Usha Resources Ltd (TSX-V:USHA) has completed five weeks of fieldwork at the White Willow lithium pegmatite project, 170 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The work has increased the potential strike length of the lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatite trend on the property to more than 25 kilometres.
It remains open at both ends.
Two teams will now be deployed onsite for up to six weeks to maximize the mapping, sampling and prospecting that can be completed prior to initiating drilling.
Assays from 618 samples have delineated 10 high-priority drill targets with potassium/rubidium ratios (K/Rb) below 30.
K/Rb is a key tool in identifying potentially spodumene-bearing dykes.
To date, 10 pegmatites have been identified with K/Rb ratios lower than 30 with a low of 7.5.
Values below 30 are indicative of rare-earth pegmatites, 20 of spodumene-subtype pegmatites, and those below 10 are often associated with economic spodumene pegmatites.
The company intends on drilling each of the 10 target pegmatites as part of its maiden drill program.
"We are thrilled with the findings from the initial programs at White Willow and are very excited to continue to build on our success," said Deepak Varshney, chief executive of Usha Resources.
"As seen at Patriot Battery Metals' Corvette project, which has over 20 kilometres of trend, lithium pegmatite swarms occur in clusters, each of which has the potential to become a deposit. We now have 10 primary target areas across our 25-kilometre plus trend that include two highly evolved LCT pegmatite swarms at Bingo and Maple Leaf. With significant ground remaining between Bingo and Maple Leaf for further exploration and follow-up, we intend on maximizing the remaining time in the field season before commencing preparations for maiden winter drill program.”