West Australian explorer Venus Metals reports that a mapping and sampling field program at its Youanmi lithium project has defined two pegmatite outcrops and a second lithium anomaly.
Early last month the company reported a lithium anomaly, Deep South.
Now soil sampling has resulted in the definition of a strong lithium anomaly in a largely unexplored area.
Lithium mineral similar to spodumene
The company is now reporting that two pegmatite outcrops, some 40m apart, and with common coarse petalite — a lithium mineral similar to spodumene — had returned maximum assays of 4.6% lithium oxide and 3.26% respectively.
Petalite contains fewer impurities than spodumene does.
Venus Metals says that, due to generally poor outcrop in the target area, it is difficult to establish the orientation/extent of the petalite-rich pegmatites at this stage.
Infill soil sampling and targeted rock-chip sampling, based on the interpretation of drone imagery, will begin next week ahead of definitive drill testing.
Petalite targeted in several lithium projects
The company points to several large lithium projects which contain petalite.
Petalite forms the main lithium host at the Sepeda project in Portugal.
In Zimbabwe, China’s Sinomine Resource Group owns Bikita, one of the world’s 10 largest lithium mines by production volume, where 480,000 tonnes per annum of petalite ore is being extracted.
Petalite also occurs alongside spodumene at the Arcadia lithium mine in that southern African country.
More intensive sampling needed
Managing director Matt Hogan says the results of the reconnaissance field visit are highly encouraging and warrant further closely spaced soil and rock sampling.
This will aim at better defining the general outline and dimension of the newly discovered lithium mineralisation and, specifically, the outcropping petalite zone.
“Being close to the major, crustal-scale, Youanmi Fault Zone augurs well for the discovery of a cluster of deep-seated pegmatites,” Mr Hogan added.
The lithium project is located in the mid-west region of Western Australia and is located 20km southwest of the Youanmi gold mine.
