Usha Resources Ltd (TSX-V:USHA) said it has discovered a significant lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) system at its White Willow Lithium Pegmatite Project.
It said maiden geological work was completed on approximately 5% of the 15,680-hectare project area and a more comprehensive field program to build on the findings will likely start in July.
The Vancouver-based company completed a two-week site visit, completing a first-pass program comprising sampling pegmatites, mapping, and prospecting, with 217 rock samples submitted for laboratory analysis.
The company said the LCT pegmatite trend at the project has a potential strike length of over eight kilometres as beryl was noted through prospecting across the length of the pegmatite swarm. About three kilometres of strike was mapped in detail, 45 new pegmatites were identified, the largest was approximately 350 metres by 70 metres, indicating that a significant LCT‑system is present at White Willow.
“We are thrilled with the findings from this initial program at White Willow,” said Deepak Varshney, CEO of Usha Resources in a statement.
“Unlike most companies who have recently acquired properties in Ontario and Quebec with a focus on location, our acquisition of this project was predicated on a technical model that showed that the two initial pegmatites identified were part of a larger unexplored system waiting to be discovered. Having now identified 45 new pegmatites within a zone where spodumene is anticipated to occur and grown the strike and width of the system over 10 and 20 times in size, respectively, we believe Willow to be a flagship asset where we firmly believe Ontario’s next major lithium discovery will occur.”
Beryl and tantalite were identified throughout the system, confirming that the White Willow system is highly evolved.
The company completed a historical data compilation that demonstrates the White Willow system is very evolved. The findings include 103 samples identified to contain anomalous lithium, 86 samples identified to contain anomalous cesium and 47 samples identified to contain anomalous tantalum. Till and lake sediment surveys identified highly anomalous lithium values that are in the 98th percentile of the entire provincial government database and beryl and tantalite are present throughout the pegmatite swarm identified at White Willow, confirming the presence of an LCT-system.
Jackpot Lake
The company added that it has mobilized and arrived onsite as it prepares to resume drilling at its Jackpot Lake lithium brine project in Nevada. It plans to advance JP22-01 and JP22-02 to approximately 2,000 feet.
The work will build on the recent identification of the highest grades of lithium at the project at JP22-02, where grades as high as 820 parts per million (ppm) were identified in shallow soils.
Usha Resources is a mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality battery and precious metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com