Bradda Head Lithium Ltd (AIM:BHL) said it received conditional permission to start exploration drilling at its Wikieup sedimentary claims in Central Arizona.
Drilling can begin once a bond payment is adjudicated. Bradda posted the bonding payment required by the Bureau of Land Management as of 25/10/2021 and exploration permits should be issued within 30 days of these fees being received.
The permission received refers to 9.8km2 of Bradda's Wikieup project covering Sections 12, 13 and Wikieup NW exploration targets, representing the main focus area for the AIM-traded company.
Last month, Bradda Head announced promising initial results from its 2021 geophysics programme at Wikieup.
READ: Bradda Head says initial results from Burro Creek and Wikieup projects are 'very promising'
The company said drilling is expected to start in the fourth quarter. The drilling programme has the potential to add to Bradda's existing JORC resource of 185,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent at its Burro Creek East asset, which covers only 2% of Bradda's claim package.
"Bradda is continuing with its fast-track efforts to unlock the value of its sedimentary lithium opportunity at the Wikieup/Burro Creek area,” said chief executive Charles FitzRoy.
“We are now starting Phase 2 of our current drilling programme plan at our Wikieup licence area. This will bring the total area drilled on our extended land package (47kms2) to c.20% which compares favourably with the 2% we inherited.
This is a huge and important step for the company, with a maiden resource from Wikieup planned for Q2 2022.
"It is an exciting time for management and our shareholders as the company gears up at its three project sites and looks to grow its lithium resource base from its lithium-in-clays prospects at Wikieup, lithium-in-pegmatites at San Domingo and lithium-in-brines at Wilson and Spencer," he concluded.