Assays confirm lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatites are present at South Pass
10 samples returned >300ppm lithium, including a top grade of 390ppm lithium
Uvre to carry out more targeted surface sampling of the outcropping pegmatites
Soil sampling to be launched over the Billy and Jonny prospects
Special Report: Laboratory analysis has proven that lithium is indeed present within the large outcropping pegmatites which played a key role in Uvre’s move to secure the South Pass project in Wyoming.
Despite having favourable geological characteristics, such as outcropping pegmatites and dykes that occur in large swarms, South Pass has not been previously explored for the battery metal.
Uvre (ASX:UVA) identified its potential to host lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatites from historical United States Geological Survey (USGS) geological mineral reports and elevated lithium detected in historical regional multi-element chemical sampling, which was taken for the purpose of precious metal exploration.
Pegmatites up to several hundred metres long were observed in the vicinity of nearby faults and the South Pass greenstone belt.
Similar pegmatites in the district have been found to be enriched in columbite, tantalite, microcline, tourmaline, beryl and garnet, with accessory minerals including lithium-bearing lepidolite and spodumene.
This led the company to staking the project directly and launch reconnaissance exploration sampling over about half of the swarms of untested pegmatites at the project, which in turn led to lepidolite – a significant lithium mineral – being observed within the project area.
First-pass at South Pass confirms lithium potential
Laboratory analysis of rock chips collected during the first-pass sampling program returned grades of up to 390ppm lithium with 10 samples returning >300ppm lithium.
That 24 of the samples returned >100ppm lithium served to confirm that elevated lithium in pegmatites are present.
Adding further to this, the K/Rb ratios are lower where the lithium grades above >300ppm lithium, which is indicative of LCT pegmatites.
For UVA, the confirmation of elevated lithium pegmatites boost the scale potential of South Pass where outcropping LCT pegmatites have been mapped over a 1km by 20-50m wide area.
“The laboratory results confirm LCT pegmatites exist at the South Pass lithium project and this coincides with the scale of the pegmatites that the anomalous rocks came from at our new Billy and Jonny prospects,” UVA managing director Peter Woods said.
“This is evidenced by the anomalous lithium results returning up to 390ppm lithium and the pegmatites in the northern licence area have geochemical signatures common with lithium-bearing pegmatites which are referred LCT pegmatites.”
Reason for follow-up exploration
The results confirm that further soil sampling and mapping is warranted to further assess outcropping pegmatites for economic lithium potential once the field season opens.
UVA intends to carry out more targeted surface sampling of the outcropping pegmatites and a soil sample program over the Billy and Jonny prospects to vector into the lithium-bearing pegmatites.
Other prospective areas in Wyoming are also being investigated by the company.
This article was developed in collaboration with Uvre, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
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