• Diamond drilling continues to intersect high-grade lithium at Blakala
  • High-grade mineralised strike now confirmed to a length of 960m
  • Drilling is continuing with further assays pending
  • Maiden resource expected in the first half of 2024

 

Special Report: First Lithium continues to prove the prospectivity of the Blakala deposit with further diamond assays returning high-grade lithium intersections that confirm the Main Pegmatite to a strike of circa 960m.

Blakala is just one of two Tier 1 priority lithium targets in Mali ranked by CSA Global back in 2008, the other being Leo Lithium’s (ASX:LEO) 211Mt Goulamina project.

While this was the original impetus for First Lithium (ASX:FL1) to explore the deposit within its Gouna permit, exploration over the last few years has clearly highlighted CSA’s original belief was well-placed.

First assays from the diamond drilling received in December returned a top hit of 111m at 1.57% Li2O from 33m in hole BDFS02, including a 10m at 3.39% Li2O and a 4.43% over 5m (34m to 39m) within this zone.

Meanwhile, channel sampling returned results such as 1.94% Li2O over 19m, 1.87% Li2O over 18m and 1.9% Li2O over 22m that validate the Eastern and Western pegmatites as additional high-grade and wide spodumene mineralised targets.

First Lithium (ASX:FL1)
Locality of diamond drillholes BDFS04 to BDFS15. Source: FL1

 

Results validate visual estimates of spodumene in cores

Assays from a further 12 diamond holes have now provided even more support for the riches present within Blakala, with notable results such as:

  • 63.5m at 1.45% Li2O from 32.55m including 27.5m at 2.07% Li2O from 32.55m (BDFS05);
  • 39.6m at 1.86% Li2O from 24.1m including 12m at 2.08% Li2O from 29m and 13m at 2.08% Li2O from 50m (BDFS08); and
  • 29mn at 2.02% Li2O from 27m (BDFS06).

Holes BDFS04 to BDFS15 are all within the Main Pegmatite body, confirming the high-grade mineralised strike by assay results is now circa 960m and still open to the north and south, not far short of the 1.2km strike by visual observation of mineralisation.

Adding further interest, the results also validate the visual estimates of spodumene percentages in the cores.

“The assay results provided support to the visual estimates indicated at the time of drilling,” FL1 managing director Venkat Padala said.

“The mineralised intersections are really starting to create a picture of the potential of this project and the scope of the discovery.

“Drilling continues and is almost 70% complete with the program expected to be finalised in February. This will provide FL1 a very clear runway to its maiden resource being available sometime in the first half of 2024.”

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with First Lithium, 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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