Andover is progressing drilling of both Target Area’s 1 and 3. Pic via Getty Images.
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The first three holes at Target 3 of Azure Minerals Andover lithium project in WA’s Pilbara have intersected up to 35.6m ‘true width’ visible spodumene at shallow depths, a continuation of the same thick mineralisation found at both previous target areas.
Azure Minerals’ ASX:AXS) may just have a monster lithium deposit on its hands as it continues to prove up a world class exploration target of between100Mt and 240Mt @ 1-1.5% Li20.
This would put Andover amongst the biggest in the world.
The ongoing drilling blitz continues to produce more of the same impressive results along the identified 9km-long pegmatite swarm.
Exploration has so far made multiple >100m intersections of lithium mineralisation right up to a 209.4m interval @ 1.42% Li2O – demonstrating its potential as a Tier 1 lithium asset.
“The broad, high-grade drill intercepts that we continue to deliver confirm that Andover is one of the very best lithium exploration projects globally,” Azure Managing Director Tony Rovira told Stockhead.
“For example, in the AP0011 pegmatite, we’ve got 50m to 100m-wide zones of mineralisation extending for more than 1,500m along strike and to 400m vertically below surface, and drilling is continuing to add to this mineralised system.
“Additionally, our latest drilling into the AP0003/AP0004 pegmatite in Target Area 3 has identified really good-looking mineralisation, and I except that with further drilling will add significantly to the overall resource endowment.
“Andover is an exceptional discovery and I believe that we’re only beginning to realise the full scale of the project’s potential.”
Additional assays from drilling within Target Area 1 and Target Area 2 continue to build on these thick, high grade lithium hits.
At Target Area 1, hits of up to 63.4m @ 1.56% Li2O from 420.7m have been returned, while at Target Area 2, highlights include 20.3m @ 1.7% Li2O from 114.3m.
Again, these are both true width.
Three rigs are now drilling at Target Area 3 with the first three holes intersecting significant true widths of up to 35.6m of spodumene-bearing pegmatites. Assays are pending.
To date, 191 drill holes for almost 60km have been drilled at Andover.
88 diamond core holes have been completed for 29,950m, 97 RC holes for 19,814m and six holes with RC pre-collars and diamond tails were completed for 3,163m.
The Andover pegmatite swarm extends runs 9km east-west and up to 5km north-south and contains hundreds of outcropping pegmatites, highlighting the project’s enormous potential “to become a lithium project of global significance”, says AZS.
Extensional drilling continues along the strongly mineralised AP0010/AP0011 pegmatite at Target Area 1 with latest results expanding the extensive lithium mineralisation down-dip to depths of ~400m below surface and “significantly along strike to the southwest and northeast”, AZS says.
“Drilling has now demonstrated that the AP0011 pegmatite joins up with the AP0010 pegmatite and substantial lithium mineralisation has been confirmed within this horizon over a total strike length of more than 1,500m.”
Mineralisation remains open and interested at depth and along strike to the northeast of these intersections.
“Additionally, the results of infill drilling continue to demonstrate strong internal continuity of the mineralisation, with the tightened drill spacing progressing AP0010/AP0011 towards meeting the standards for a resource estimate,” AZS says.
Four new drill rigs are currently operating in Target Area 1 with a combination of exploration and infill drilling continuing to grow and define the strongly mineralised AP0010/AP0011 pegmatite.
A further three diamond rigs have now been mobilised to Target Area 3 to define the newly identified mineralised zones, targeting along strike and down dip extensions.
The broad zones of spodumene-rich pegmatites intersected in the AP003, AP004 and AP005 pegmatites are “highly encouraging”, AZS says.
“With first assay results expected within four weeks, three drill rigs have now been mobilised to Target Area 3 to rapidly assess and delineate the potential of the pegmatite system.”
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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