Askari starts phase II drilling at Uis Lithium Project


Askari Metals Limited has commenced the Phase II RC drilling campaign on Exclusive Prospecting Licence (EPL) 7345, part of the Uis Lithium Project, in the Erongo Region of Namibia. 

The Phase II RC drilling program commenced on 28 February 2023 and is set to continue for approximately two months, producing at least 4,000 m of chips, samples and data from the project. 

This Phase II program aims to test previously untested pegmatites mapped and identified by geologists in the field and which are reported to have visible lithium mineralisation at the surface. 

EPL 7345, part of the Uis Lithium Project, is located 3km from the township of Uis within the Erongo Region of west-central Namibia. 

The project holds exceptional potential, as identified by the due diligence sample results and the very high number of pegmatites exposed at the surface, ranging from a few meters in width to more than 20m in width. 

Many pegmatites have been mined historically for tin and semi-precious stones, and altered spodumene and lepidolite are visible within the workings and the mined rock around the workings.

Askari vice president for exploration and geology Johan Lambrechts said this new phase of drilling results in the company having two separate drill rigs actively drilling on our Uis Lithium project, producing tangible geological data and accelerating the company towards unlocking the significant potential of this well-mineralised lithium-rich pegmatite belt of the Erongo region. 

Lambrechts also said the Uis Lithium Project has extremely high potential and plans to advance it along the value curve as efficiently as possible. 

"Askari is continuing its philosophy of aggressive and hands-on exploration with the second phase of drilling commencing on EPL 7345 since purchasing it a mere four months ago," he said. 

Lambrechts added that the mapping program leads to new and additional pegmatite identification, representing future drill targets to be tested. "The company looks forward to updating our shareholders as our exploration activities continue," he said.

A South African geological consultancy, Earthlab Tech, mapping and sampling EPL 7345 has identified many pegmatites on the project. 

The pegmatites have been geologically scrutinised, and several occurrences of spodumene and other lithium-baring minerals have been identified in the field in outcrop. 

The mapped pegmatites and the geological description of their physical and geochemical characteristics form part of the targeting process for the drilling programs. 

Approximately 25% of the project area has been mapped to date, and many more targets are expected to be generated when the mapping program is completed.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Northern Graphite signs graphite concentrate sales deal with Graphex

Image
Northern Graphite, the owner of the Okanjande mine in Namibia and Bisset Creek in Canada, has agreed to supply graphite concentrate to Graphex Technologies LLC in a joint venture deal announced on 21 December 2022.  The TSX-listed Northern Graphite wants to become a world leader in producing anode material for lithium-ion batteries/electric vehicles (EVs), fuel cells and graphene, and advanced industrial technologies. Graphex Group Limited is a Cayman Islands company with its principal offices in Hong Kong and regional offices in Shanghai and Royal Oak, MI, USA.  Graphex develops technologies and products to enhance renewable energy, particularly the production of spherical graphite and graphene, critical components in EVs/lithium-ion batteries, as well as in other uses.  The two companies intend to diligently and in good faith negotiate the terms of a joint venture, including management and ownership percentages, to produce coated spherical graphite anode material for the EV/battery m
Read more

Desert Lion Energy & the Namibian lithium story

Image
The lithium story in Namibia became prominent when Xinfeng Investments, a Chinese company, courted controversy after buying a mine for N$50m from some officials. The story also picked pace when Xinfeng Investments was caught shipping vast quantities of lithium ore to China for testing. Not only was the story about the shipments, but it was also about the ownership of the exclusive prospecting licence and the farm - Kohero No 13 - between Omaruru and Uis in the Erongo region.   Before Xinfeng Investments and Farm Kohero, there was Desert Lion Energy and its plans for what could have been Namibia's biggest lithium mine. There was also the ownership confusion story of Farm Okongova, where Desert Lion Energy's exclusive prospecting licences covered. Even the shipping out of lithium concentrate started with Desert Lion Energy, which teamed up with !Huni-/Urib Investments in 2018. Thomas Mushimba and Mark Welthagen own !Huni-/Urib Investments. The companies shipped out 30 000 tons of
Read more

Chinese company leaves Canada, eyes four lithium mines in Namibia

Image
Another Chinese mining company Yahua Industrial Group has eyed lithium in Namibia and plans to invest US$145m (N$2,5b) in company acquisitions. Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group is an industrial group headquartered in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. In October 2022, following Canada's shutdown of Chinese lithium mining companies, Yahua Industrial Group pulled out of a deal with Ultra Lithium. Yahua manufactures professional civil blasting materials and offers blasting services. The company has more than RMB3b of assets and more than 3 000 employees, 1 000 of which are professionals and technicians.  It has 14 manufacturing bases in Sichuan Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Guizhou Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region in China, and South Island and North Island of New Zealand. Although it is still being determined which companies have been targeted for acquisition, Yahua announced last week that it wants about 720 square kilometres in Nami
Read more