Lord’s Phase 2 drilling program is designed to test the potential for economic lithium mineralisation at Horse Rocks. Pic: Getty Images
‘The first time in history’: Lord dives deeper into Horse Rocks with Phase 2 lithium drilling
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- Lord launches lithium hunt with Phase 2 drilling at Horse Rocks
- Horse Rocks is in an emerging lithium ‘super-province’ home to majors like Mineral Resources, Essential Metals and Liontown Resources
- Phase 2 aiming to intersect LCT pegmatites at greater depths, with newly discovered magnetic low features to be drill-tested for the first time
Lord Resources has entered the next crucial phase of exploration at its Horse Rocks project, located within what is being described as WA’s emerging ‘lithium super-province’.
Having found fine-grained weathered spodumene in the maiden drilling campaign completed in late August, Lord Resources (ASX: LRD) today kicked off Phase 2 RC drilling at Horse Rocks, about 20km south of Coolgardie.
Horse Rocks is within 8km of Mineral Resources Ltd’s (ASX: MIN) operating Mt Marion lithium mine and is also surrounded by other ground held by the Chris Ellison-led company and Essential Metals (ASX: ESS) which is currently the subject of a $150 million takeover bid from Bill Beament’s Develop Global (ASX: DVP).
The Phase 2 drilling program is designed to test the potential for economic lithium mineralisation at Horse Rocks, with holes across to be punched across the three high-priority target areas.
Magnetic survey kickstarts search for lithium deposits
Lord has identified potential extensions down-dip of the anomalous pegmatite intersected in its Phase 1 RC drilling program, headlined by a hit of 20m @ 0.11% lithium, 1129ppm caesium and 337ppm tantalum, including 3m @ 0.25% lithium and 1612ppm caesium from 9m.
Other notable intercepts were 6m @ 0.18% lithium from 16m and 1m @ 0.26% lithium and 662ppm caesium from 22m.
A recent drone magnetic survey also identified areas of intense magnetic low features which suggest potential for larger, buried pegmatites.
Lord managing director Barnaby Egerton-Warburton believes testing these magnetic signatures with the drill bit could hold the key to locating potentially economic sources of lithium.
“The company is extremely excited to dive deeper into the Horse Rocks project with a second round of RC drilling,” he said.
“The drilling will follow up the highly anomalous LCT pegmatites identified in the first round of drilling which will fully exploit the potential of this project. It will be the first time in history the newly discovered magnetic low signatures are being drill tested.”
Lord finding its feet in a good lithium territory
Other projects within spitting distance of Horse Rocks include the Bald Hill lithium mine and processing plant recently acquired by Mineral Resources and Liontown Resources Ltd’s (ASX: LTR) undeveloped Buldania project.
Horse Rocks is also considered prospective for nickel sulphide and orogenic gold mineralisation, but it was the distinct lack of any serious past exploration for lithium which drew Lord to the region in the first instance.
This article was developed in collaboration with Lord 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.
