- Future Battery Minerals has found fresh intersections of high-grade lithium spodumene at Kangaroo Hills in WA
- Five diamond drill holes were collected in stage-two drilling
- Stage three drilling is set to kick off with another diamond drill rig on-site in the next fortnight
- The company has sent spodumene samples to metallurgy labs
- Future Battery Minerals closed down 4.35 per cent to 11 cents on Monday
Future Battery Minerals (FBM) has today announced fresh discoveries of high-grade lithium at its Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project (KHLP) in second-stage drilling.
Five diamond drill holes returned cores showing a series of lithium intersections.
What’s more, the style of mineralisation is that of spodumene, the preferred lithium host mineral of choice with a view to downstream preparation for inclusion into EV batteries.
One 23 metre wide section came in at a concentration of 1.19%, a 10 metre section was positive for 1.30% lithium, and a 5.9m section found 1.15%.
In first-stage drilling, the company intersected a 29m wide section at 1.36% lithium from 38 metres depth; a 27 metre wide section at 1.35% lithium from 64 metres depth, and a 23 metre wide section at 1.03% lithium.
The company has submitted some of its samples to a metallurgy lab to test the qualities of the on-site spodumene with a view towards downstream processing and beneficiation.
The location of rigs throughout second-stage drilling were informed by RC drilling activities in March of this year which identified shallow high-grade lithium pegmatites. Both campaigns targeted the ‘Big Red’ prospect.
“Diamond drilling has been invaluable at this early stage of the project, providing the team with the ability to conduct detailed geological and mineralogy logging,” Future Battery Minerals Technical Director Robin Cox said.
“As the Company proceeds with drilling the Phase 3 RC programme, preparations are underway to mobilise a diamond core rig to the site within the next fortnight. This rig will complement the current drilling programme at the KHLP.”
However, the company must first win environmental regulatory approval for further drilling at Big Red – as well as the ‘Western Grey’ and ‘Quokka’ prospects – as all three prospects partly encroach on a timber reserve.
Future Battery Minerals closed down 4.35 per cent to 11 cents on Monday.