from the ASX...Pioneer Dome Lithium Project: 32 high-priority and 16 medium priority lithium-caesium targets identified out of a total of 99 areas of interest. Work continuing to define drill-ready targets by June.
CREST to spend $4M over four years to earn a 75% interest in the nickel rights with a minimum annual spend of $750,000. Essential Metals will retain a 25% interest and is free-carried up to a Decision to Mine.
99 lithium-caesium areas of interest identified, of which 32 are considered high priority and a further 16 ranked as medium priority.
The in-depth review utilised all in-house and all publicly available geochemical datasets, focusing on anomalous rubidium, lithium and tantalum in combination with magnetic and structural geological data.
Pioneer Dome already hosts the Dome North Lithium Mineral Resource of 11.2Mt @ 1.21% Li2O. Scoping level metallurgical test work completed on the main pegmatite, the Cade Deposit, shows 74% lithia recovery to a saleable concentrate grade of 5.6% Li2O with a low iron (Fe2O3) content of 0.7% using a hybrid Dense Medium Separation (DMS) + flotation flowsheet.
A drill programme to test new prospects and expand the Dome North Resource is targeted for early in the June Quarter. Planning will also commence for a Scoping Study to be initiated at the appropriate time.
Juglah Dome Gold Project assays: Due to laboratory workloads, the results of the December drilling are now expected by mid-February.
DOME NORTH LITHIUM PROJECT
Excellent results received from metallurgical test work carried out on the Cade Deposit in December.
A total lithium oxide (Li2O) recovery rate of 74% was achieved using a hybrid Dense Medium Separation (DMS) + flotation flowsheet to produce a 5.6% lithia (Li2O) concentrate with a low 0.7% iron (Fe2O3) content.
The test work showed that the high-grade Cade Deposit is amenable to conventional process routes.
'Whole of ore' flotation at a grind size of p80 0.15mm achieved a recovery of 67% Li2O at a concentrate grade of 6.0% Li2O and 0.6% Fe2O3. Dense Medium Separation (DMS) at a crush size of p100 3.15mm +0.85mm achieved a recovery of 28% Li2O at a concentrate grade of 5.7% Li2O and 0.9% Fe2O3. First-pass metallurgical test work programme expected to be completed end-October. The recently updated Mineral Resource for Dome North stands at 11.2Mt at 1.21% Li2O and 40ppm Ta2O5, with 51% of the contained lithium located within the high-confidence Indicated Resource at the Cade Deposit (5.4Mt @ 1.3% Li2O - refer ASX release dated 29 September 2020).
Contained lithia (Li2O) in the Mineral Resource has increased substantially by 33% from 102,000 tonnes to 136,000 tonnes. 51% of the contained Li2O is classified as an Indicated Mineral Resource — 5.4Mt @ 1.3% Li2O from the Cade Deposit. The Mineral Resource now includes three mineralised pegmatites; Cade, Heller and Davy, located within 2km of each other. The Dome North Project is located <10km from key infrastructure, including a major highway and gas and water pipelines. It is approximately 275km from the Esperance bulk and container Seaport. Metallurgical test work on the Cade Deposit is well advanced with results expected in the second half of October. Extensional drilling immediately north of the Sinclair Caesium Mine is complete with assays expected to take 4 to 6 weeks. Drilling in one of three zones tested intersected visual crystalline pollucite.
A mineralised corridor has been modelled using existing high grade caesium drill intersections which confirm mineralisation extends up to 80m from the northern open pit wall of the Sinclair Caesium Mine. The drill programme will target a total length of 120m as well as aim to infill and widen the mineralised zones around the existing drill intersections. A separate pegmatite, PEGOO7, that lies approximately 1km north of the Sinclair Caesium Deposit has also been identified as a target for caesium and will be drill tested in this programme.
DOME NORTH Lithium Project The third drill programme was completed in June. The standout result (received in July) was drill hole PDAC386 at the Cade Deposit, which intersected a thick high-grade zone of 23m of fresh pegmatite including 21m @ 1.79% Li2O from 4 metres, the highest grade intersection to date at Dome North. The results from the drill programme will feed into an updated JORC Resource Estimate, expected to be completed during the September Quarter. Metallurgical test work on mineralisation from the Cade Deposit continued with promising preliminary results.
An aircore (AC) drill programme was completed in June totaling 123 holes and 6,740m. All assays results have now been received. Drill hole PDAC386 at the Cade Deposit, intersected a thick high-grade zone of 23m of fresh pegmatite including 21m @ 1.79% Li2O from 4 metres, the highest grade intersection to date at Dome North. This intersection is substantially thicker and higher grade than what was modelled in the maiden JORC Resource Estimate for the Cade Deposit (refer ASX release 25 November 2019). An updated JORC Resource Estimate will now be prepared for the Dome North Lithium Project. The first phase of metallurgical test work using heavy liquid separation (HLS) on spodumene mineralisation from the Cade Deposit achieved lithia (Li2O) recoveries of up to 33% (P100 6.3mm sizing) to obtain a 6% concentrate. The second phase of metallurgical test work is now underway to determine the best lithia recovery rates achievable via flotation. Results from this work are expected end-October.
