Extensive visual spodumene is a strong hint that Green Technology Metals could be increasing resources at its Root lithium project. Pic: Getty Images
Visual spodumene in Green Technology Metals drilling hints at Root resource upgrade
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- Visual observation of extensive spodumene in drill core bodes well for lithium resource growth at the Root project
- Green Technology Metals says confirmation by assaying could extend pegmatite mineralisation below current pit depths
- Revised resource will include assays from current Phase 1 and upcoming Phase 2 drilling
Special Report: Visual observation of up to 30% spodumene content in thick intervals of pegmatites intersected by Phase 1 drilling has increased Green Technology Metals’ confidence in growing the lithium inventory at its Root project in Canada.
To date, the company has drilled six of the planned 16 diamond holes in Phase 1 with hole RB-24-002 intersecting 17.3m of spodumene at ~30% while RB-24-001 hit 16.3m at ~28% spodumene.
Green Technology Metals (ASX:GT1) says the high visual spodumene estimates in the southern sections of both the RB006 and RB007 pegmatites is promising as they suggest potentially high lithium grades.
Should this observation be confirmed by assays – which will provide grades of lithium oxide in the rocks – it could significantly extend pegmatite lithium mineralisation below the current open pit design.
The RBD006 pegmatite has a confirmed downdip extent of over 1000m with 700m lying below the US$850/t pit design, indicating potential for an extended underground project while further testing is required for RBD007, which continues at depth with potentially mineable underground thicknesses.
Phase 1 of the drill program is being carried out to test the downdip extensions of pegmatites to support the expansion of resources.
This will support the company’s plan of becoming Ontario’s first integrated lithium producer, a goal that attracted a $8m investment at a premium from South Korean electric vehicle battery metals producer EcoPro Innovations in August this year.
“We are pleased with the preliminary visual indications of spodumene in pegmatite drill core at the ongoing drilling at Root Bay,” managing director Cameron Henry said.
“The drill program is progressing well and has confirmed the downdip extent of pegmatites RB006 and RB007, highlighting strong potential for underground resource expansion.
“Our flow-through spending commitments have also enabled us to resume work to the East, where we are excited to continue drilling from 2023 and early indications from the maiden drilling suggest significant potential for a similar discovery to Root Bay which has a current combined JORC resource at the Root Bay and McCombe deposits of 14.6Mt at 1.21% Li2O.”
Next steps
Another 10 holes under Phase 1 are planned to be completed over the next month with depths ranging from 462m to 771m to test the mineralisation extents and confirm previous extrapolation of the mineralisation from earlier drilling.
GT1 also expects to start the Phase 2 drill program of 10 holes totalling 4000m at Root Bay East on November 18, 2024.
This will further delineate the pegmatite extents from the maiden drilling program completed in 2023, which had returned results such as 23.3m at 1.16% Li2O from 197m (RBE-23-007) and 11.7m at 1.12% Li2O from 216.3m (RBE-23-009).
Initial assay results from this program are expected to be received in the upcoming weeks and a revised resource update prepared, pending receipt of all assays and the subsequent completion of data interpretation.
*Cautionary Statement – Visual Estimates References to visual results and visual estimates of mineralisation. Green Technology Metals draws attention to uncertainty in reporting visual results. Visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analyses where concentrations or grades are the factor of principal economic interest. Visual estimates also potentially provide no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations.
This article was developed in collaboration with Green Technology Metals, 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.
