AJN Resources Inc (CSE:AJN) announced that its recent drill program at its Manono Northeast Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has intersected a highly weathered, 80 to 100-meter-wide pegmatitic zone with visual lithium minerals.
The company said spodumene and minor lepidolite mineralization were identified in two diamond drill holes.
The pegmatitic zone is flat dipping to the southeast and exposed over a minimum of 300 meters at surface, as interpreted from reverse circulation drilling, it added.
AJN Resources said the two diamond drill holes were stopped at the intersection of an interpreted intrusive sill. It believes it is likely that the sill intruded at a later stage within or at the base of the pegmatitic zone, with the former suggesting broader widths of pegmatite can be expected below the intrusive.
“We are extremely excited that our drilling has uncovered a significant pegmatitic zone on the same trend as the high-grade lithium resources at Manono on our Manono Northeast Project,” AJN CEO Klaus Eckhof said in a statement.
“The zone lies in a similar geological setting to the Manono pegmatites being close to the granite contact and flat dipping to the southeast.”
Eckhof added that the company was further encouraged by the apparent occurrence of spodumene, which it expects will be confirmed via deeper drilling below the weathered zone and from assay results.
“The drilling has now brought us to the end of our due diligence phase and once all results have been reported, the company expects that it will be in a good position to commit to the project and proceed to earn its initial 60% project interest,” Eckhof said.
The company said the drill program has been stopped and will recommence once all drill results have been received, which will be used to guide its infill drilling program.
It said it expects the property’s “true lithium potential” is expected to be realized in future drilling which will target, unweathered pegmatites at deeper levels.