Askari unearths lithium at Namibian project

Askari Metals has encountered visible lithium mineralisation from the first phase of drilling at its Uis lithium project in Namibia in addition to intersecting tantalum and tin in the site’s pegmatites.

The company has just wrapped up its first drill campaign at the African operation where it completed 59 RC holes for 3017m as part of an overall 10,000m program set to recommence in February next year.

A recent surface sampling program at Uis returned positive results including grades of up to 3.1 per cent lithium oxide, 1.3 per cent tin, 658 parts per million tantalum and 4214ppm rubidium. The samples were collected over a large number of exposed pegmatites including several old mine workings where historical mining for tin and semi-precious stones occurred.

The Uis Mine View prospect was the main target of the drilling campaign and took the majority of the metres drilled. The exploration program also tested two other targets including one near the centre of the tenement that produced rock sample results of up to 1.1 per cent lithium oxide and 658 parts per million tantalum. The third target was an area where reconnaissance sampling identified results including 0.92 per cent lithium oxide and 0.76 per cent tin.

The project is located directly along strike from an operating tin, tantalum and lithium mine owned by AfriTin Mining that hosts a mineral resource of 71.54 million tonnes at 0.63 per cent lithium oxide, 0.134 per cent tin and 85ppm tantalum.

The company believes it has locked onto proven strike extensions of the same mineralised lithologies as the mine next door. Several areas within the project exhibiting the same geology remain untested, leaving the door ajar for further exploration upside. So far there have been more than 80 mapped pegmatites across the project.

Askari Metals Exploration and Geology Vice President, Johan Lambrechts said: “The pegmatites at the Uis lithium project had never been drill tested historically so this is naturally an exciting time for the company and we eagerly await receipt of the results from this phase I drilling campaign.”

The explorer recently signed a binding heads of agreement with Earth Dimensions Consulting to acquire an 80 per cent interest in a lithium prospective tenement adjacent to Uis. The purchase expands the strategic footprint of Askari’s newly acquired project to more than 308 square kilometres in a distinguished mineral field that has already been established to host lithium, tantalum, tin and rubidium.

Askari says in addition to its planned second phase of drilling in the new year, the company will continue its surface mineralisation mapping and sampling campaign across unexplored areas.

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