Latin Resources Ltd (ASX:LRS) delivered a 33% increase in the global mineral resource to 280 million tonnes of kaolinised granite in a mineral resource update at the Cloud Nine Halloysite‐Kaolin Deposit in Western Australia.
The Cloud Nine deposit is within the company’s 100%‐owned exploration licence E77/2622, which is about 350 kilometres to the east of Perth and southeast of the town of Merredin.
The updated mineral resource includes an in situ indicated mineral resource of 70 million tonnes of kaolinised granite at an average brightness (ISO‐B) grade of 81.
In addition to the indicated mineral resource, is an in situ inferred mineral resource of 210 million tonnes of kaolinised granite at an average ISO‐B grade of 79.
This includes 125 million tonnes of white kaolinite‐bearing material and 85 million tonnes of halloysite-bearing material.
In total, the mineral resource upgrade contains 116 million tonnes of bright white kaolinite‐bearing material in the indicated and inferred classifications reported to the <45 µm size fraction.
Encouragingly, the Cloud Nine Project has substantial potential for future growth with the mineralisation open in all directions.
Moving forward, Latin will now enter into a negotiation with potential offtake customers, which will include options to supply short‐term products, as well as supplying value‐added processed kaolin and halloysite products in the longer term.
What’s next
Excavation of the recent test pit has provided the company with valuable information to further refine preliminary assumptions, including mining and stockpile designs, mining method and equipment selection and preliminary geotechnical assumptions.
Material samples will also assist with further testing and analysis to continue improving the understanding of the deposit including the overlying material.
A preliminary desktop environmental study has also been undertaken on the Cloud Nine Project site.
The outcomes of this study will be used to inform the scope of work required to support the pathway to apply for the relevant environmental approvals in support of the project.
This information is being factored into an updated forward work plan to support the development of the Cloud Nine Halloysite‐Kaolin Deposit.