Savannah Resources to start drilling at Portugal lithium project

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed Savannah Resources has completed the first phase of exploration at its Mina do Barroso lithium project, in Portugal.

The programme was aimed at defining the extent of the lithium-bearing pegmatites in preparation for drilling.

The miner on Tuesday said it undertook mapping across three primary target areas – Grandao, Reservatorio and NAO – which have been shown to have relatively high grades of lithium oxide (Li₂O) with drill results up to 1.67% Li₂O over significant widths.

Mapping has expanded the surface footprint of the known pegmatites, with Reservatorio over 600 m in strike, with a maximum width of 85 m and the potential for a stacked sequence with some thinner 10-m- to 15-m-wide parallel bodies.

At Grandao, a series of at least three stacked sub-horizontal pegmatite bodies were identified, each around 10 m to 30 m in width with a strike of 400 m in a north-south and 200 m in an east-west direction.

The mapping of NAO identified potentially three stacked moderately dipping pegmatites 5 m to 30 m in width, which can be traced for at least 300 m in strike.

A 3 000 m to 5 000 m reverse circulation drilling programme is now scheduled to start in two weeks, due to drill rig availability, focusing on defining a Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant mineral resource estimate to support a potential mine development.

Further mapping is also planned at Mina do Barroso to define other lithium-bearing pegmatites within the enlarged project area. This work is expected to be completed during the third quarter.