HIGHLIGHTS:
- 9 rock chip samples taken from 4 pegmatites indicate a highly fertile (fractionated) pegmatite for rare elements such as tantalum, lithium and cesium.
- Lithium grades of up to 2.7% (Li2O) are associated with tantalum grades up to 1046ppm (Ta2O5) and cesium grades of up to 5057ppm (Cs2O).
- The average Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (“LCT”) grade of the rock chip samples taken is 1.0% Li2O; 1106ppm ,Cs2O and 211ppm Ta2O5 .
- Sampling confirms the Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum fertility of the pegmatite field which consists of at least 6 pegmatites with a mapped surface outcrop strike length of ~6.4km.
- The highly anomalous samples support the identified 14 drill targets over 8 drill fence lines.
- Drilling depth of 30m to 60m will target the outcrop of the fractionated LCT pegmatites to identify zonation development of the pegmatites
- All approvals under current POW in place; access tracks and fence drill lines have been constructed and cleared.
- Drilling commenced on Phase 1 due diligence reconnaissance drilling programme.
Twenty Seven Co. Limited (ASX: TSC) (“TSC” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that drilling of its Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum pegmatite targets at the Mt Edon Project has started.
Rock chip samples taken on 20 September 2022 have been analysed by ALS laboratory services and have confirmed the prospective nature of the Mt Edon pegmatite field near Paynes Find in Western Australia (Fig. 1).
As per Table 1, the average LCT grade of the latest rock chip samples taken is 1.0% Li2O; 1106ppm Cs2O and 211ppm Ta2O5 which might reflect on the general mineralised nature of some zones in the pegmatites. The Company cautions that the average mineralisation of the pegmatites has to be confirmed through detailed drilling and resource assessment. The potential quantity and grade of the pegmatite is therefore conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a mineral resource. It is therefore uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a mineral resource.
The Potassium / Rubidium (K/Rb) ratio in Table 1 reflects the degree of substitution of Rb for K in the mica’s crystal structure. A ratio of below 150 indicates a fractionated pegmatite and below 15 a highly fractionated pegmatite. All the samples except one are indicative of highly fractionated, and therefore high Li-fertility, pegmatites.
Also of geological interest is the high occurrence of cesium which further indicates the distal nature of the pegmatite from its source granite and therefore a higher potential to host rare elements.
Figure 1: Mt Edon project location just south of Paynes Find
Figure 2 : Rock chip sample and planned drill fence line locations
Table 1: Chemical analysis results of rock chip samples
Figure 3: Photo or rock chip sample PS22-02
Commenting on the start of drilling, COO Simon Phillips said:
“The reported results further confirm the geological setting of highly fertile untested (fractionated) pegmatite for rare elements such as tantalum, lithium and cesium. These identified targets will be tested immediately with our planned drilling reconnaissance program commencing next week. The Mt Edon project adds further exposure with the recently announce RTX Joint Venture to drill untested identified lithium targets at the Rover project near Sandstone. “