Front running Sulphate of Potash (SOP) developer Kalium Lakes Limited (ASX:KLL) continues to expand the potential of its large Beyondie Project in Western Australia.
The company reports that it has completed brine analysis of recent drilling activities completed at Lake Sunshine as part of the Beyondie Sulphate of Potash Project (BSOPP) has returned some of the highest potassium grades ever recorded at Lake Sunshine.
Managing Director, Brett Hazelden, said potassium grades up to 9,360 mg/L were and this is equivalent to a SOP grade of 20,872 mg/L.
The latest results from Lake Sunshine also show the sandstone extends down to a depth of up to 196 m with interbedded friable and cemented sandstone bands and minor siltstone.
Brine samples were obtained at regular intervals throughout the profile with airlifts rates typically only restricted by the anulus of the drilling system. Borehole magnetic resonance (BMR) logs have been run in the open holes to measure drainable porosity.
Mr Hazelden said drill holes have been completed in the location of the Stage 1 production borefield at Lake Sunshine. These results mean that the production bore designs can be optimised to include the deeper higher-grade brine.
“We are delighted with the extension in thickness, grade and depth of the Lake Sunshine brine aquifer.
These results will allow our current production bore installation program to take advantage of the higher grades and increased thickness of brine available as part of the initial 90ktpa SOP Stage 1 of the Beyondie SOP Project. We anticipate a significant Mineral Resource increase to be finalised early next year,” he said.
Drill programme
23 new drill holes have been completed for a total of 206 m to test the Jilyili Sandstone Formation for brine grade and drainable porosity. The drilling programme comprised of nine aircore drill holes and 14 deep reverse circulation (RC) hammer drill holes to test the bedrock sandstone for its aquifer potential and brine content.
Kalium reported that the aircore drilling was able to penetrate the weathered zones of the sandstone sequence, but not the more cemented siliceous bands that are present.
RC hammer drilling was used to drill to depth or at such point that drilling penetration rates slowed due to the volume of brine bring unable to be lifted with the compressor.
All drill holes encountered fine to coarse grained sandstone with minor siltstone and shale bands of the Jiliyili Formation, which outcrops extensively in the Sunshine area.