Frontier Lithium’s drilling at Spark pegmatite continues to return robust grades
Frontier Lithium (TSXV: FL; US-OTC: LITOF) has released results for seven more drill holes at its Spark pegmatite, part of its PAK lithium project in Ontario.
The highlighted drill hole (DDH PL-077-22) intersected 126.8 metres of pegmatite averaging 1.31% Li2O from 56.9 metres depth. Within the intercept were two narrow lithium and tantalum enriched zones at depth, including 11.1 metres averaging 1.79% Li2O and 459 ppm Ta2O5 from 260.2 metres, and 13.5 metres averaging 1.01% Li2O and 194 ppm Ta2O5 from 414.5 metres.
Another hole (DDH PL-078-22) intersected 104.9 metres of pegmatite averaging 1.58% Li2O from 120.4 metres and 33.5 metres of 1.63% Li2O from 246.7 to metres.
“We are pleased with the drilling results from the 2022 drill program to date, with the Spark deposit remaining open in all directions. The focus continues to be at depth and to the west where the grade and thicknesses of the deposit remain robust,” said VP exploration Garth Drever in a release.
The initial objective of the latest phase of drilling, which began in May and finished in October with 14,641 metres in 45 holes, was to convert inferred material to the indicated category for the planned open pit, in preparation for a prefeasibility study on PAK.
The latter half of the program, however, also included geotechnical drilling for ground control and pit design purposes, as well as step-out drilling to define the eastern and western extents of the Spark pegmatite orebody.
When combining current drilling with (phase 6 and 7) delineation and infill drilling, Frontier has completed 15,984 metres of drilling in 50 holes at Spark this year.
Spark represents one of two premium spodumene-bearing deposits delineated by Frontier on the PAK property, which is said to contain one of North America’s highest-grade lithium resources.
Winner of the “2019 discovery of the year” award from the Northwestern Ontario Prospectors Association, the Spark pegmatite has an indicated resource of 14.4 million tonnes grading 1.4% Li2O and an inferred resource of 18.1 million tonnes averaging 1.37% Li2O.
The smaller PAK deposit — located 2.3 km away — has a global resources of 9.3 million tonnes grading 2.06% Li2O.
Exploration is continuing on the PAK project through two other spodumene-bearing discoveries: the Bolt pegmatite (located between the PAK and Spark deposits), as well as the Pennock pegmatite (25 km northwest of PAK deposit within the project claims).
Shares of Frontier Lithium rose 2% by 11:45 a.m. ET Wednesday, trading at $2.06 each. The company has a market capitalization of $458.8 million.
