Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) has defined a thick vertical pegmatite with lithium grades up to 1.14% lithium oxide from its maiden drilling program at the Mt Deans Lithium Project in Western Australia.
A total of 1,156 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling in eight holes was completed in the first phase of the drilling program, which has delivered highly positive results including high-grade rubidium.
Highlight results include:
- 1 metre at 1.14% lithium oxide at 36 metres in hole MDRC6 within a wider zone of 10 metres at 0.62% lithium oxide and 0.57% rubidium oxide from 22 metres;
- 7 metres at 0.76% lithium oxide and 0.69% rubidium oxide from 31 metres; and
- 3 metres at 0.96% lithium oxide and 0.83% rubidium oxide from 34 metres.
“Strong lithium and rubidium grades”
Aruma managing director Peter Schwann said: “The first phase of drilling at Mt Deans has delivered highly encouraging and positive results, returning strong lithium and rubidium grades in numerous intersections, some with significant widths.
“This represents just the start of exploration at Mt Deans, and based on these results, we will move quickly to undertake the remaining approximately 1,800 metres of the maiden drilling campaign.
“The Mt Dean pegmatite is showing zonation with lithium grades up to 1.14% Li2O, and rubidium assays up to 1.05% which is high-grade, and our future work will target Mt Deans as a multi metal asset.”
Mt Deans Cross Section interpreted pegmatite with lithium oxide results.
Aruma’s first phase of drilling has defined an interpreted strike length of at least 1,500 metres, which remains open at both ends.
Drilling targeted the priority Mt Deans ‘main section’ and has defined a thick vertical pegmatite, with pegmatite intersected in every hole.
The program returned more than a dozen intersections grading higher than 0.5% lithium oxide from the eight holes drilled to date, and also returned high-grade rubidium, grading up to 1.05% rubidium oxide, with elevated tin, tantalum and cesium.
Mt Deans Project and drill hole location plan, immediately adjacent to the Esperance Highway and rail link.
Based on the results from the first round of drilling at Mt Deans, Aruma will make immediate plans to complete the remaining 1,800 metres across 12 holes of this maiden drilling program.
Rubidium has significant potential to add value to the project
Rubidium is a high-value technology metal typically found in hard rock pegmatites.
The current price of rubidium carbonate, the most widely used form of rubidium, is US$1,059.65/kg.
It has multiple uses and applications, including in solar panels, fibre optic cables, GPS systems and night vision equipment, as well as sodium-ion batteries.
Aruma’s rubidium results at Mt Deans exhibit a strong relationship with the lithium results and has the potential to add significant value to the project, and will become a core focus, in parallel with lithium, in future exploration at Mt Deans.