Infinity Mining spots visible WA lithium from maiden RC program
Infinity Mining has wrapped up its maiden RC drilling campaign at its Tambourah South lithium prospect in the Eastern Pilbara south west of Marble Bar with visible lepidolite and spodumene spotted in 18 of the 21 holes sunk for 1812m.
In total 41 individual pegmatite intervals were logged varying from 1m to 35 in width and most contained visual lithium minerals lepidolite and spodumene. The visuals were confirmed under UV light, whetting Infinity’s appetite for the forthcoming assay results expected in coming weeks.
Infinity Mining CEO, Joe Groot said: “The initial results of our maiden drilling program at Tambourah South are very exciting. The recent discovery of additional lithium pegmatites to the north demonstrates the high lithium prospectivity of the tenement.
“We certainly have a lot more exploration to do at Tambourah South, as much of this tenement is still unexplored. Next year is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Infinity.”
Infinity says the campaign was designed to test the largest lithium-bearing pegmatite bodies it has mapped and is focusing on three main prospect that run north-south – McNeill, Grumpy and Naughton. McNeil grabbed most of the drill bit’s recent attention, securing 13 of its 21 holes.
The program aimed to test both the depth of lithium mineralisation, plus the associated rare-element geochemistry and any blind repetitions of additional pegmatites at depth.
Infinity has wasted no time getting to work after discovering new lithium-pegmatites units at surface earlier this year. Only seven months later and its maiden drilling program is done and dusted.
The Queensland-based explorer has high hopes for Tambourah South that lies in the greenstones on the east margin of the Yule Batholith which hosts the relatively younger and lithium fertile Tambourah Monzogranite.
In August, the company’s mapping and rock chip geochemistry identified 36 pegmatite dykes returning grades up to 2.635 per cent lithium oxide, 0.0662 per cent rubidium and 611.3 parts per million caesium.
In total, 25 samples returned more than 1 per cent lithium oxide with 14 returning more than 1.5 per cent and six more than 2 per cent.
Tambourah South is not the only string to Infinity’s bow. Other exploration tenements it holds include Tambourah North, Strelley Gorge, Hillside, Panorama and Noreena Downs.
Besides lithium, they offer the prospect of gold, nickel, copper and zinc. Moreover, Infinity also has a swag of prospecting, exploration and mining leases and licences in highly prospective gold-copper-lithium terranes in WA’s Goldfields.
Infinity will use the results of its maiden campaign to plan next year’s exploration program, following up on any significant lithium intercepts the assays throw up. The company is also considering adding a ground-based geophysics program to help uncover any concealed pegmatites.
Lithium prices are certainly encouraging such exploration activities. They’re on a roll at present and look likely to stay high. US analyst Benchmark says 74 new lithium mines with an average size of 45,000 tonnes are needed by 2035, whilst S&P Global says that current high prices are supported by strong fundamentals – including tightness in supply. Pilbara Minerals’ latest auction of spodumene, it notes, received a record winning bid of US$7805 per ton for 5.5 per cent lithium oxide.
They all add up to an attractive set of numbers that are unlikely to have been missed by lithium hopefuls like Infinity Mining.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au