Premier African Minerals Ltd (LON:PREM) expects to soon start a new exploration programme at Zulu to produce a compliant resource after the potential for massive lithium-rich mineralisation was confirmed.
Recently completed 3D modelling of the Zulu pegmatite showed a direct correlation between historic data from Rhodesian Selection Trust (RST) with surface and drilling results from Premier's recent work.
George Roach, Premier chief said: "RST suggested a mineralised ore body over some 460 meters and to a depth of some 50 meters.
"Premier's exploration on surface has extended the strike of the pegmatite to 3,500 meters and in limited drilling to test depth extension, has indicated continuity to 200 meters.
"This represents a seven times increase on strike and a four times increase in depth and potentially increases RST's exploration target most substantially."
The company's new exploration programme will test the strike extensions to a limited depth and focus on generating an initial code-compliant resource for Zulu.
Bulk samples for flowsheet development are already at the laboratory and Premier hopes to produce saleable bulk concentrate in as low a capex operation as possible.
Zulu is regarded as the largest potential undeveloped lithium pegmatite in Zimbabwe.
It was intensely explored until the early 1960s and minor petalite production was reported for 1961 and 1962.
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