SUDBURY, ON, June 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSXV: FL) (OTCQX: LITOF) ("Frontier" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the results of two of six drill holes drilled during Febrary and March on the Spark pegmatite. Although drilling was completed on March 19th 2021, analytical results have been delayed due mainly to the COVID Pandemic and QA/QC issues during processing.
Highlights
- Diamond Drill Hole ("DDH") PL-048-21 collared in pegmatite and intersected 340.7m of pegmatite averaging 1.68% Li2O;
- Includes two continuous intersections of 153.1 and 116.2m averaging 1.62% and 1.68% Li2O;
- Includes narrower high grades zones of up to 26m of 2.36% with one 8m zone averaging 3.13% Li2O;
- Geomechanical DDH PL-GDH-06-21 intersected 82.2m averaging 1.25% Li2O with an 11.2 m zone at the top of the hole averaged 2.22% Li2O;
- The western extent of the deposit is open and appears to be trending to the southwest;
- Results from the remaining 4 holes are pending.
"These results reflect the strong homogeneity of the Spark deposit's spodumene and corresponding lithium grades in the pegmatite," states Garth Drever, V.P. Exploration, "The probability of the deposit extending to the southwest is exciting. Over the next three weeks we will be on site at the project preparing for the summer drill program starting in early July. Our objectives will be to complete the geomechanical drilling and to upgrade the bulk of Inferred resource to Measured and Indicated as required for the Company's advancing PFS. "
The objectives for the Phase IX drill program in February-March 2021 were to complete targets that were not easily accessible in summer months and considered vital for completing a Pre-feasibility Study. Drilling included four delineation (in-fill) and two geomechanical holes. The geomechanical holes were drilled to test stability of the proposed southern pit wall. Figure 1 is a location map showing the project area including a compilation of the Spark Deposit area. Table 1 details the mineralized intersections of two holes (PL-GDH-06-21 and PL-048-21) while Table 2 is a summary of all the Phase IX drill holes and geomechanical holes.
Table 1: Details of Mineralized Intersections
DDH PL-048-21 |
Drill hole oriented to the northwest to test the southwest trending orientations of foliations and contacts from previous drilling. The hole was collared in pegmatite and intersected mineralized pegmatite to 381.9m with narrow intervals (10 m or less) of Mafic host rock totalling 30 m. Spodumene consistently occurs throughout the pegmatite. A total of 340.7 m of pegmatite was intersected averaging 1.68% Li2O. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Zone |
From |
To |
Width |
Li2O |
Cs2O |
Ta2O5 |
Nb2O5 |
SnO2 |
Rb2O |
Unit |
|||||||||||||
Lithium Enriched |
11.0 |
164.2 |
153.1 |
1.62 |
0.01 |
76 |
102 |
51 |
0.24 |
Aplite / liz |
|||||||||||||
including |
25.0 |
32.5 |
7.5 |
2.89 |
0.01 |
45 |
71 |
42 |
0.21 |
LIZ |
|||||||||||||
including |
120.0 |
146.0 |
26.0 |
2.36 |
0.01 |
78 |
101 |
38 |
0.19 |
Aplite/liz |
|||||||||||||
Lithium Enriched |
172.5 |
198.6 |
26.1 |
1.48 |
0.02 |
106 |
103 |
49 |
0.22 |
Aplite |
