Lightning Minerals Ltd (ASX:L1M) has bolstered its drill target portfolio and geological understanding thanks to desktop analysis and rock chip sampling at its Dundas, Mt Jewell and Mailman Hill lithium and critical minerals assets.
The company’s geologists recently completed site visits at all three WA assets, focused on drill target reconnaissance at the flagship Dundas project and surface sampling at Mt Jewell and Mailman Hill.
Promisingly, the field team believes that further pegmatite outcrops within Dundas’ E63/2001 tenement make for attractive drill targets, while Mt Jewell and Mailman Hill could also see some holes down the line.
Program of work applications have been approved across all three assets, meaning Lightning is prepared to hit the ground running once it cements its exploration strategy.
Emerging lithium and critical minerals province
Lightning Minerals CEO Alex Biggs said: “It’s great to see our team on the ground at our projects completing hands-on exploration work with a view to further refining our exploration strategy.
“It is positive to see that all our recent results at our Dundas project support our thesis of the region as an emerging lithium and critical minerals province.
“It is now pertinent to begin definition of clear exploration targets that can be tested through drilling.”
Dundas
Lightning geologists recently carried out field reconnaissance activities at the Dundas Project, primary focused on ground truthing recently identified geophysical targets.
Overall, 19 of the 28 geophysical target locations were visited and the surface expression was confirmed at each location.
Access for potential future exploration drilling programs was also confirmed and five rock chip samples were taken across the outcropping pegmatite at tenement E63/2001.
Soil sampling continues across the Dundas property — geologists are slightly more than 60% of the way through the 2,700-sample program.
Program of work applications are in development across the tenure, although drilling approvals are already in the can for tenement E63/2001.
Further permitting works for heritage and environmental clearances are now in progress.
Mt Jewell
Due to the lack of outcrop at the Mt Jewell Project, field reconnaissance activities were rudimentary.
However, the Lightning field team did confirm some historical diamond drill collar locations, meaning it can generate spatially accurate geological models to support drill targeting.
The geologists also identified some choice access routes that will come in handy during future exploration programs.
Lightning is approved to drill at Mt Jewell, and it’s seeking permits for heritage and environmental clearances.
Mailman Hill
Field reconnaissance activities at the Mailman Hill Project focused on a potential extension to a 100,000-ounce-plus JORC-compliant gold resource.
The gold deposit starts at the Crawford Project, owned and operated by fellow ASX-lister Cavalier Resources Ltd, which sits proximal to the Mailman Hill tenure.
In addition to access route work, Lighting conducted a small soil orientation campaign to confirm its techniques, meaning it can get a better sense of a broader program’s effectiveness.
As with Mt Jewell, the explorer is working on heritage and environmental approvals to support a drill campaign at Mailman Hill.