The growth of the Auroch portfolio represents an exciting new period for Auroch, which has made the strategic decision to couple its gold expertise with opportunities in the lithium – tantalum sector due to the strong outlook for lithium from the burgeoning battery market.
As part of its due diligence Auroch has had a senior geologist on site for 10 days of mapping and sampling. This review has confirmed the presence of numerous outcropping, lithium bearing pegmatites within the project area.
The Hombolo Lithium Project is approximately 40km north east of the Tanzanian capital Dodoma (Figure 1). The project area is adjacent to the Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX:LTR) Mohanga Lithium-Tantalum Project where Liontown has recently announced grades up to 5.2% Li2O and 0.11% Ta in pegmatites that intrude the regional metamorphic basement rocks (refer LTR announcement 18/12/2015).
Auroch has secured the rights to the Hombolo Lithium Project through a deal to acquire a ground package that comprises over 1,700 km2 including two approved prospecting licences (PLs) immediately adjacent to known mineralisation, 8 regional prospecting licences still in application (PLAs) and 3 granted primary mining licences (PMLs) and 8 applications for primary mining licences (together the PMLs) that are part of an excision within the Liontown Project.
Several historical occurrences of Li-Ta bearing pegmatites are recorded on the project. The underlying geology is a mixed sequence of high-grade metamorphic rocks intruded by several granites.
Pegmatites are common throughout the area and represent a late stage intrusive rock related to the emplacement of the nearby granites. A strong structural grain is present in the metamorphic host rocks trending NW and this appears to control the emplacement of the pegmatitic dykes.
Locally, lithium can be found in two minerals that occur within the pegmatites; lepidolite [K(Li,Al,Rb)3(Al,Si)4O10(F,OH)2)] a lithium bearing mica and spodumene [LiAl(SiO3)2] a lithium bearing pyroxene.
Spodumene has several gem quality varieties and a small artisanal gemstone mine within the project has previously exploited this opportunity.
Importantly the pits left by the gem miners allows direct sampling of the pegmatites and Company geologists have collected over 60 samples for initial whole rock assay which will document the levels of important elements such as: lithium, tantalum and potentially other rare earth elements. Results will be reported to the market when received from the
laboratory.
Auroch will commence field operations in June with initial planned exploration activities to include trenching, mapping and sampling of the pegmatites and soil sampling.