|||||||||||||
Lithium Enriched |
209.5 |
325.7 |
116.2 |
1.68 |
0.01 |
100 |
96 |
37 |
0.27 |
Aplite / liz |
|||||||||||||
including |
231.0 |
255.0 |
24.0 |
2.03 |
0.01 |
84 |
82 |
26 |
0.24 |
Aplite / liz |
|||||||||||||
Lithium Enriched |
332.7 |
349.3 |
16.6 |
2.14 |
0.02 |
107 |
68 |
49 |
0.20 |
LIZ / Aplite |
|||||||||||||
including |
335.0 |
343.0 |
8.0 |
3.13 |
0.02 |
118 |
56 |
44 |
0.20 |
LIZ |
|||||||||||||
Lithium Enriched |
353.2 |
381.9 |
28.8 |
1.91 |
0.01 |
79 |
82 |
45 |
0.19 |
LIZ / Aplite |
|||||||||||||
including |
377.0 |
381.9 |
4.9 |
2.63 |
0.01 |
54 |
52 |
38 |
0.14 |
LIZ |
|||||||||||||
Entire Hole * |
11.0 |
381.9 |
340.7 |
1.68 |
0.01 |
88 |
97 |
45 |
0.24 |
Aplite / liz |
|||||||||||||
* |
Not continuous pegmatite (intersection includes 4 mafic zones all <10m) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
DDH PL-GDH-06-21 |
To characterize a portion of the south wall of the proposed open pit at Spark as per 43-101 report titled "PAK Property" issued on April 5, 2021 . A previously unknown zone of spodumene-bearing Aplite was intersected from the collar to 101m grading 1.25% Li2O over the 88.2m interval |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Zone |
From |
To |
Width |
Li2O |
Cs2O |
Ta2O5 |
Nb2O5 |
SnO2 |
Rb2O |
Unit |
|||||||||||||
Lithium Enriched |
12.8 |
101.0 |
88.2 |
1.25 |
0.01 |
63 |
67 |
100 |
0.27 |
Aplite |
|||||||||||||
including |
12.8 |
56.0 |
43.2 |
1.58 |
0.01 |
61 |
59 |
97 |
0.25 |
Aplite |
|||||||||||||
Including |
12.8 |
24.0 |
11.2 |
2.22 |
0.01 |
59 |
46 |
83 |
0.22 |
Aplite/liz |
|||||||||||||
The first hole drilled was the geomechanical hole PL-GDH-06-21 collared near the mid point of the proposed southern pitwall as designed in the 2021 Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"). The hole was collared in spodumene-bearing aplite and extended down to 101m. The hole ended with 76m of mafic host rock. The aplite averaged 1.25% Li2O over the entire 88.2m intersection with upper 11.2m averaging 2.22% Li2O.
The next two holes, PL-046-21 and PL-047-21 were delineation holes collared to the west (Figure 1, Table2). Results are pending due to reasons stated above. Oriented structural data from these holes and previously drilled holes suggest a southwest-northeast trend of the Spark pegmatite towards the west. To better understand this, hole PL-048-21 was oriented towards the northwest and stepped back to test the extent of the mineralized aplite intersected in hole PL-GDH-06-21.
PL-048-21 was also collared in pegmatite extending from 11.0m down to 164.2m before intersecting 8.3m of metavolcanic host rock then back into predominately pegmatite to 381.9m. The hole ended at 393.0m in metavolcanics. In total, 340.7 m of spodumene-bearing aplite-pegmatite was intersected consistently averaging 1.68% Li2O. The mineralized zone is dominated by spodumene-bearing aplite with several zones of coarser-grained LIZ (Lower-Intermediate Zone similar to PAK) occur with spodumene laths up to 3cm with increased Li2O content. Examples are 7.5m from 25 to 32.5m averaging 2.89% Li2O and 8m from 335 to 343 averaging 3.13% Li2O.
Results from the remaining holes are expected in the near future.
