Krakatoa finds more lithium, surprise gallium at King Tamba

• Rock chip sampling returns over 1% lithium and up to 186ppm gallium
• Gallium is a key component in semiconductors and subject to Chinese export restrictions
• More sampling and future RC drilling is planned to target shallow pegmatites

Assay results from rock sampling at Krakatoa Resources’ King Tamba project in WA have returned high grade lithium and up to 186ppm gallium – a valuable metal used in semiconductors.

The third phase of rock chip sampling confirmed high-grade lithium at the Loader prospect, with seven rock samples over 1% Li2O collected along a 130m strike length.

The company also discovered a previously unknown zone containing highly elevated levels of gallium, niobium and tantalum, with six rock samples over 100ppm gallium and a peak assay of 186ppm.

Krakatoa Resources (ASX:KTA) has now identified three subparallel lithium-enriched pegmatites over a 300m span – Wilsons, Loader and MGM — with potential for more discoveries.

It recently picked up a bunch of high-grade rock chips – peak assay 4.3% Li2O – at Wilsons.

Here, the outcropping peggies (3-4m wide, +250m long) were historically drilled for tantalum but never assayed for lithium, KTA says.

A critical minerals bonanza

Gallium has been in the spotlight recently with China introducing export controls on gallium and germanium earlier this month.

It’s used in the manufacture of semiconductor wafers in integrated circuits, around 74% of the American market, along with light and light sensitive devices like laser diodes, LEDs, photodetectors and solar cells.

In other words, it is central to everything modern from aerospace to consumer goods, industrial equipment, medical equipment and telecommunications – making it a potentially value adding commodity for the company as the world looks to secure supply chains outside of China.

Notably, the rock chip sampling also returned highly elevated niobium and tantalum, with peak assays of 0.27% Ta2O5 and 0.66% Nb2O5.

King Tamba also includes a recently announced a 5Mt at 0.14% rubidium resource.

Rubidium – which sells for US$1200/kg — is used in solar panels (photoelectric cells), motion sensor and night vision devices, and medical imaging devices.

Potential for even more lithium discoveries

The company has recently expanded the scope of its lithium exploration program by collecting a further 500 soil samples across the tenure. These are currently undergoing laboratory analysis.

Further programs of mapping, rock sampling, and costeaning are also planned, followed by a systematic campaign of RC drilling across the most prospective zones, pending heritage approval.

Krakatoa has now begun preparations for undertaking trenching over the anomalous areas and drill-testing the subsurface lithium prospects of King Tamba.

A program of works has been submitted and approved by the WA Department of Mines, with heritage approvals being sought and discussions underway with drilling contractors.

Simultaneously, the company is also conducting outcrop geological mapping and geochemical (rock and soil) sampling to generate new lithium targets across the under-explored region of its Mt Clere lithium project, also in WA.

This article was developed in collaboration with Krakatoa 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.