The current Phase 3 exploration program at Gorman, Ontario, is expected to take ~3 weeks to complete. Pic via Getty Images.
Mining
A Phase 3 follow-up geochemistry program has kicked off at the Gorman spodumene bearing lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite trend where several high-grade rock samples up to 3.71% Li2O were returned in July.
The mineralised LCT pegmatites at Gorman sit only 68km to the northwest and along trend of Frontier Lithium’s (TSXV:FL) world-class PAK-Spark lithium development project, one of the largest and highest grade hard rock lithium deposits in North America.
Both projects sit in an area of Ontario coined ‘Electric Avenue’ due to its scale and prospectivity for battery minerals, where PAK-Spark returned a whopping 398m at 1.88% Li2O intersection, including 23m at 3.12% Li2O, in May.
In July, Patriot Lithium (ASX:PAT) announced excellent results from its maiden program, which delineated outcropping lithium mineralised LCT pegmatites along a 5.2km trend – which remains open – as well as high grade rock chip assay results including multiple results over 3% Li2O from each of the G0-G3 pegmatites.
A peak grade of 3.71% Li2O was returned from the G2 pegmatite. Image via Patriot Lithium.
Importantly, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses also confirmed that spodumene is the only lithium mineral in these newly identified LCT pegmatites.
Patriot is now undertaking soil, rock chip, and sawn channel sampling across multiple spodumene bearing pegmatites at Gorman as part of Phase 3 exploration to better define and extend known mineralisation zones and identify further spodumene mineralisation.
The main goal is to expand the footprint of mineralisation to better define drilling targets planned to be tested in the first half of next year.
A secondary focus will be to perform additional geological mapping and rock sampling in areas of the property which were not yet examined during the first phase due to time constraints, including the Chocolate Milk pegmatite trend, approximately 5km to the north of the main trend.
PAT CEO and managing director Nicholas Vickery says with Gorman shaping up as an exciting exploration project with significant potential, the team is eager to get back on the ground following the outstanding results from maiden reconnaissance and sampling.
“We have defined a large, open-ended 5.2km trend through our G0, G1, G2 and G3 spodumene pegmatite outcrops,” he says.
“At each of these pegmatite outcrops, we collected high-grade rock chips up to 3.7% lithium oxide.
“Importantly, this trend, and each of the pegmatite outcrops within it, are currently open in all directions.”
“We’re excited to continue this early momentum at Gorman based on our highly encouraging early exploration activities.
The scale and mineralisation of the Bearhead Lake fault, which hosts Frontier Lithium’s world-class PAK-Spark lithium development project and seems to extend through Patriot’s Gorman property some 70km away, continues to surprise and impress.
We will be working hard to obtain all necessary permits and approvals at Gorman with the aim of drilling in the first half of next year.”
This Phase 3 exploration program is expected to be completed in early September, with drilling planned to be commenced in the first half of next year, subject to permitting and approvals.
Preliminary planning has been completed for this maiden drill program, with drilling permit applications planned to be submitted following integration of results from this Phase 3 work.
This article was developed in collaboration with Patriot Lithium, 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.
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