Critical Resources Ltd (ASX:CRR) has staked 1,200 more hectares in Ontario’s ‘Electric Avenue’ to expand its Plaid lithium project.
An aggressive works program is already well underway to identify drilling targets in the region, with pegmatite mineralisation observed across Critical’s Plaid and Whiteloon Lake projects.
Interestingly, previously mapped pegmatites follow the same northwest/southeast trend of Frontier Lithium (TSX-V:FL, OTCQX:LITOF) Ltd’s PAK, Spark and Bolt battery mineral deposits.
Frontier’s Pak project represents one of North America’s highest-grade high-tonnage, hard rock lithium resources.
Overall, Critical says studying and evaluating the observed pegmatites is crucial to the company’s exploration strategy in Ontario, Canada.
Project location.
“Waiting for the snow to melt”
Speaking to the move, Critical Resources managing director Alex Biggs said: “It is positive to be developing work programs in such a prospective region in Ontario.
“The region’s deposits in the locality represent some of the largest hard rock lithium deposits in North America.
“Our desktop studies have concluded similarities between the projects and some of the deposits nearby which warrant further studies and exploration, particularly the trend of pegmatites.
“For now, we are waiting for the snow to melt, and expect to be performing work on the ground throughout the summer months.”
Next steps
Critical’s work program will follow a stage one approach and is intent on unearthing future drill targets.
An airborne survey will go out as soon as practical to support this endeavour.
Channel sampling is also on the cards to better Critical’s understanding of the region’s pegmatite deposits.
Frontier Lithium (TSX-V:FL, OTCQX:LITOF) used a similar approach to ascertain its drill targets, which eventually led to a JORC compliant resource.
Critial is on the phone to work out permitting and approvals so it can hit the ground running as soon as possible.
The lithium explorer plans to complete a diamond drilling program once drill targets are defined across both projects’ tenements.
Down the line, the plan is to develop synergies with the company’s 100% owned Mavis Lake and Graphic Lake projects.
Critical’s portfolio
The Plaid and Whiteloon Lake projects are located 165 kilometres north of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada in the highly prospective Electric Avenue battery mineral region.
Both projects are roughly 5.5 kilometres from Frontier Lithium’s Pak project, which is reported to host:
- 10.49 million tonnes of measured and indicated resource, averaging 1.78% lithium oxide; and
- 18.48 million tonnes of inferred resource, averaging 1.45% lithium oxide.
Critical’s Mavis Lake Lithium Project is 19 kilometres east of the town of Dryden, Ontario.
The project is in close vicinity to the Trans-Canada highway and railway major transportation arteries linking larger cities such as Thunder Bay, Ontario, to the southeast and Winnipeg, Manitoba, to the west.
The region boasts excellent infrastructure with hydro-power located a few kilometres southwest of the project.
Previous drill programs at Mavis Lake have yielded high-grade lithium oxide hits, including:
- 55.25 metres at 1.04% lithium oxide from 80.75 metres; and
- 26.30 metres at 1.70% from 111.9 metres, including 7.70 metres at 2.97% from 130.5 metres.
Meanwhile, Critical’s Graphic Lake Project is 55 kilometres southeast of Kenora, Ontario.
The project is dissected by the TransCanadian Highway, again providing key links to larger cities in North America.
Critical’s claim comprises a pegmatite swarm trending northeast/southwest, measuring 300 metres wide along an estimated 5.5-kilometre strike.
Ontario’s first-ever critical mineral strategy
In March 2022, Ontario’s government announced its inaugural strategy to secure the province’s position as a global leader of responsibly sourced critical minerals.
The plan is to work alongside government, industry, Indigenous peoples, communities and other stakeholders
The government’s strategy involves six pillars, or areas of government action, which will solidify Ontario’s position as a global leader of responsibly sourced critical minerals.
These include:
- Enhancing geoscience information and supporting critical minerals exploration;
- Growing Domestic processing and creating resilient supply chains;
- Improving Ontario’s regulatory framework;
- Investing in innovation, research, and development;
- Building economic development opportunities with Indigenous partners; and
- Growing labour supply and developing a skilled labour force.
Tesla in the mix
Tesla recently announced it would open a battery gear manufacturing plant in Markham, Ontario, further opening doors for the Canadian province to become one of the world’s leading lithium regions.
Notably, the facility will be the first branded Tesla Canada manufacturing facility in the country.
A significant amount of activity in the lithium exploration sector is currently occurring in Ontario.
Due to the quality of lithium assets in the region, the fundamental drivers behind the lithium market and the intent of North American manufacturers to source lithium for battery manufacturing from localised supply-chains, Critical believes now is the time to gain a foothold in the province.