Aurumin Limited announced results from the orientation reverse circulation (RC) programme targeting lithium bearing pegmatites at its 100% owned Mt Palmer Project. The orientation first pass RC programme drilled twelve holes along three north-south lines. Lithium results for the twelve holes drilled at the Vickers Find South prospect have been received with low level (>100ppm Li) lithium anomalism, up to 370ppm Li, returned across multiple holes.

These results were returned from a complex geological setting consisting of a combination of pegmatites, pegmatitic leucogranite and leucogranite within a mafic-ultramafic sequence crosscut by late-stage dolerite dykes. Initial multielement analysis was completed using a desktop XRF on selected samples. The XRF results returned anomalous pathfinder elements commonly used for targeting lithium mineralisation, including tantalum, (up to 105ppm Ta), rubidium (up to 3,612ppm Rb) and niobium (up to 79ppm Nb).

Aurumin has completed drilling an orientation first pass reverse circulation (RC) programme targeting lithium bearing pegmatites at the Vickers Find South B (VFSB) target. Twelve holes were drilled for a total of 1,212m along three north-south lines. Low level (>100ppm Li) lithium anomalism (up to 370ppm Li) was returned across multiple holes.

A review of the drilling indicates a complex geological setting consisting of a combination of pegmatites, pegmatitic leucogranite and leucogranite within a mafic-ultramafic sequence crosscut by late-stage dolerite dykes. Geological logging showed varying percentages of feldspar (both albite and microcline) and mica (both muscovite and biotite) with minor garnet observed. This variation in the mineralogy of the pegmatites demonstrates a high degree of fractionation of the original granitic source material interpreted to be located directly to the north.

Highly fractionated pegmatites are a key component in the deposition of lithium mineralisation within Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites. Due to current lag times in receiving the multielement results from the laboratory, preliminary assessment of the fertility of the pegmatites by multielement analysis was completed using a desktop XRF on selected samples. The results returned anomalous pathfinder elements, including tantalum (up to 105ppm Ta), rubidium (up to 3,612ppm Rb) and niobium (up to 79ppm Nb), highlighting the prospectivity of the pegmatite complex.

Using additional elemental ratios including K/Rb, Mg/Li and Nb/Ta as targeting vectors indicates future exploration to target areas to the south and potentially both deeper (below current drilling) and down-dip of the current drilling. The depth that the RC holes were able to be drilled in the orientation programme was constrained due to water containment issues and ground conditions in some holes. Based on this assessment, some of these current holes may be extended by diamond drilling in the next programme.

Prior to the commencement of the drill programme, samples were collected from drill spoils from historical holes (>20 years old) and available rock outcrop with elevated pathfinder element results returned. The most promising of which included sampling drill spoil from an old hole with historically logged pegmatite, 600m to the south of the completed drilling, with strongly anomalous tantalum (391ppm Ta), niobium (267ppm Nb), elevated tin (16ppm Sn) and subdued lithium (52ppm Li), which may indicate proximity to lithium mineralisation based on accepted elemental zonation patterns in LCT lithium deposits.