Resource growth is looking increasing at Latin’s Salinas lithium project after drilling confirmed that multiple thick, high-grade pegmatites are present at the Colina West deposit.

The latest drill assays returned results such as 26.87m grading 1.62% Li2O from a down-hole depth of 333.82m including 23m at 1.78% Li2O from 335m (SADD072) and 28.87m at 1.29% Li2O from 283.13m (SADD074).

These results not only confirm that there are lithium-bearing pegmatites present at Colina West but also indicate that the pegmatite swarm is significantly larger than that at the Colina deposit.

Latin Resources (ASX:LRS) had previously noted that drilling had extended the mineralised footprint of Colina West to over 500m along strike, which when combined with the drill assays are strong indicators that a planned resource upgrade in June will be cause for celebration.

“Our latest drilling and assay results have confirmed the presence of a major new pegmatite swarm at Colina West,” geology manager Tony Greenaway said.

“We are seeing pegmatite intersections and grades at Colina West far in excess of those we have seen at Colina itself, which we anticipate will result in a material uplift in the overall mineral resource inventory for the project.

“In addition, we are seeing a convergence of Colina and Colina West with the development of a bridging pegmatite swarm between the two areas. We believe that we may in fact be dealing with one large system.”

He added that resource definition drilling remains on track with six diamond rigs moving in a line west from Colina, and one diamond rig drilling the extension of the existing Colina resource model.

More rigs are also on the way to speed up this process.

“Our planned JORC resource upgrade, which is scheduled for June, will incorporate the down dip extensions of the existing Colina MRE, as well as bringing in the new pegmatite swarms to the west,” he noted.

Resource definition drilling

The 65,000m diamond drilling program is aimed at fast-tracking the growth of the Colina indicated and inferred mineral resource as well as defining a maiden resource at Colin West.

Drilling is systematically stepping up-dip to the west from these initial deeper intersections, testing the shallower near surface extension of this large new pegmatite swarm toward where the company has mapped outcropping pegmatite occurrences.

Shallower intersections encountered in the top of SADD077 may represent a set of “bridging” pegmatites indicating that the Colina and Colina West pegmatites may be part of one single larger system.

Latin adds that drill holes targeting the down dip extensions of the Colina resource are also showing good correlation with the block model and in some instances returning significantly thicker intersections.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Latin Resources, 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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