- Significant mineralised intersections from the AP0004 pegmatite have returned grades up to 1.55% Li2O
- The strike length at AP0004 now extends to 2,100m, while the nearby AP0002 pegmatite has grown to 1,500m
- To date, drilling has not closed off the lithium mineralisation and the deposit remains open along strike to the northeast and southwest
Special Report: Abundant, broad and lithium-rich drill intersections at Azure Minerals’ Andover project have confirmed the Target Area 3 hosts a substantial lithium deposit in WA’s Pilbara.
Since it kicked off in March 2023, lithium-focused drilling at Azure’s (ASX:AZS) Andover project has comprised 248 diamond core holes and 97 reverse circulation drill holes for a total of 114,556m.
Exploration has focused predominantly on the Andover pegmatite swarm at Target Area 3, which covers an area of 9km (east-west) and 5km (north-south) and hosts hundreds of outcropping pegmatites, with many containing high lithium grades from extensive surface sampling.
The Andover lithium project showing pegmatite outcrops and target areas. Pic: Supplied (AZS)
More pivotal drilling results
Latest drilling results have confirmed that lithium mineralisation is present in the AP0004 pegmatite along more than 2.1km of strike length, with results returning:
- 102.5m @ 1% Li2O from 393.5m;
- 88.4m @ 1.53% Li2O from 38m;
- 62.5m @ 1.53% Li2O from 268.5m; and
- 58.1m @ 1.21% Li2O from 120m.
Assay results have also expanded the lateral and depth extent at the AP0002 pegmatite, where the mineralised strike length now exceeds 1,500m.
Intersections here include:
- 47.1m @ 1.27% Li2O from 286.4m;
- 44m @ 1.11% Li2O from 140m;
- 40.2m @ 1.29% Li2O from 243.8m; and
- 39.3m @ 1.18% Li2O from 66.4m.
Over at the AP001 pegmatite, the hanging wall continues to be intersected with mineralisation confirmed by assays over 1,000m where stand-out results include 10.4m @ 1.45% Li2O from 62m and 4.8m @ 1.12% Li2O from 98.3m.
Eight diamond drill rigs still turning
AZS believes the results confirm consistent thickness and grade of the lithium mineralisation within the AP004 and AP0002 pegmatites, and that a major lithium-mineralised system is present at TA3.
Eight diamond drill rigs continue to drill TA3 to extend the mineralised system and define the lateral and depth extents of mineralisation in the AP0004 and AP0002 pegmatites.
All this work will underpin a maiden resource estimate for Andover in the near-term.
This article was developed in collaboration with Azure 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.
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