Frontier Lithium Reports Drilling Results and Confirms High Grades and Continuity of the PAK Lithium Deposit

2018-10-16 / @accesswire

 

Highlights:

- DDH PL-028-18 intersected 219.75 m of pegmatite averaging 2.07% Li2O from 62.25 to 282.0 m representing a horizontal width of over 56 m with a lithium enriched zone (Lower - Upper Intermediate Zone);

- DDH's PL-028-18 and PL-029-18 confirm and expand the Inferred Resource near the base of the current published Resource Estimate and under the 2018 Pre-Feasibility Open Pit Shell;

- DDH's PL-030-18 to PL-036-18 better defined the high grade (Upper Intermediate Zone) with intercepts as high as 51.4m of 4.05% Li2O representing over 35m of horizontal width in DDH PL-035-18;

-Mineralization remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and south-east whereby the grade thickness is increasing to the east-south-east (down-plunge).

SUDBURY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 16, 2018 / Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX.V: FL) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of a 1,221m Phase VI drill program completed in July 2018. The program was primarily planned to drill through the Pre-Feasibility Open Pit shell so that the Inferred Resources at depth under the pit shell could be intersected. The secondary objective was to further delineate the high grade Upper Intermediate Zone ("UIZ") Reserves close to surface. Two drillholes, PL-028-18 and PL-029-18 were drilled from the NNE at a steep angle attempting to drill through the bottom of the pegmatite. Both holes successfully intersected the Inferred Resource at, and near, the base of the pegmatite and only PL-029-18 may have pierced the bottom.

Six shorter drillholes were used to better define the high grade UIZ at surface. The intersections determined that the high-grade UIZ portions of the unit are not as continuous as modelled, however, significant intervals of up to 50m exist of nearly pure spodumene and quartz with consistent grades of over 4% Li2O.

''We are extremely pleased with the results from this drill program as we successfully hit our targets and further strengthen the predictability of the deposit'', stated Trevor Walker, President and CEO of the Company. ''With the conclusion of this drilling the Company will commence with an updated mineral resource calculation. The high-grade thicknesses intersected to date, and mineralization that remains open to depth and along strike, suggests this pegmatite could be significantly more robust than is currently known.''

The assay and collar data for the hole reported is presented in Table I and Table II respectively.

1 Inferred Mineral Resources cannot be used in a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") as a PFS must be supported by mineral reserves.

Table I - Diamond Drill Hole Intercepts

DDH PL-028-18

Designed to test the continuity of the pegmatite at depth and to upgrade Inferred Resource to Indicated and Measured. Intersected over 220m of continuous spodumene mineralization. The drillhole appears to pierce the southern hangingwall of the pegmatite and not the bottom.

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,636E

Azim

196°


5,827,986N

Dip

-75°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Lithium Enriched

62.3

282

219.7

56.9

2.07

99

100

69

0.27

0.03

LIZ/UIZ/Aplite


including

72.8

85

12.2

3.2

3.73

66

42

50

0.16

0.01

UIZ


including

168

270

102

26.4

2.45

93

103

54

0.30

0.04

LIZ/Aplite











































DDH PL-029-18

Designed to test the extent of the "heel" between Holes PL-026-17 and PL-028-18 and to upgrade Inferred to Indicated and Measured. The hole potentially intersected the base of the pegmatite. Over 220m of pegmatite was intersected at an average grade of 1.69% Li2O.

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,583E

Azim

217°


5,827,969N

Dip

-79°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Li and Rb Enriched

23.2

245

221.8

42.3

1.69

92

102

72

0.27

0.04

LIZ/Aplite


including

59

212

153

29.2

2.20

85

117

57

0.30

0.04

LIZ/Aplite


including

116

212

96

18.3

2.67

73

111

43

0.35

0.05

LIZ/Aplite











































DDH PL-030-18

Designed to test the continuity and extent of the exposed high grade UIZ on surface near the channels cut in 2015. The hole did not extend into UIZ but rather into "rafts" of granite and significant zones of LIZ.

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,498E

Azim

142°


5,827,969N

Dip

-85°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Li and Rb Enriched

0.4

198.6

198.2

17.3

1.43

81

46

63

0.22

0.04

LIZ/aplite/granite


Including

25.0

162.0

137.0

11.9

1.72

92

53

60

0.27

0.05

LIZ/aplite


Including

25.0

70.0

45.0

3.9

2.86

99

63

45

0.33

0.05

LIZ











































DDH PL-031-18

Designed to test the continuity, width and depth extent of the UIZ closer to Channel 21 and the area of the 2015 Bulk sample. Intersected UIZ from surface down to 14.4m then into LIZ and granite "rafts". The hole at was terminated at 25m in granite.

