@bocasubi @InItEarly For sure, this ann has some good...

@bocasubi @InItEarly For sure, this ann has some good implications and some bad implications.

I'm grateful for the clarity provided in this ann, as it's now clear that the everything intersected so far (above the aquifer, aka 0-78m) is extremely weathered and breaking down. We've been provided with a lot of detail on the A7BRC040 & A7BRC041 hits released a while back (below), down to each metre interval. The other holes put into this pegmatite along strike seem to be more of the same, or even less mineralised. So I'm mainly looking at these two, the best of the bunch. However, it's important to note that the lithium mineralisation, although very weak, seems to continue throughout most of the pegmatite. This may be telling for what lies below in the fresh pegmatite.



Polylithionite is technically a 'lepidolite', but lepidolite is sort of just a broad name encompassing all lithium micas in a specific solid solution:

Polylithionite is the Li-rich 'end member' of the lepidolite solid solution series, from trilithionite to polylithionite, where the former has a Li:Al ratio of 1.5:1.5, and the latter has a ratio of 2:1. So keep in mind that more Li is needed to form polylithionite out of all lepidolites, and it is the highest grade mica at a theoretical 7.7% Li2O.

It's essentially formed from weathering of spodumene through introduction of more acidic elements, as the company mentioned, though I won't bore with specifics. But to me it seems that because of this widespread polylithionite (and altered spodumene) presence, and because there must have originally been an abundance of Li throughout the pegmatite when it first formed (in order to supply the Li requirements of poly during alteration), the pegmatite likely originally consisted of largely spodumene throughout.
Although the polylithionite mineral is inherently a good grade, unfortunately the processing of micas for lithium is still far inferior to spodumene beneficiation, and is rarely economic unless carbonate prices are very high.
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As for the presence of all these other weird minerals.. Everything above the aquifer is so altered, that it's seriously a shell of it's former self. It's to the point where the surface is being kaolinised, and there's just about every form of mineral alteration you can think of. Oxidation, chloritization, epidotization, kaolinisation, etc. So many outside substances have intruded such as flouride, chloride, hydroxides, manganese, iron, chromium (they mention hiddenite), etc. Doesn't matter too much how or why, but these have all worked their way into the crystal structures and formed minerals that have diluted the weathered zone with tons of impurities, and leached out the Li.

For example, take hole 040, from about 45m to 60m. Major kaolinite replacement and apatite, with a bonus of trace Fe. Negligible Li-mineral presence.




Not to mention uranium was found multiple times throughout the drill program which is a nightmare for processing, and one of the most deleterious elements you can have in a mineral deposit.
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Ignoring these impurities, the main let down of this announcement is the estimated abundances (or should I say absence) of spodumene and polylithionite that were logged by the geo. The majority of polylithionite and spodumene occurences in each metre are typically 1-3%, less often 3-5% and occasionally 5-10%. I had hoped that since they were visible in RC chips, it would be a more consistent ~15% throughout. Alas.
To visualise the resulting Li content of these intervals, we'll assume the polylithionite and spodumene in this pegmatite both contain a consistent 8% Li2O (in practice this is lower):

For a 5% abundance in spod/poly, we would get 0.4% Li2O (0.05 * 0.08 * 100 = 0.4).
3% abundance = 0.24% Li2O, and so on.

Essentially, I just don't see the assays coming in at anything over 0.5% Li2O, except for maybe a couple of <5m polylithionite intervals, that might be ~0.8%. My guess for the grade over the whole 100m+ intersection is probably like 0.2-0.3% Li2O.

So considering the lack of li-minerals and unfortunate metallurgy, I'm personally considering the weathered zone as waste rock, which doesn't help the already-endangered strip ratio of a steeply dipping deposit (although it's quite a wide body so it can't be that bad).
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But obviously, it's not the end of the world. Here I have only focused on what is above and known, in the (somewhat) shallow weathered zone. We are yet to see what is below. If the pegmatite below is truly fresh and unweathered (how low does the saturated zone extend below?), then as I was alluding to before, the original composition could very well be consistent and widespread spodumene mineralisation. And that is the gamble.


I'll admit, inner me coping likes to think about potential intersections of a 112m wide pegmatite.. drilling at a 50 degree dip into a roughly 75 degree dipping body could yield a pegmatite intersection of ~137m... (1/sin(50+75) * 112). Now imagine it filled with spodumene

Pros:
- Polylithionite contains the highest Li concentration of any mica, indicating a wealth of Li at pegmatite formation
- Large scale pegmatite already defined (780m x 112m). Open at depth, and NE/SW. Good tonnage potential
- Real potential for economical spodumene mineralisation in fresh zone, with historic evidence and clues above in RC drilling
- Large apparent-width intersections, for the headline numbers and PUMP
- Negligible petalite/amblygonite

Cons:
- Widespread and common impurities/deleterious elements in weathered areas (uranium..!)
- Surface to 78m depth is almost certainly uneconomical, therefore a much worse strip ratio for an open pit mine (and wasted potential).
- Risk of fractured aquifer continuing far below current drilling, and contamination throughout deposit
- Still some risk of uneconomical concentration of spodumene in fresh zone


For the record I am still holding and slowly accumulating. But boy do I hope some DD visuals of fresh pegmatite come before those P2/P1 assays do.

I also hope to contact the company soon for their insight into the properties of the aquifer.. maybe they've completed that electromagnetic survey..