Projects
West Australian LithiumPilbara Projects – Western Australia
Western Australia is a premium lithium province with high-grade lithium deposits associated with rare metal pegmatites.
Sayona’s Western Australia leases cover 1,083 sq km and comprise lithium tenure in the Pilbara and Yilgarn areas and graphite tenements in the East Kimberley.
The Pilbara project area spans 971 sq km and is centred on the world-class Pilgangoora lithium district. Recently, the gold potential of the Pilbara tenement area has become apparent following the successful Hemi gold discovery by De Grey Mining.
Gold Potential
During a review of the Pilbara projects, the gold potential of leases around the recent Hemi gold discovery has become apparent. De Grey’s Hemi discovery comprises the Aquila, Brolga and Crow gold systems and has the potential to be a world-class discovery.
Sayona’s tenure includes gold rights to eight tenements covering 808 sq km. These include the Mt Dove lease, E47/3950, which is centrally located and only 12km south-west of the Hemi mineralisation. De Grey has also identified gold targets less than 3km to the north, east and west of the Mt Dove tenement boundary.
A review of the gold tenure is underway to identify Hemi-style targets within the tenement package and options for value-adding.
Deep Well Project
The Deep Well tenement covers an area of 119 sq km near Port Hedland. It was pegged to secure an area of interpreted granites prospective for lithium pegmatite and has subsequently been considered prospective for the conglomerate hosted style of gold mineralisation.
The tenement has poor exposure of bedrock but areas of Fortescue aged Mt Roe Basalt crop out in the in the western tenement region, margined by younger Mallina Formation sediments. Elsewhere in the Pilbara, the contact between these units is prospective for gold mineralisation.
Geochemical sampling of oxidised pyrite cubes (metamorphosed authigenic pyrite) has returned elevated gold (to 120ppb Au) as well as anomalous bismuth, molybdenum, antimony, nickel, tellurium, uranium and other pathfinder elements. Further work is required to better understand the area’s geology and mineralisation potential.
Tabba Tabba Project
The Tabba Tabba Project is located in an area of historic tin and tantalum mining. It comprises six tenements covering 588 sq km, located 40km to the north of the Pilgangoora lithium mining area.
The main Tabba Tabba tenement, E45/2364 (lithium rights only), is centred in an area of historic tin and tantalum mining. Spodumene pegmatite has been identified in adjacent tenure and the Tabba Tabba Project provides exposure to the area’s emerging lithium prospectivity.
Within E45/2364, where the Company has the rights to 100% of the pegmatite minerals, exploration has identified three areas of fractionated rare metal pegmatites, as well as seven soil anomalies of LCT type pegmatite geochemistry. None of the prospect areas have been drilled. Geochemistry and target areas are shown in the figure below.
Additional exploration over the broader tenement holding has included rock sampling to identify fractionated granites and pegmatites for a more detailed assessment.
Mallina Project (lithium)
The Mallina project is the most advanced of Sayona’s Pilbara portfolio. Multiple zones of spodumene pegmatites have been identified within a 25 sq km zone.
The pegmatites occur in three main swarms: the western Discovery prospect, the central Area C prospect and the Eastern Group pegmatites. Surface sampling has been encouraging, with rock results up to 4.6% Li2O returned from spodumene pegmatite at surface. Mapping has confirmed the pegmatites can be extensive, with the Eastern No.2 pegmatite being over 1,300m in strike extent and up to 20m in thickness.
Mt Edon Lithium Project
This project located in the South Murchison covers the southern portion of the Paynes Find greenstone belt and hosts an extensive swarm of pegmatites.
The pegmatites have not previously been assessed for their lithium potential, but have been variably prospected and mined for tantalum, feldspar and beryl.
Reconnaissance exploration has identified lepidolite (lithium mica) bearing pegmatite with a peak assay of 1.57% Li2O. Geochemical results indicate that the pegmatite suite becomes increasingly fractionated towards the west.
Soil Geochemical sampling – Tabba Tabba Project
Pegmatite In Drill Sample – Mallina Project
Mallina Project RC Drilling, Dan O’Neill and Matt Thomas
Geophysical readings – Deep Well Project
Logging Drill Cuttings – Mallina Project
Preparing for RC Drilling, Area C Prospect – Mallina Project
Eastern No.2 Pegmatite Prospect – Mallina Project
Geological Logging – Mallina Project
Marking up Drill Bags – Mallina Project
3.44% Li2O Sample, Spodumene Pegmatite – Mallina Project
Area C Prospect – Mallina Project
Pegmatite Search – Pilbara
Pegmatite Mapping
Spodumene Pegmatite – Mallina Project