Latin is back on the ground at the Catamarca lithium project

Latin Resources has resumed field work at its Catamarca lithium project in Argentina to follow up on previous successful exploration.

The company’s initial work included the discovery of outcropping spodumene-rich pegmatites and the intersection of high-grade lithium bearing pegmatites at the Northwest Alto project area.

Latin Resources (ASX:LRS) is now carrying out detailed and systematic geological mapping, outcrop rock chip sampling along strike from the known spodumene bearing pegmatites.

This is aimed at identifying and paving the way for next stage drill targets.

“The site visit has confirmed my belief that the Catamarca Project has the potential to host a significant high-grade lithium deposit. Our initial work has shown that the project contains outcropping spodumene rich pegmatites, with early drilling results returning high-grade intersections,” exploration manager Tony Greenaway noted.

“Our next phase of work will be aimed at developing our understanding of this fertile pegmatite system, through systematic mapping of the spodumene occurrences, coupled with detailed surface sampling to define follow-up drill targets.

“In parallel with this work we will be re-establishing our link with the wider Catamarca regional community through a program of ongoing and sustained community consultation via a network of local community representatives.”

Separately, the company has started drilling two scout holes at its MT03 copper project in Peru.

Catamarca project

The current work program is aimed at improving the company’s understanding of the high-grade lithium pegmatite system encountered in previous drilling it completed in 2017.

This work had returned shallow, high-grade results across multiple prospects such as:

3m at 2.98% Li2O from a down-hole depth of 90m;
4m at 2.3% Li2O from 30m;
6m at 1.62% Li2O from 18m;
12m at 1.38% Li2O from 29m; and
7m at 2.17% Li2O from 39m.

It will focus on areas immediately along strike to the north and south of the known high grade lithium pegmatites to identify extensions to the known mineralisation as well as the east and west to identify the presence of new parallel systems.

MT-03 drilling

The two scout holes at the MT-03 copper porphyry project – part of a broader 2,000m diamond drilling program – are designed to test the target to ascertain its geology and determine if the target has any indication of a copper porphyry style mineralisation setting.

MT-03 is located within a major copper producing region along trend from Southern Copper’s Tia Maria porphyry deposit (639Mt at 0.39% copper and 0.19 grams per tonne gold).

A 5km diameter circular feature observed in the analytical signal processed from aeromagnetic data shows a donut-shaped low surrounding a central high, which is possibly a potassic alteration zone.

Interpreted Andean and cross arc structures also intersect in the target area.

Together these features qualify as a potential large copper porphyry target in an area of the Southern Peru copper belt that is completely covered by recent sediments.

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.