Jinadalee Resources Ltd (ASX:JRL) has received the first assay results from 10 of 15 drill holes completed in December 2020, which have intersected substantial thickness of the flat-lying sediments hosting lithium mineralisation at the McDermitt Project in Oregon, US.
Most of the holes were mineralised over the entire sedimentary package encountered, returning 126.5 metres at 1,397 ppm lithium and 120.4 metres at 1,440 ppm lithium.
Potential to add substantial tonnages
Other notable results include 9.2 metres at 2,243 ppm lithium, including 15.3 metres at 2,459 ppm, 18.3 metres at 1,192 from 58 metres and 30.5 metres at 1,939 from 397 metres, including 29 metres at 2164 from 97.6 metres.
Hole MDRC004, around 1.1 kilometres north of the inferred resource intersected 9.2 metres at 2,243 ppm lithium from 140.3 metres and 15.3 metres at 2,459 ppm lithium from 155.6 metres, suggesting ‘excellent’ potential to add substantial tonnages in this part of the project area.
Additionally, several holes intersected significant grades at shallow depths, which is likely to impact favourably on future studies.
Drilling set to convert resources to indicated status
The density of the drilling completed to date is expected to extend the current inferred mineral resource and exploration target range as well as convert a portion of the existing inferred mineral resources to indicated status ahead of a possible scoping study.
Assay results from the remaining five holes are expected mid-February.
2020 drilling program
In mid-December, Jindalee paused its drilling program at McDermitt after members of the drilling crew tested positive for COVID-19, with 15 holes of a proposed 21-hole program completed.
All holes were vertical and were predominantly drilled using wet reverse circulation (RC).