Lightning Minerals Ltd (ASX:L1M) has contracted several additional local exploration teams to expedite the first round of soil sampling and ground reconnaissance at the Esperança Project in the prolific Lithium Valley of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
The company intends to use lessons learned from exploration at the nearby Canabrava and Caraíbas lithium projects to identify early-stage drilling targets with elevated lithium in soil assays.
L1M will take the same ground exploration-focused approach, using geological mapping, soil sampling and geophysical interpretation.
The company intends to collect about 500 soil samples, particularly along the Salinas Formation in rock close to granite contacts.
“Massive potential” for discovery
“We’re accelerating our work programs in Brazil to ensure our early-stage works are completed across all our projects quickly and effectively,” Lightning Minerals managing director Alex Biggs said.
“Our geology team is nimble and knowledgeable and that allows us to conduct our works cost-effectively for the best outcome.
“The acquisition of Esperança is another step in our plans to consolidate our land holding in the Lithium Valley, an area we see as significantly under-explored but with massive potential for discovery, as proven by other operators in the region over recent years.
“The next couple of months is a busy time for the company as we begin to see results returned from across all our projects which will allow us to identify and prioritise drill targeting and increase our chances of making a discovery.
“I look forward to keeping you all informed of our progress and thank our team for their hard and diligent work.”
Lightning also expects to field results from soil sampling at the Caraíbas project imminently and is developing plans for an infill soil sampling program at Canabrava, with plans for geophysical interpretations across all three project areas.