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,524E

Azim

000°


5,827,950N

Dip

-90°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Lithium Enriched

0.4

24.8

24.4

n/a

2.95

31

18

17

0.08

0.06

UIZ/LIZ/granite


Including

0.4

14.4

14.0

n/a

4.32

35

13

7

0.05

0.08

UIZ











































DDH PL-032-18

Designed to test the extent of the UIZ zone mapped on surface by drilling from the NNE across the zone. Intersected narrower intervals of UIZ within granite and some LIZ.

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,525E

Azim

228°


5,827,963N

Dip

-41.2°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Lithium Enriched

4.9

18.1

13.2

9.9

2.99

28

19

18

0.08

0.02

Granite/UIZ/LIZ


Including

7.2

18.1

10.9

8.2

3.42

30

17

18

0.05

0.02

UIZ/granite


Including

7.2

13.3

6.2

4.6

4.28

28

20

19

0.04

0.01

UIZ











































DDH PL-033-18

Designed to test the extent of the UIZ zone exposed on surface by drilling from the SSW across the zone. Intersected narrower intervals of UIZ near surface as expected then 25m of granite before intersecting 50m of LIZ

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,504E

Azim

030°


5,827,939N

Dip

-41.5°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Lithium Enriched

3.0

11.2

8.2

6.1

3.48

44

33

18

0.16

0.05

UIZ

Li and Rb Enriched

36.3

86.0

49.7

37.2

1.86

121

123

72

0.35

0.05

LIZ/granite


Including

36.3

46.0

9.7

7.3

3.09

114

45

43

0.30

0.07

LIZ


Including

56.0

72.0

16.0

12.0

2.36

118

117

82

0.33

0.04

LIZ











































DDH PL-034-18

Designed to test the extent the LIZ intersected in metasediments in hole PL-007-14 and at surface in Channels 30, 31 and 32. Intersected a narrow zone (3m) of pegmatite near surface with elevated tin and minor spodumene.

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,311E

Azim

316°


5,827,094N

Dip

-44°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Sn Enriched

19.8

22.8

3.0

2.2

0.51

112

514

66

0.21

0.02

pegmatite











































DDH PL-035-18

Designed to test the extent of the UIZ zone exposed on surface by drilling from the SSW across the zone towards hole PL-031-18. Intersected granite at surface then 51m of UIZ before ending the hole in granite

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,311E

Azim

73°


5,827,933N

Dip

-43°'

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Lithium Enriched

1.1

52.5

51.4

37.6

4.05

28

30

16

0.05

0.02

UIZ


including

1.1

50.0

48.9

35.8

4.11

29

31

17

0.05

0.02

UIZ


Including

7.5

46.0

38.5

28.2

4.32

23

19

9

0.03

0.01

UIZ











































DDH PL-036-18

Designed to test the extent of the high grade UIZ near hole PL-031-18 and under the 2015 Bulk sample pit. Intersected 23m of UIZ grading 4.25% Li2O before intersecting LIZ and ended in Rb enriched CIZ at 65.4m (1.08% Rb2O over 12.4m)

UTM Zone 15N WGS84


474,528E

Azim

160°


5,827,945N

Dip

-44°

Zone

From (m)

To (m)

Width (m)

Horiz. (m)*

Li2O %

Ta2O5 ppm

SnO2 ppm

Nb2O5 ppm

Rb2O %

Cs2O %

Unit

Li and Rb Enriched

0.0

65.4

65.4

47.0

2.38

56

110

31

0.43

0.05

UIZ/LIZ/CIZ


including

0.0

23.0

23.0

16.5

4.25

39

37

16

0.06

0.02

UIZ


Including

53.0

65.4

12.4

8.9

0.43

62

117

36

1.08

0.10

CIZ

* The intervals ("Width") in Table I are drill intersection widths. The pegmatite is steeply dipping south-southwest to sub-vertical. Based on evidence that the orientation of the pegmatite is mostly sub-vertical, the Horizontal width is representative of the true width when the Azimuth of the drillhole is roughly perpendicular to the strike of the pegmatite which is 110 to 120°.
Li2O content in the Li enriched zones is predominantly associated with spodumene.

