
Assay results have now been received from the first batch of holes in the Phase 3 RC and diamond drilling program, which focused on continuity testing of Big Red, grid drilling of the Rocky Prospect, and wide-spaced scout drilling of select regional targets including Pademelon, Eastern Grey, and Wallaroo.
COX says the results confirm the early visual spodumene observations of this emerging LCT pegmatite system, with the result from KHDD006 at Big Red providing further support to the consistency in that area in terms of shallow, thick intervals (+20m).
Best new results include:
- 22m at 1.24% Li2O from 23m (Big Red);
- 8m at 1.08% Li2O from 40m (Rocky); and
- 6m at 1.03% Li2O from 60m (Rocky).
Assays remain outstanding for a further 43 holes with drilling continuing with one rig.
“Recent RC drilling at Rocky has also returned many shallow, substantial intercepts of visual spodumene bearing pegmatites that have significantly increased the scale of this system with assays outstanding,” Cox says.
“The focus of drilling at Rocky will move shortly to a diamond tail program to commence testing for extension at depth, including the potential for a thickening of mineralisation.”
What’s next?
FBM is also seeing encouraging signs at Wallaroo (West) with further drilling planned to test the identified pegmatites in this area.
The grant of final environmental permitting will also allow the company to begin drilling north from Big Red, including other attractive combined resistivity/structural target areas such as Western Grey.
This article was developed in collaboration with Future Battery Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
