Lithium Universe has laid the groundwork for a highly active 2024 exploration campaign with the successful completion of a large work program at the Apollo lithium project in the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada.
After flying in an exploration crew for the fieldwork campaign at Apollo in August and September, Lithium Universe has now completed a work program which has provided key information for a proposed 2024 drilling campaign and a new understanding of the geology of the area.
The receipt of final soil laboratory analysis has pointed Lithium Universe to target initial drilling along a major east-west trending fault shear corridor feature that extends from the Apollo project to Winsome Resources’Adina lithium project to the east.
Exploration activities at Adina have already identified a total strike length of lithium mineralised trend of over 3 km, with mineralisation remaining open to the east and west of reported intercepts.
Drilling at Adina has also delivered some impressive results, including 1.34 % lithium oxide (Li2O) over 107.6m from 2.3m to 109.9m and maiden resource of 59 million tonnes at 1.12% Li2O.
Numerous targets to follow-up
Lithium Universe chairman Iggy Tan said information from the company’s intensive work program has also generated additional targets which may be included in a future maiden drilling program in 2024.
“The summer/fall program of work and laboratory analysis sets the company up with great interpretation and understanding of the geology of the Apollo lithium project,” Mr Tan said.
“The work has been methodical and systematic, which is required to map out a drilling campaign in the new year.”
A total of 209 rock chip samples were collected over 666 km of traverses covering a majority of the 240 square kilometre Apollo permit to evaluate the potential for rare element lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite, spodumene mineralisation, and geochemical pathfinders.
A total of 2,220 soil samples were collected in a targeted 300m by 150m program undertaken on the north-west and central parts of the project.
The company’s geologists are using the samples to analyse the concentration of lithium and other elements in the soil, which can provide an indication of the underlying geology and potential lithium-bearing minerals.
Updated geological interpretation
A follow-up laboratory analysis has led to an updated geological interpretation for the Apollo project resulting in a greater understanding of key rock types and their extent across the permit.
This includes a greater understanding of magnetic features identified throughout the airborne magnetic survey previously undertaken.
Notably, the results of the fieldwork, has identified what appears to be a major east-west trending fault shear corridor feature that extends from the Apollo project to the nearby Adina project.
Lithium Universe’s initial drilling targets have been designed specifically to test shear corridor features defined by anomalous lithium, caesium, tantalum, beryllium, tin, niobium and tungsten anomalies and trends.
Rich lithium area
The Apollo project is also located in the same greenstone belt and only 29 km south-east of Patriot Battery Metals’world-class Corvette lithium project where a 156m section at 2.12% Li2O was drilled at the CV5 deposit.
Recently listed Lithium Universe is focused on establishing a major lithium mining and processing hub in Québec and a vertically integrated mine to battery grade lithium carbonate processing hub strategy.
Exploration success at Apollo is a key component of its strategy.
