Savannah Resources PLC (LON:SAV) said drilling at the Grandao and Pinheiro deposits within its Mina do Barroso project in Portugal has returned a series of significant lithium intersections.
The company said highlights from diamond drilling at Grandao were 2.9m at 1.05% lithium oxide (Li2O) from 84m in drill hole 18GRADD010, 0, 29.55m at 1.67% Li2O from 95.45m in hole 18GRADD011 and 20.7m at 1.21% Li2O from 41.5m in hole 18GRADD017.
Results from reverse circulation drilling at Granado included 28m at 1.17% Li₂O from 15m in drill hole 18GRARC118 and 27m at 1.41% Li₂O from 36m in hole 18GRARC120.
At Pinheiro, results included 9m at 1.05% Li₂O from 39m in drill hole 18PNRRC012 and 27m at 0.91% Li₂O from 57m in hole 18PNRRC017.
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"The ongoing drilling programme at Mina do Barroso continues to define excellent widths and grades of lithium mineralisation at both the Grandao and Pinheiro deposits,” said chief executive David Archer.
“Thanks to much of the resource definition work and geotechnical drilling to support the definitive feasibility study being largely complete, we anticipate a slower drilling tempo at the C-100 Mining Lease in 2019.”
Archer said in 2019 the company plans to drill test the Aldeia ground with the reverse circulation rig while the diamond drill rig will focus on obtaining material for the ongoing metallurgical test-work programme as well as some geotechnical drilling.
A total of 295 holes for 24,723m have been drilled to date at Mina do Barroso as part of the ongoing reverse circulation and diamond drill programme, primarily focused on the Grandao, Reservatorio and NOA deposits.
"The year 2018 has been exceptional for the metres drilled and the resource defined in such a quick time and we look forward to continuing excellent progress for the project next year,” said Archer.