Lightning Minerals Ltd has selected Energold Drilling S.A. as the preferred contractor for a drilling program to test spodumene within pegmatites at the Esperança Lithium Project in the Lithium Valley region of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Drilling in the 2,000-metre program is expected to begin in the week of February 15, 2025.
The company is targeting spodumene NE trending pegmatites with proven spodumene and elevated lithium in soil anomalies discovered at Esperança in November 2024.
Next logical step
“It’s always exciting to begin a new drill program and with the targets we have generated the next logical step is to begin drill testing at the Esperança project,” Lightning Minerals managing director Alex Biggs said.
Preliminary Esperança drill plan.
“Our team has worked hard over the past six months to define strong lithium targets in a very prospective region.
"Our inaugural drill program in the Lithium Valley is only the first target of multiple areas that have been identified that demonstrate significant lithium potential across all three project areas: Esperança, Caraíbas and Canabrava.”
Mobilisation underway
Mobilisation is underway for the drill program at Esperança, which aims to test priority targets identified through recent regional geochemical sampling and geological mapping.
The program will assess the potential for fresh pegmatites beneath the highly weathered pegmatites observed at and near the surface.
Soil sampling and rock chip sampling locations (lithium) at the Esperança project.
Energold’s specialist modular drill rigs will be used to minimise clearing requirements and environmental impact while providing flexibility in drilling.
This adaptability is crucial, as drill plans may be adjusted as new data on the target area emerges during the program.
Spodumene confirmed at Esperança
During extensive ground reconnaissance and soil sampling across its three project areas in the Lithium Valley — Esperança, Caraíbas and Canabrava — the company identified artisanal workings at the Esperança project.
Initial analysis of mineral sample VLM207 returned Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) results of 4.04% lithium oxide (Li₂O), while whole rock assays yielded 0.38% Li₂O.
These lower whole rock values align with expectations, given that the samples were collected from a highly weathered profile.
Spodumene-rich portion of the zoned pegmatite discovered at the Esperança project (left): Large elongate spodumene crystals (Spd) up to 50cm in length showing homogeneous growth patterns amongst a quartz (Qtz) and Feldspar (Fdsp) rich matrix (right).
The company plans to start drilling to test deeper zones beyond 30 metres, where fresh spodumene-bearing pegmatites may be present beneath the sub-cropping weathered material.
Additionally, Raman spectroscopy conducted using a Bruker BRAVO Raman spectrometer confirmed the presence of spodumene and further verified the weathered nature of the samples.
Plenty going on in Brazil
The Esperança Project is just one of several on Lightning’s radar, with ground reconnaissance ongoing at the Caraíbas and Canabrava projects: lithium-in-soil anomalies of up to 429 parts per million (ppm) and 320 ppm, respectively, have been identified.
Drill targeting is under evaluation across multiple areas, with drilling planned for later in 2025.