Table II - Collar Locations for Diamond Drill Hole


DDHNo

Date Drilled

UTM Zone 15N (NAD83)

Collar Orientation

Metres Drilled

Start Date

End Date

Easting

Northing

(mASL)

Azimuth

Dip

Start

End

Phase VI

PL-028-18

20-06-2018

26-06-2018

474,636

5,827,986

315

196

-75

0

334.4

PL-029-18

26-06-2018

29-06-2018

474,583

5,827,974

317.4

217

-79

0

291.0

PL-030-18

29-06-2018

01-07-2018

474,498

5,827,969

323.5

142

-85

0

222.0

PL-031-18

01-07-2018

02-07-2018

474,524

5,827,950

323.6

0

-90

0

24.8

PL-032-18

02-07-2018

02-07-2018

474,525

5,827,963

323.2

228

-41.2

0

48.0

PL-033-18

02-07-2018

03-07-2018

474,504

5,827,939

322.7

30

-41.5

0

92.3

PL-034-18

03-07-2018

04-07-2018

474,311

5,828,094

316

20

-43.5

0

88.3

PL-035-18

04-07-2018

05-07-2018

474,519

5,827,933

324.3

73

-43

0

54.6

PL-036-18

05-07-2018

06-07-2018

474,528

5,827,945

323.9

160

-44

0

65.4

Total metres drilled

1220.8

Due Diligence
All scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Garth Drever, P.Geo., the qualified person (QP) under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101. Under Frontier's QA/QC procedures, the diamond drill contract specified BTW-sized drill core providing a 42.0 mm diameter sample. Sample security and chain of custody started with the removal of core from the core tube and boxing of drill core at the drill site. The boxed core remained under the custody of the drill contractor until it was transported from the drill to the secure on-site Core Shack facility by either the drill contractor or one of the Company's designated personnel. At the on-site Core Shack, core boxes were opened and inspected to ensure correct boxing and labelling of the core by the drill contractor, photographed and then re-closed. The company geologists geologically logged and marked the core for sampling before it was photographed. Each core sample was assigned a tag with a unique identifying number. Sample lengths are typically one meter, but can be less depending on zone mineralogy and boundaries. Core marked for sampling was split using a diamond core saw on site and cut lengthwise into equal halves. Half of the core was sent to an analytical laboratory for quantitative analysis of select elements. The remaining half of the core is retained and replaced in the core box. All core remains securely in a locked sea-container on site.

All samples were assayed by AGAT Laboratories Ltd. ("AGAT"), an ISO accredited laboratory in Mississauga, Ontario. Sample blanks along with tantalum, lithium, rubidium and cesium certified reference material was routinely inserted into the sample stream in accordance with industry recommended practices. Field duplicate samples were also taken in accordance with industry recommended practices.

About Frontier Lithium Inc.
Frontier's goal is to become a low-cost, fully integrated lithium and tantalum producer through development of the PAK lithium deposit in Ontario, Canada. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership exceeding 30% of the Company. Exploration work has been conducted actively since 2013 on the deposit which contains lithium in a rare, high-purity, low-iron spodumene. The initial target market is the glass-ceramic industry which consumes roughly one-third of global lithium supply and is currently faced with monopolistic conditions, coupled with major lithium producers increasingly directing output toward supporting battery manufacture.

Ceramic/glass customers prefer to source technical-grade (low-iron) spodumene concentrate in excess of 7% lithium oxide (Li2O), if available, to avoid lower grade petalite concentrates, or paying much higher prices for battery grade lithium compounds.

The PAK lithium deposit remains open in all directions and Company Management is working towards developing a viable operation. The Company is currently conducting feasibility level programs to optimize the 2018 Pre-Feasibility Study which positively concluded the economic viability and technical feasibility of producing lithium concentrates. Frontier's goal is to first establish a viable technical grade spodumene concentrate operation. A possible second stage of investment and longer term prospect is to further process some of PAK's output to produce the higher purity lithium compounds required for lithium battery technologies used in the electrification of transportation and electric grid storage applications.

About the PAK Lithium Project
The PAK Lithium Project lies close to the boundary between two geological sub-provinces of the western Superior geologic province in northwestern Ontario and hosts a rare metals pegmatite deposit. The deposit is an LCT (lithium- cesium- tantalum) type pegmatite. These types of pegmatites have been the principal source of hard rock lithium, tantalum, rubidium and cesium ores mined in the world but there are comparatively few commercially-viable deposits.

Frontier is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite. The PAK deposit has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 8.5 million tonnes of 1.78% Li2O and 101 ppm Ta2O5 and an Inferred Resource of 1.92 million tonnes of 2.01% Li2O and 97 ppm Ta2O5 which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe2O3). The deposit has adjacent zones that are enriched in tantalum and rubidium.

The deposit now has a known 500m strike length with an estimated true width varying from 10m to 125m with a sub-vertical orientation. The resource remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and southeast.

Company Contact Information
Trevor R. Walker
President & CEO
2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA
T. +001 705.897.7622
F. +001 705.897.7618

Media Requests
Joseph Mansourian
Manager, Investor Relations
2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA
T. +001 705.618.0070
F. +001 705.897.7618

Additional information regarding Frontier Lithium is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and on its website at www.frontierlithium.com, including various pictures of ongoing work at the project.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Frontier Lithium Inc.

Share to Youtube Share to Facebook Facebook Share to Linkedin Share to Twitter Twitter Share to Tiktok