Clean lithium developer Lake Resources NL has announced significant expansions in the lithium-bearing brine resource at its Kachi lithium brine Project in Catamarca Province, Argentina. Deeper drilling at the project has revealed larger horizontal and vertical extents of the resource than previously understood.
The latest drilling results indicate that the resource is much larger than initially anticipated, with the lithium brine extent continuing to expand both laterally and vertically. Drilling at hole K23D40, which reached a depth of 610 meters below ground surface (bgs), has provided crucial data to support the ongoing resource updates and hydrogeologic models for the Project’s Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for Phase 1.
Michael Gabora, Director of Geology and Hydrogeology of Lake Resources, stated that the drilling intercept results prove that the resource is expanding beyond expectations. The average lithium grades in all brine samples collected between 400 and 600 meters are above 209 mg/L, demonstrating that the brine extends at depth to over 600 meters at K23. This finding has significant implications for the central resource area at these depths.
Lake CEO David Dickson expressed excitement about the findings, noting that drilling 180 meters deeper than previously done has resulted in the discovery of lithium-bearing brine throughout the entire depth. This extends the known brine resource in the vertical dimension by 30%. The findings have the potential to have a major impact on the overall resource estimate if similar lithium-bearing brine is also present in the remaining brine footprint at these depths.
The Kachi Project has continually increased its mineral resource estimates since the initial estimate in November 2018. The most recent update in June 2023 reported a measured and indicated resource of over 2.9 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and an inferred resource of approximately 5.3 million tonnes of LCE, resulting in a total resource estimate of more than 8.1 million tonnes of LCE.
The additional drilling and testing results from hole K23D40 confirm the presence of the resource further west and north of the core resource area, extending to over 600 meters, significantly deeper than previously defined.
Lake Resources is developing sustainable and responsible lithium extraction technology for the production of high-purity lithium at its flagship Kachi Project. The company is committed to delivering environmentally friendly battery materials with a low carbon footprint and significant environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benefits.
These recent drilling results provide valuable information for the ongoing development of Lake’s Phase 1 DFS and will contribute to further resource updates, expected to be released in September. The company’s continuous expansion of the resource confirms its position as a leading lithium developer in Argentina’s Catamarca Province.
