Essential Metals Limited announced that The 450km2 Pioneer Dome Project is located in the core of Western Australia's lithium corridor in the Eastern Goldfields, approximately 130km south of Kalgoorlie and 275km north of the Port of Esperance. A Mineral Resource 2 of 11.2Mt @ 1.21% Li2O has been defined at `Dome North' in the northern area of the Project. The southern Yilgarn area is recognised as being well-endowed with spodumene deposits, including the Bald Hill Mine, the Mt Marion Mine and the Buldania Project, all of which are located within 80km of the Pioneer Dome Project.

The world-class Greenbushes Deposit, the Mt Holland Mine and the Mt Cattlin Mine are located further west, south-west and south-south-west, respectively. The previously announced 9,000 metre programme commenced in May with an RC rig drilling four pre-collar holes to date as preparation for the arrival of the diamond drill rig. Diamond drilling is expected to commence in June, with the first drill core from the down-plunge interpreted pegmatite zone of the Cade deposit is expected to be available by end-June.

Drilling is expected to be completed by mid-August, subject to rig scheduling and drilling productivity rates. The March Quarter work programme and the MRE extension drill programme outlined above will underpin an update to the current 11.2Mt @ 1.21% Li2O Dome North Mineral Resource Estimate, scheduled for the December Quarter 2022. Subject to results, this will in turn allow the Company to commence its Scoping Study.