Golden State follows the pathfinders at Pilbara gold-lithium project

GSM completes RC/AC drilling at Yule lithium, gold and base metals project in WA
While no ore-grade lithium intercepts were had, drilling did flag more arsenic anomalism common to large, Tier 1 lithium deposits like Greenbushes and Goulamina
Assays from gold-focused AC drilling at Yule East are pending

Golden State Mining has wrapped up air-core (AC) and reverse circulation (RC) drilling targeting lithium, gold and base metals at its Yule project in the Pilbara.

Golden State is hunting for Tier 1 gold and lithium discoveries at the project which sits just 13km from De Grey Mining’s (ASX:DEG) world class Hemi gold discovery.

It’s also a proverbial stone’s throw from very popular lithium plays Wildcat Resources (ASX:WC8) and Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS) who have enjoyed outstanding success at their respective projects.

While RC results for the Nomad prospect did not return a lithium-ore grade intercept, they did deliver coherent broad lithium and pathfinder anomalism.

This wide spaced drilling has bolstered Golden State’s understanding of lithium target areas to attack in future exploration.

“Reverse circulation and air-core drilling at our Yule project in the Pilbara, Western Australia, has returned coherent broad zones of anomalous lithium-caesium-rubidium in drillhole intercepts which will help to optimise future drilling for lithium mineralisation at Nomad,” Golden State Mining (ASX:GSM) managing director Michael Moore said.

“In total, the company drilled 120 RC and AC holes for just over 12,000m and we continue to be optimistic after the discovery of spatially broad lithium-caesium-rubidium intercepts at Nomad along with another wide zone of significant nickel-cobalt results at the Balla Yule prospect from the bedrock surface.

“Although we have not yet achieved a lithium ore-grade intercept, our wide spaced drilling has defined legitimate follow up target areas.”

Assays from AC drilling at the Yule East project are pending.

Arsenic anomalism is promising

AC drilling at Nomad flagged several anomalous end of hole lithium-Caesium-Rubidium (Li-Cs-Rb) intervals.

Most notable is the occurrence of arsenic as an accessory mineral – because it has previously been documented at major lithium pegmatite deposits such as the giant Greenbushes pegmatite and at the Goulamina deposit in Mali.

The lithium and pathfinder values at Nomad appear to be increasing on a southwest trend where the prospective low magnetic corridor remains open and completely untested by any drilling for approximately 1.5km.

And although pegmatitic intrusives were not observed, field logging recorded a deformed and altered greenstone package that represents a suitable host rock for pegmatite intrusives and/or possibly lode gold mineralization.

The company says the presence of moderately magnetic greenstones in this open area further supports the prospectivity of this corridor as a potential pegmatite host.

“Significantly, we have recorded compelling wide and encouragingly, coherent intercepts of Li-Cs-Rb at the Nomad prospect, along with further arsenic anomalism,” Moore said.

“This remains open into a completely untested area to the southwest and really highlights the significant pegmatite pathfinder signature that we are building at the Nomad target.”

Data for the next phase of drilling

GSM says this data provides valuable information for targeting in the next phase of drilling, particularly at the Nomad prospect where elevated lithium pathfinders support further investigation pending a comprehensive assessment of all geophysical, lithological and analytical data – including the application of innovative exploration techniques.

The company will now focus on the next phase of exploration at Nomad which may include further mineralogical and petrographic work to understand the mineralogy associated with the higher value Cs and Li samples.

“We are also assessing the potential for an active seismic survey to better understand the structural environment as well as exploring the opportunity to drill a number of diamond holes for an enhanced understanding of local structural framework and stratigraphy,” Moore said.

Further targeting and a study of analytical results will also shape a future exploration strategy for the Ni-Co sulphide potential beneath known “oxide-hosted Ni-Co mineralisation” at the Balla Yule prospect.

Assay results from the Yule East gold-focused AC drilling are expected in mid-November.

This article was developed in collaboration with Golden State Mining, 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.