Pegmatite outcrops at Fin’s Cancet West project have strike lengths of 200m to 400m, one of which contained abundant spodumene. Pic: via Getty Images.
Mining
Maiden fieldwork at Fin Resources’ Cancet West project in James Bay has identified “abundant spodumene crystals” within a large broad pegmatite outcrop.
The 52km2 Cancet West project is 45km west of Winsome Resources’ (ASX:WR1) Cancet lithium deposit and 100km west of Patriot Battery Metal’s (ASX:PMT) world-class Corvette deposit, which has a resource of 109.2Mt at 1.42% Li2O.
A prospectivity analysis carried out by Fin Resources (ASX:FIN) in August generated seven target areas across Cancet West encompassing a number of lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite targets.
These were narrowed down to nine specific targets that were judged to require immediate follow up.
Field work has now identified at least five pegmatite bodies outcropping across the western and eastern blocks of the project, each of which has strike lengths ranging from 200m to 400m and may extend to significant distances along strike and below surface.
Notably, large – up to 30cm long green spodumene crystals, trace lepidolite, coarse muscovite, tourmaline, blue-green beryl, coarse red garnets and megacrystic feldspars were mapped within one of the pegmatite outcrops, which has been mapped over a width of more than 10m and a 200m strike length.
Fin added that the presence of tourmaline and beryl crystals suggests that the pegmatite bodies are highly evolved and consistent with LCT-type pegmatites.
“To find such minerals outcropping at surface over a reasonable strike extent is very exciting for Fin. And we can’t wait to get boots back on the ground at Cancet West to investigate the potential of the Project further,” Tom Ridges Technical Adviser to Fin said.
Additional detailed sampling is required to confirm the presence of lithium mineralisation in all currently defined pegmatite bodies.
“We are extremely excited to have confirmed spodumene within pegmatite outcrop at our Cancet West project,” chairman Jason Bontempo said.
“Following this initial spodumene discovery, the company is optimistic that additional lithium mineralisation will be discovered at Cancet West through further field work, detailed sampling and drilling.
“We are now looking forward to the field work beginning at our second high priority project area shortly at Ross.”
Fin had confirmed the spodumene samples using Raman spectroscopy at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and has now sent all samples to ALS Val D’Or for lithium assaying.
Assaying is essential as visual observations of mineral abundance are not a substitute for laboratory work to assess mineral concentrations nor do they provide information on impurities or deleterious physical properties.
The company has also started fieldwork at the Ross lithium project which will focus on nine priority target areas.
This will include high level outcrop mapping, structural measurements from outcrop visited as well as rock chip and soil sampling.
This article was developed in collaboration with Fin 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.
