Westar Resources Ltd (ASX:WSR) has identified potential lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites from an initial rock chip sampling program at the recently-acquired Olga Rocks Project in the Yilgarn Region of Western Australia.
Seven pegmatite outcrops were mapped and sampled from separate eastern and central pegmatite trends, with numerous samples returning anomalous pathfinder assays, particularly for rubidium (Rb), caesium (Cs) and tin (Sn).
The mapped surface outcrops have defined two pegmatite domains, highlighting a known 350 metres strike and up to 30 metres wide, which are open in both directions beneath transported soil cover.
One of the samples returned a maximum 259 parts per million (ppm) lithium in a coarse, muscovite dominated sample, while another returned more than 100 ppm caesium in graphic, micaceous pegmatite.
Location of rock chip samples, mapped pegmatite outcrop and orientation soil sampling.
Part of world-class system
WSR interprets the pegmatites to form part of the developing world-class Forrestania lithium pegmatite swarm, which hosts Covalent Lithium’s Mt Holland Project and Zenith’s recently discovered deposits.
A maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program is being planned based on historical drilling and sampling, combined with recent mapping and pegmatite fractionation trend analysis,
WSR is progressing the permitting and approvals ahead of the campaign in the first half of the year.
Pegmatite outcrop samples.
Sampling confirms potential
Perth-based WSR acquired the Olga Rocks Project within the emerging Forrestania lithium district in January.
“Westar has wasted no time in commencing exploration activities at Olga Rocks and this initial rock-chip sampling program confirms the potential for the project to host LCT-pegmatite mineralisation,” WSR managing director Karl Jupp said.
“WSR are immediately progressing to target definition and progressing permitting and approvals with the intention of completing a maiden drilling program in the first half of 2023.”
Soil sampling
WSR also completed an orientation soil sampling line to determine the best method for exploring the pegmatites.
Eight samples were collected, returning assays that averaged 22 ppm lithium.
Further work is planned over the remainder of the tenement to test for ‘blind’ pegmatites, which occur outside of the known pegmatite occurrences.
Current plan
The company is currently finalising the geological mapping and fractionation trends based on the reconnaissance mapping and sampling.
Further, it has commissioned PGN Geoscience to assist in providing definition and orientation of the pegmatites under cover and assist in drill targeting for both LCT-style pegmatite mineralisation and gold.
Other planned exploration activities include:
- interpretation of completed mapping and fractionation trends;
- additional rock chip sampling;
- ongoing review of historical gold mining reports overlying the tenure;
- assessing the western Parker Dome tenement for LCT pegmatite potential; and
- permitting and approvals prior to a maiden ‘Proof of Concept’ RC drilling campaign.