Snow Lake Lithium (NASDAQ: LITM) has provided the first results of winter drilling at the northeast extension of its Thompson Brothers (TBL) spodumene pegmatite deposit located in northwest Manitoba. These results represent only the first three of the 40 total holes that Snow Lake has submitted for analysis.
The best intercept came from TBL-027, with an intersection of 1.49% LiO2 (lithium oxide) over 34.5 metres. In addition, hole TBL-025 returned an intercept of 1.52% Li2O over 18.0 metres, located close to surface.
The other holes completed to date demonstrate the “pinch and swell” character of the crystallization on the northeast extension of the TBL deposit, Snow Lake added. The deep undercut intercept in TBL-029, it believes, contains up to 20% spodumene, though analysis of these core samples is still pending.
“The first three holes, while only representing a fraction of our sample submissions to date, are incredibly significant in that they validate the identification of our outside targets that will be amenable to an open pit starter strategy. This will facilitate the development of a commercial mining operation with a substantially improved capex while we continue to extend our lithium resource,” CEO Philip Gross said. “In the meantime, our spring drilling program is continuing with helicopter support and we are very encouraged with the results to date.”
The Thompson Brothers deposit contains multiple spodumene pegmatite dikes that typically appear in clusters. It has been drill tested over a 1 km strike and to a vertical depth of 500 metres, with additional drilling required to define the deposit along strike to the northeast.
Previous drilling on the property has demonstrated the promise of significant lithium resources to support a fully functioning lithium mine that could produce 160,000 t/y of 6% lithium concentrate over an 8-to-10-year period. The entire 22,000-hectare site has only been 1% explored and contains an identified-to-date 11.1 million tonnes indicated and inferred resource at 1% Li2O.
The ultimate goal for the company is to develop a fully renewable and sustainable lithium mine that can deliver a completely traceable, carbon-neutral and zero-harm product to the electric vehicle market.
In February, Snow Lake initiated the first phase of a pre-feasibility study on the Thompson Brothers project.
For more details on the Thompson Brothers project, visit www.snowlakelithium.com.