Table 2: Summary of Drill Holes
Geomechanical |
Date Drilled |
UTM Zone 15N (NAD83) |
Collar Orient |
Metres Drilled |
||||||
Start |
End |
Easting |
Northing |
(mASL) |
Azim |
Dip |
Start |
End |
||
Spark |
PL-GDH-06-21 |
2021-02-07 |
2021-02-10 |
472,803 |
5,829,380 |
326.2 |
177 |
-50 |
0 |
177.0 |
PL-GDH-07-21 |
2021-02-25 |
2021-02-26 |
472,950 |
5,829,376 |
325.5 |
165 |
-46 |
0 |
83.0 |
|
Total metres drilled |
260.0 |
|||||||||
Delineation |
Date Drilled |
UTM Zone 15N (NAD83) |
Collar Orient |
Metres Drilled |
||||||
Start |
End |
Easting |
Northing |
(mASL) |
Azim |
Dip |
Start |
End |
||
Phase IX |
PL-046-21 |
2021-02-11 |
2021-02-18 |
472,781 |
5,829,321 |
326.0 |
330 |
-47 |
0 |
376.2 |
PL-047-21 |
2021-02-18 |
2021-02-24 |
472,695 |
5,829,295 |
326.0 |
330 |
-48 |
0 |
298.5 |
|
PL-048-21 |
2021-02-26 |
2021-03-08 |
472,865 |
5,829,345 |
326.0 |
305 |
-50 |
0 |
393.0 |
|
PL-049-21 |
2021-03-08 |
2021-03-19 |
472,880 |
5,829,317 |
326.0 |
330 |
-42 |
0 |
303.2 |
|
Total metres drilled |
1,370.9 |
Due Diligence
All scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Garth Drever, P.Geo., the qualified person (QP) under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101. Under Frontier's QA/QC procedures, all drilling was completed by Chenier Drilling Ltd. of Val Caron, ON using thin-walled BTW drill rods (4.2 cm core diameter) and a Reflex ACT III oriented core system. Using the Reflex system, the drill core was oriented and marked as it was retrieved at the drill. The core was boxed and delivered to the Frontier core shack where it was examined, geologically logged and marked for sampling. The core was photographed prior to sampling. Using a rock saw, the marked sample intervals were halved with one half bagged for analysis. Sample blanks along with lithium, rubidium and cesium certified reference material was routinely inserted into the sample stream in accordance with industry recommended practices. Field duplicate samples were also taken in accordance with industry recommended practices. The samples were placed in poly sample bags and transported to Red Lake by Frontier employees and then shipped to AGAT Laboratories Ltd. (AGAT) in Thunder Bay for processing and to Mississauga, ON for quantitative multi-element analysis. AGAT is an ISO accredited laboratory. The core is stored on site at the Pakeagama Lake exploration camp.
About Frontier Lithium
Frontier Lithium (TSX.V: FL) (OTCQX: LITOF) (FSE: HL2) is an emerging pure play lithium company with the largest land position in the Electric Avenue, an emerging premium lithium mineral district located in the Great Lakes region of northern Ontario. The company maintains 100% ownership in the PAK Lithium Project which contains one of North America's highest-grade, large tonnage hard-rock lithium resources in the form of a rare low-iron spodumene. The Project has significant upside exploration potential. Frontier is a pre-production business that is targeting the manufacturing of battery quality lithium hydroxide in the Great Lakes Region to support electric vehicle and battery supply chains in North America. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership approximately 25% of the Company.
About PAK Lithium Project
The PAK Lithium Project encompasses 26,774 hectares at the south end of Ontario's Electric Avenue, the largest land package hosting premium lithium bearing pegmatites in Ontario. The Project covers 65 km of the Avenue length and remains largely unexplored; however, since 2013 the company has delineated two premium spodumene bearing lithium deposits (Pak and Spark) located 2.3 km from each other. A 2021 Preliminary Economic Assessment of a fully-integrated lithium operation utilizing spodumene concentrate generated from the PAK Lithium Project resource to achieve downstream conversion for production of battery-quality lithium chemicals (NI 43-101 Technical report titled "PAK Property" by BBA Engineering Ltd. issued on April 5, 2021) resulted in a post-tax NPV8% of USD $974M with a 21% IRR. Considerable exploration upside is supported on the PAK Lithium Project through two other spodumene bearing discoveries; Bolt pegmatite located between PAK and Spark deposits, as well as Pennock pegmatite, a further 30 km northwest of PAK within the Project claims.
Forward-looking Statements
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and those actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's registered filings available at sedar.com.
SOURCE Frontier Lithium Inc.
Company Contact Information, Bora Ugurgel, Manager, Investor Relations, 2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA, T. +001 705.897.7622, F. +001 705.897.7618
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