It depends how they were stored and assayed in the first place. Assaying requires grinding/pulverising the initial drill core and how it is prepared for assaying etc. In assaying it will boil down to the technique used for what they were assaying for in the first place to determine whether contamination has occurred and therefore if retesting for other minerals later on whether that can influence/skew outcomes. Given some of the cores are likely quite old and assaying techniques have changed over time
Having 140kms of drill core though will provide guidance where to drill, despite the above, but re-drilling the area will determine the actual outcomes. Unless, they still have a half cores in each area then they can use that outright to test for what you want to test for in the now without any issues that can impact results. When assaying, one practice is to cut the core in half and assay only half of the core for minerals - if you get decent hits/assays for that half core you then generally re-assay the other half to determine whether you did the assaying correctly and whether the results are identical similar to the previous assay results and if so all systems are go.
So, if there are any drill cores left not assayed then that is good/fantastic - if you are relying on previous assays that have been 'treated'/tested, results do depend on how that initial core was grinded/pulversied and how it was treated in the initial testing results.
But it is still very good to have access to old assays/data/samples. Saves a lot of time and money by focussing one on where to target drilling and to retest mineralisation for what you are seeking to find - here lithium.
NIS is actually an interesting development in that if it does find lithium in the required grades, well it already has a willing buyer who has a plant already available to convert it to spodumene concentrate. Very good risk/reward here IMO.
For those seeking to understand lithium potential, demand/supply:1. the potential of hard rock lithium deposits and what comprises a good deposit as well as conversions referPost #:697112722. How much lithium is in a battery refer -Post #:408551323. What is the value of lithium in a battery referPost #:663300034. Lithium demand and number of new mines required to meet demand referPost #:67439660Obviously NIS needs to find something before the above applies.
Some reading on assaying techniques:
What are the most effective methods for sampling and assaying in mining geology? (linkedin.com)All IMO
