Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX:LOT) has tabled the latest uranium hits from a reverse circulation drill program at the Livingstonia prospect in northern Malawi.
The explorer’s drill target is just 90 kilometres down the road from the Kayelekera uranium mine, in which it holds an 85% interest.
Lotus’ program, covering 29 holes for 3,395 metres, was designed to bring the Livingstonia mineral resource estimate (MRE) in line with JORC 2012 standards and to test for extensions to the mineralisation.
Best results include:
- 3 metres at 733 parts per million (ppm) triuranium oxtocide (U3O8) from 94 metres;
- 4 metres at 983ppm from 87 metres;
- 4 metres at 636ppm from 74 metres; and
- 6 metres at 379ppm from 89 metres.
Although it’s not part of its present definitive feasibility study, Lotus believes Livingstonia bears potential as a satellite uranium deposit down the line.
Updated MRE on the cards
“The acquisition of the Livingstonia prospect last year consolidated the company’s ownership of our southern project area, a known uranium mineralised district that has had very limited exploration work completed over the years.
“The strategy at Livingstonia has been to complete a small drilling program to confirm historical results and test extensions around the known mineralised area in order to enable preparation of a JORC (2012) compliant mineral resource estimate.
“We believe the drilling has been successful and an updated mineral resource estimate is now planned for completion in the June quarter.
“While Livingstonia is not included in the current definitive feasibility study, we believe there is potential for it to become a satellite operation in the future once the Kayelekera resource has been depleted, especially if similar success with ore sorting can be achieved.”
Exploring Livingstonia
Lotus’ Livingstonia exploration tenements are located in northern Malawi, roughly 90 kilometres southeast of the company’s Kayelekera uranium mine.
Combined with the company’s Chilumba tenements, this region covers 300 square kilometres.
In December 2021, Lotus commenced its inaugural uranium exploration drill program at Livingstonia.
The program covered 3,395 metres and 29 vertical RC drill holes, targeting areas both within and peripheral to the existing mineral resource to test the margins of the resource estimate for further extensions.
Lotus’ RC program focused on Livingstonia’s northern margins and northeastern extensions of the known mineralised trend.
The holes completed in these locations were designed to either define extensional mineralisation or increase the confidence in the existing resource classification.
The best results — including 4 metres at 983ppm U3O8 and 4 metres at 636ppm U3O8 — are located to the north of the existing resource limits and extend the previous boundaries by up to 250 metres.
Several holes were also completed within existing limits to validate the historical Livingstonia resource.
Following these results, the company intends to prepare an updated mineral resource estimate in the current quarter.