Field Exploration Program
PLA 1597 forms part of the Company’s Property exploration block, which is operated under an exclusive Option and Earn-in agreement with Technology Minerals Plc (LSE: TM1), the first-listed UK company focused on creating a sustainable circular economy for battery metals, and its wholly owned subsidiary LRH Resources Limited (“LRH”).
The current phase of detailed exploration work is centred on an area where a forty-year-old historical company report1 described a trench excavated at Knockeen Townlands on PLA 1597 which, uncovered in bedrock, exposed a 1.8m wide spodumene-bearing pegmatite vein. However no detailed laboratory assays or geological maps of the trench were reported at that time. Historical prospecting around the trench also reported the occurrence of up to 10 large boulders of spodumene bearing pegmatite at surface.
The current exploration program carried out under LRH management by Aurum Exploration Services Limited included an initial reconnaissance visit in July 2022 totalling six samples. This was followed by a more detailed prospecting and lithogeochemical survey on two areas at Knockeen and Carriglead Townlands in December 2022 and totalling 66 samples (Table 1 and Table 2).
In December 2022 an extensive prospecting and lithogeochemistry survey was completed covering the two areas identified during the reconnaissance program. A total of 56 samples were collected at Knockeen and 10 at Carriglead. The results were highly encouraging with coherent boulder trains of spodumene bearing lithium pegmatites mapped out across the prospects.
December 2022 Sampling Program Highlights
Sample_ID | Program | Li_ppm | Li2O%* |
AES63003 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 17,410 | 3.75 |
AES63033 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 16,860 | 3.63 |
AES63519 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 13,160 | 2.83 |
AES63015 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 13,050 | 2.81 |
AES63029 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 12,920 | 2.78 |
AES63042 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 12,580 | 2.71 |
AES63014 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 12,200 | 2.63 |
AES63021 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 12,040 | 2.59 |
AES63018 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 11,980 | 2.58 |
AES63011 | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 11,820 | 2.54 |
Table 1: Highlight results from the prospecting program (December 2022)
* Li2O % = Li ppm % (x 2.153)
Prospect | Program | No |
Carriglead | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 2 |
Knockeen | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 4 |
| | |
Prospect | DD Sampling July 2022 | No |
Carriglead | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 10 |
Knockeen | Follow Up Sampling Dec 2022 | 56 |
| | |
Prospect | Program | No |
Carriglead | Total | 12 |
Knockeen | Total | 60 |
Table 2: Results from reconnaissance prospecting (July 2022 and December 2022)
Reconnaissance July 2022
Two areas at Knockeen and Carriglead Townlands were targeted with an initial reconnaissance visit in July 2022, during which six samples - four at Knockeen and two at Carriglead - were collected. Analytical results confirmed the presence of the historically reported spodumene pegmatite boulder train and returned very significant grades of Li2O in all the samples. These results have been reported previously but are reproduced here for continuity (Table 3).
Sample_ID | Program | Li_ppm | Li2O_%* | Prospect |
210724CL05 | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 13,700 | 2.95 | Knockeen |
210724CL03 | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 11,200 | 2.41 | Knockeen |
210724CL04 | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 11,000 | 2.37 | Knockeen |
210724CL02 | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 3,240 | 0.70 | Knockeen |
AES61138 | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 7,470 | 1.61 | Carriglead |
AES61137 | Recon Sampling July 2022 | 3,550 | 0.76 | Carriglead |
Table 3: Results from reconnaissance prospecting (July 2022)
* Li2O % = Li ppm % (x 2.153)