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Lithium Australia finalises option over Youanmi Lithium Project

Published: 10:22 11 Dec 2018 AEDT

Mineralisation with abundant lepidolite from the Youanmi Lithium Project
Mineralisation with abundant lepidolite from the Youanmi Lithium Project

Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT)  has expanded its extensive holdings in Western Australia by completing formalities on an option over the Youanmi Lithium Project.

The early-stage project consists of three exploration licences and is host to abundant lithium pegmatites that intrude layered mafic rocks.

Initial exploration work at the project has included prospecting, a review of past work, geological inspections, mapping, rock-chip sampling, and topographic surveying.

Work to date reveals lithium-bearing pegmatites

Work has revealed occurrences of lithium-bearing pegmatites over a strike length of almost three kilometres and a width of at least 200 metres.

Rock sampling has confirmed both the presence of potentially economic lithium values (up to 4.2% lithium oxide) and anomalous tantalum values.

So far, the lithium mineral in the pegmatites inspected is lepidolite.

Regional zoning patterns in pegmatites elsewhere suggest that spodumene may also occur there.

Potential for pegmatites to be hidden under the surface cover

Most of the area around the known pegmatite locations is covered by sheetwash and it is likely that the lithium pegmatites are far more extensive than those few outcrops.

An unexplained magnetic low beneath the main area of pegmatite dykes suggests the possibility of a larger pegmatite mass beneath.

READ: Lithium Australia generates lithium-iron-phosphate from waste mica in world-first breakthrough

Lithium Australia’s managing director Adrian Griffin said: “Recent advances in our battery technology demonstrate that materials such as lepidolite, which is abundant at Youanmi, can be processed to produce viable precursors for lithium-ion batteries.

“We've not only proved the theory but made the batteries – and done so without needing to use lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide. We're committed to the integration of these advanced battery technologies, to improve the sustainability of the energy storage industry as a whole.”

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