Wildcat Resources Limited announced initial diamond drill results at its Tabba Tabba Lithium Project, near Port Hedland,
WA. Among other encouraging results, were five diamond holes that have returned significant lithium intersections over widths of 92m to 135m. Tabba Tabba is near some of the larger hard-rock lithium mines, 47km from Pilbara Minerals' 414Mt Pilgangoora Project, 87km from Mineral Resources 259Mt Wodgina Project and is only 80km by road to Port Hedland. Wildcat has now completed 174 RC drill holes, 24 diamond tails and four full length diamond drill holes for 42,838m since drilling commenced at Tabba Tabba in July 2023. Drilling remains focussed on the giant Leia Pegmatite but will also progress to exploration drilling of
the other lithium bearing pegmatite prospects at Tabba Tabba (Chewy, Boba, The Hutt, Han and others) once additional drilling capacity is achieved. One RC rig has been drilling pre-collars, operating on a single shift, and two diamond rigs have been drilling on double shift. Drilling has ceased for a short break over Christmas and New Year but will restart in early 2024, with additional
rigs used as required. Mineralogy: Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) analysis confirmed spodumene as the dominant lithium mineral at Leia. Quantitative x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis is underway, and Wildcat looks forward to reporting on the results in the first quarter of 2024. Ongoing work to understand the mineralogy and geochemical characteristics of the pegmatites is continuing. Leia Pegmatite and Central Cluster: Leia Pegmatite extends for more than 2.2km laterally along strike, 450m vertically from surface, and is up to 180m in true width. The best intercepts include: 135m @ 0.9% Li2O from 179m (TARC234D) including 99m @ 1.2% Li2O from 207m; 123.4m @ 0.9% Li2O from 350.7m (TARC245D), including 69.9m @ 1.2% Li2O from 399m; 111.4m at 0.9% Li2O from 246.6m (TARC161AD), including 60.3m at 1.4% Li2O from 297.8m; 94m @ 1% Li2O from 206m (TARC154AD), including 64.4m @ 1.3% Li2O from 225m; and 94.8m at 0.9% Li2O from 361.9m (TARC2644D), including 44.7m at 1.3% Li2O from 406.3m. The sections are presented to demonstrate the thick width and continuity of the Leia lithium deposit along a 500m section of strike where assays have recently been received. In most drilling to date, nearly all of the pegmatite is mineralised at grades which are considered economically significant. However, in a few instances e.g. TARC247 the interval of lithium mineralisation within the pegmatite interval is significantly less than neighbouring drill holes. The geological team believe this could be due to localised stoping by a later stage of pegmatite intrusions however further work is required to evaluate the few localities where this occurs. Such instances will be investigated further after follow-up and infill drilling is completed. The diamond results include the highest-grade single sample lithium assays intersected to date, with 4.97% Li2O being achieved in TARC245D from 369-369.4m and the adjacent sample assaying 4.63% Li2O at 369.4-370.2m. These zones correlate with geological logging of intervals of abundant coarse spodumene. Only the Leia Pegmatite is presented in this view (the models for the adjacent mineralsed pegmatites are not shown for illustrative clarity). The stacked Chewy pegmatite system is located to the east of, and in the hangingwall to the Leia system, it is more than 1km in strike and comprises multiple lithium mineralised pegmatites up to 42m wide. The Boba pegmatite is located to the southwest of, and in the footwall of Leia. Whilst several holes have partially intersected the Boba pegmatite, drilling is limited and further exploration is planned in for the Boba pegmatite and other targets in 2024. Next Steps: Commence drilling ramp up in January; Continue to explore for the limits of Leia; Drill Tabba Tabba's numerous high-priority pegmatites that remain under-explored /undrilled; Commence infill drilling at Leia and Progress permitting and evaluation studies for Tabba Tabba.