Latin launches big drill program to grow Salinas lithium resource

Latin Resources has embarked on an extensive 65,000m resource expansion drill program at its flagship Salinas lithium project in Brazil.

Highlighting the scale of this endeavour, six small footprint diamond drill rigs have arrived on site and commenced drilling while two additional larger, truck mounted rigs are scheduled to arrive on site in February.

The resource infill and expansion program will focus on fast-tracking the growth of Indicated and Inferred Resources at the Colina deposit and resource definition for the Colina West prospect.

Latin Resources (ASX:LRS) added that the upgrade and expansion of its core logging, processing and storage facility is also nearing completion while targeted large diameter diamond core drilling for detailed metallurgical DMS pilot plant and other testwork will begin in February.

“We are all excited to have drilling started again in 2023, where we will be looking at rapidly expanding our mineral resource base through infill and extension drilling at Colina, and systematically drilling out the new Colina West Prospect,” geology manager Tony Greenaway said.

“The initial results from hole SADD033 drilled into Colina West last year was a watershed moment for the team, and our understanding of the larger mineralised system at Colina.

“While we are still waiting to receive all the assay results from the additional holes completed in Colina West toward the end of last year, we are confident that with continued drilling, we will be in a position to upgrade and expand our mineral resource base in the 2023 March quarter.”

latin resources — Man portable/ modular diamond drilling rig. Pic: Supplied

Lithium growth

The 65,000m program aims to rapidly expand Indicated and Inferred Resources at Colina, which currently stands at 13.3 million tonnes grading 1.2% Li2O as well as providing sufficient drill coverage over Colina West to define resources in this emerging high priority prospect.

Previous drilling at Colina West, including SADD033, has shown the presence of multiple spodumene bearing pegmatites including some thick high-grade intersections that are outside the limits of the current resource estimate.

Additional drilling completed in late 2022 has intersected these same pegmatites in multiple drillholes, confirming the continuity both up and down dip from SADD033.

Infill and extension drilling at the Colina Deposit itself will focus on the down dip extensions of the high-grade mineralisation in the north where the current resource block model shows thick, high-grade mineralisation that is open at depth.