Pioneer Resources (ASX: PIO) has received “highly encouraging” results from a second drill programme at its 100%-owned Pioneer Dome Lithium Project in Western Australia.
CEO, Tim Spencer, said the programme focused on the Dome North group of lithium prospects, where Pioneer has previously discovered a suite of spodumene-bearing pegmatites.
It consisted of a combination of resource drilling at the Cade Deposit and exploration drilling at five additional targets and consisted of 45 Reverse Circulation (RC) holes totalling 8,365m and seven holes (RC pre-collars with diamond tails) totalling 641.8m.
Mr Spencer said of the five targets drill tested, two new mineralised pegmatites were intersected (the Davy and Cade South Prospects). Drilling at three targets to the east, north-east and west of Cade did not intersect significant mineralisation, however the drilling has provided information that will be used to further target potential offset extensions and/or sub-parallel pegmatites to the Cade Deposit.
RC drilling tested a combination of anomalies generated from rock chip and soil geochemistry and a Deep Ground Penetrating Radar (DGPR) survey carried out in October, where spodumene-pegmatite on-surface fragments had been mapped coincidental with magnetic lineaments striking north-northeast – the favourable orientation of known spodumene bearing pegmatites in the Dome North Area.
Six diamond-tailed drill holes (RCD) further delineated the Cade Deposit and provided representative core samples for metallurgical test work to be undertaken by Primero, a leading engineering group with extensive experience with West Australian hard rock spodumene deposits. A seventh RCD hole tested Cade and Cade NE at depth.
“In just two drilling programmes we have demonstrated that the Dome North Area is highly prospective for spodumene mineralisation with excellent lithium grades and widths,” Mr Spencer said.
This represents a fantastic return for what was a modest but targeted drilling program undertaken prior to Christmas and there are clear opportunities to make further discoveries and increase Mineral Resources.
“We have appointed Primero to undertake first-pass metallurgical test work that will help us understand our options as we advance the Project.
The outcomes of that work along with further target identification will assist us in planning our next phase of drilling with a view to rapidly advancing what appears to be a substantial emerging lithium asset in a prime location in WA’s Eastern Goldfields.”
Highlights from the programme included;
Cade Deposit – Significant infill intersections within the Inferred Resource of 8.2Mt at 1.23% Li2O
Davy Prospect – new zone of mineralisation located ~1.4km west of Cade Deposit