Australian exploration and development company Aurora Energy Metals (ASX:1AE) has discovered ‘thick’ zones of lithium and uranium mineralisation following a maiden reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DD) program at its namesake project in Oregon, US.
The results, generated by 17 drillholes comprising 12 RC and 5 DD holes, have returned the presence of uranium mineralisation outside of the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), as well as wide zones of lithium bearing clays at the Aurora Energy Metals Project.
Key results include hole 22AUD001 with 34.1m @ 610 parts per million (ppm) eU3O8 from 151m; hole 22AURC004 with 19.8m @ 1,298ppm Li (0.28% Li2O) from 27.4m; and hole 22AURC002 with 19.8m @ 1,206ppm Li (0.26% Li2O) from 51.8m.
The company says diamond hole 22AUDD001 represents the closest hole to historic hole AUD028, which returned an intercept of 45.7m @ 488ppm U3O8.
Drilling was conducted to target potential for an extension of mineralisation to the northwest of the existing Aurora Uranium deposit, and test areas interpreted to host lithium mineralisation in deeper lakebed sediments.
All remaining chemical assays are expected to be completed by the end of January this year.
Speaking on the results, Aurora Energy Metals’ Managing Director Greg Cochran says: “These are good results that confirm our targeting objectives. The uranium results are consistent with the existing resource but show the potential for further extensions.
“THESE ARE GOOD RESULTS THAT CONFIRM OUR TARGETING OBJECTIVES”
The lithium results are proof of concept showing widespread lithium in clays at potentially economic grades, very similar to the giant deposits elsewhere in the McDermitt Caldera.”
The company also notes it recorded multiple intervals returning >350ppm eU3O8 outside of the existing MRE, and that results delivered from the diamond tail of hole 22AURC00DT, which was also conducted outside of the MRE, also demonstrated intervals similar to those seen in the current resource.
Aurora Energy Metals is an ASX-listed company with a vision of supplying minerals that are critical to the energy transition in the US.
Images: Aurora Energy Metals Ltd
