Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE) has released an updated resource for the Kachi lithium brine project in Catamarca Province, Argentina.
This updated resource is based on drilling activities that have been underway throughout the year, with the company having multiple drilling rigs on site to expedite drilling activities and related studies for the project. The company is currently in the process of installing test production wells for pumping and reinjection aquifer testing as part of the project DFS.
Highlights
• Additional drilling has upgraded and increased confidence in the resource in the central area of the salar, with Measured and Indicated (M&I) resources of 2.2Mt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) defined, to a depth of 400m over 81sq.km.
• Surrounding the M&I resources are Inferred resources of 3.1 Mt LCE defined over 117sq.km. The resource remains open to a depth of approximately 700m and open laterally, where drilling is underway to better define the resource extent.
• The lithium grade of the Measured resource (0-400m) across the salar is 212 mg/L lithium, the Indicated resource immediately southeast is 178 mg/l lithium, and the surrounding Inferred resource (0-400m) has a concentration of 198mg/L lithium.
• Properties are 100% owned by Kachi Lithium PTY Ltd, in which Lake has a 90% interest and Lilac has a 10% interest.
• Additional assays are awaited to expand the area of high confidence (M&I) resources. Project background
The maiden resource estimate at Kachi was undertaken in 2018 as part of the project Pre-feasibility Study. That estimate identified an Indicated Resource of 1.05Mt of LCE over an area of 61sq. km, surrounded by an Inferred resource of 3.19 Mt over an area of 114sq. km.
The resource was defined from 50m to an average of 334m depth, with the upper 50m excluded from the resource due to uncertainties about lithium concentrations over that interval at the time of the estimate.
With further diamond and rotary drilling and geophysical logging of wells the confidence in the geological and resource models has increased and the resource classification has been upgraded to reflect this. Drilling has been conducted to 400m depth across the Measured and Indicated resource area.
Geophysics was previously undertaken to define the base of the unconsolidated sediments hosting brine. Additional geophysics will shortly commence to define extensions of the brine body and to define in more detail the geometry of the contacts between the brine and areas of brackish water, to support the development of pumping simulations and a reserve model for the project.
Location
The Kachi Lithium Brine Project is located in the Puna region of north-western Argentina, in the Province of Catamarca. It is approximately 520km northwest of the capital of Catamarca Province, San Fernando de la Valle de Catamarca. It is 22km west of the town of El Peñon, and 50 km south of Antofagasta de Sierra, which is the regional administrative centre. In addition, it is at an altitude of approximately 3,000m above sea level, a major advantage for the project.
For further information please visit: https://lakeresources.com.au/
