Australian exploration company Lightning Minerals (ASX:L1M) has identified 28 targets through a geophysical review of the Dundas Project in Western Australia.
The company reports the initial findings from the review support its exploration strategy for critical minerals and lithium. Southern Geoscience Consultants were commissioned during late 2022 to complete a 1 to 50,000 scale litho-structural interpretation and target generation for the greater Dundas project.
The objective of the geophysical reinterpretation was to analyse and reprocess data from historical geophysical surveys collected over the last 25 years. Lightning says modern geophysical data processing techniques may now be able to identify areas of potential prospectivity for a range of critical minerals that warrant further exploration.
“These early results continue to build the company’s confidence in the Dundas region as a significant lithium district”
This interpretive work primarily focused on detailed analysis of the aeromagnetic data, with the added context of contemporary geological knowledge, in conjunction with historic drilling and outcrop information.
Of the 28 targets identified, 22 are located within the Dundas South project area, and 6 are located within the Dundas North project area.
Commenting on the review, Lightning Minerals Chief Executive Officer Alex Biggs said: “These early results continue to build the company’s confidence in the Dundas region as a significant lithium district. With geophysical targets occurring along similar interpreted structures and lithologies as known lithium mineralisation to the north the results are very promising.
We are immediately investigating the geophysical target identified by Southern Geoscience Consultants on tenement E63/2001 and our other Dundas tenements where soil sampling is continuing. We continue our exploration with our soil sampling campaign and a view to developing high-quality drill targets for testing.”
Southern Geoscience Consultants have reprocessed a compilation of airborne magnetic and radiometric survey data from the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA), the ‘Killaloe’ airborne magnetic survey collected by UTS Geophysics for Mincor Resources (ASX:MCR) in 2004 for reinterpretation.
Other surveys reprocessed include the ‘Buldania’ airborne magnetic survey collected by Kevron Geophysics for Kinross Gold Australia in 1999, and the ‘Tramways’ gravity survey collected by Haines Surveys in 2005 for Mincor Resources.
Lightning reports the target generation criteria was focused firstly on lithium mineralisation, and where appropriate nickel-platinum group elements (Ni-PGE) targets were also identified when ultramafic and differentiated Jimberlana Dyke lithologies have been interpreted.
The company reports this review has resulted in the delineation of structural and lithological complexity that had not been recognised in previously available open file outcrop mapping and GSWA interpreted bedrock data.
At Dundas South, the company says 22 targets have been prioritised into 3 categories based on the geological and geophysical details at each location.
Lightning reports 4 of the structural targets within tenement E63/2001 are interpreted as ‘high-priority’, occurring within felsic volcanic lithologies of the Black Flag Group. These targets are also broadly coincident with soil geochemical anomalism identified in the company’s recent soil sampling campaign which are less than 10km along strike of the known lithium mineralisation, and within a similar geological setting.
At Dundas North, Lightning reports the 6 targets identified here are in a similar geological setting to the Bald Hill lithium-tantalum deposit located about 30km to the west of Dundas North. The company also notes the targets have been prioritised in a similar manner to Dundas South.
Additionally, the company says the targets at Dundas North are generally related to broad geophysical anomalies where interpreted structured intersect interpreted granites and metasedimentary rocks of the Mount Belches Formation, and where interpreted ultramafic lithologies have been deformed adjacent to granitic intrusions.
Lightning reports the results from the geophysical review are ‘encouraging’, and the prioritised geophysical targets will be integrated with the results of the concurrent soil geochemistry sampling program to plan targets for drill testing.
Further field reconnaissance by the company’s geologists is also planned and will occur during February. Lightning also notes permitting for drilling activities is also now underway.
Lightning Minerals is an ASX-listed mineral exploration company focused on exploring for critical minerals and lithium at its tenements across Western Australia. The Dundas Project is located near Norseman and is Lightning’s flagship project. Other projects held by the company include the Mt Jewell, Mt Bartle, and Mailman Hill projects.
Images: Lightning Minerals Ltd
