Auroch Minerals

LCT Pegmatites Confirmed At Kangaroo Hills

Auroch Minerals Limited (ASX: AOU) (Auroch or the Company) is pleased to announce assay results from pegmatite rock chip samples taken at the Kangaroo Hills Lithium Project (KHLP) in Western Australia (Auroch Minerals 80%, Lodestar Minerals Ltd 20%).


Highlights

  • 2.37% Li2O peak assay from outcropping pegmatites returned from rock chip sampling
  • High grade surface sample located over 600m south-east of previous mineralised drill hole intercept: (6m @ 1.38% Li2O from 198m, including 2m @ 3.26% Li2O from 198m (NPRC084)1
  • Numerous Caesium (Cs), Tantalum (Ta) and Tin (Sn) anomalies identified expanding the LCT potential of the project
  • Samples submitted for X-Ray Diffraction mineralogy to identify weathered lithium minerals
  • 3,000m Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling programme planned to test outcropping targets
Assay results of these samples have exceeded expectations with 2.37% Li2O (ND28060) and 0.17% Li2O (ND28059) being returned (Table 1). Significantly, the mineralised outcrops are located over 600m south-east of drill hole NPRC084 where lithium (Li) mineralisation was first observed at KHLP (6m @ 1.38% Li2O from 198m) in November 2022, potentially expanding the mineralised footprint of the project. The samples are located in the centre of a cluster of outcropping pegmatites making this area a high priority drill target. Following the return of the laboratory assay results the Li bearing minerals were identified in rock chips using a SciAps portable LIBS analyser. All elevated Li samples are now undergoing Semi Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis to confirm mineralogy.

Mapping and rock chip sampling was completed in December 2022 and identified numerous outcropping pegmatites.2 The purpose of the programme was to gain sufficient geochemical data to identify pathfinder elements and to understand fractionation trends and prospectivity of the pegmatites present at surface. While it was anticipated that Lithium -Caesium -Tantalum (LCT) mineralisation could be present, it was expected to be low in grade due to the weathered nature of the outcrops, therefore it was exciting to discover high grade Li within outcrop.

In addition to the mineralised outcrops, assays returned anomalous Caesium, Tantalum and Tin, all of which are considered pathfinder minerals of LCT pegmatites. The distribution of these anomalies as shown in Figure 1, expand the prospectivity of the project area. The larger geochemical assay suite has been used to identify relative fractionation trends which will be tested in the next reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme which will commence this month. The first phase RC drilling programme will test three high priority drill targets, which the Company plans to undertake later this month.

Auroch Technical Director Robin Cox commented:

“The discovery of outcropping mineralised pegmatites at a different location to the earlier November 2022 discovery at the Kangaroo Hills Project is extremely exciting. Just as exciting are the elevated pathfinder elements for LCT pegmatite in the weathered outcrops across the project. The Company now has confirmed three high priority targets that present the potential for significant strike length mineralisation and will be tested in the first phase of drilling at Kangaroo Hills”.


Click here for the full ASX Release

This article includes content from Auroch Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.

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