Savannah Resources has announced further results from the ongoing reverse circulation (RC) drill program for the Mina do Barroso Lithium Project in Portugal.

The drill programme, which is aimed at defining a JORC – 2012 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate, has returned significant intersections of lithium mineralisation.

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Completed a further 27 holes for 2,566m with assays for the first 11 holes confirming extensions to the existing mineralisation
  • Reservatorio Deposit: drilling significantly extends lithium mineralisation to over 400m strike length, with good down dip extensions of at least 150m. Results from the second round of drilling to date include:

         – 29m at 1.07% Li2O from 43m in 17RESRC10

         – 35m at 1.06% Li2O from 56m in 17RESRC11

  • NOA Deposit: drilling has confirmed the presence of lithium mineralisation over a 100m strike length together with good down dip extensions of at least 50m. Results received to date from the second round of drilling include:

          – 13m at 1.19% Li2O from 7m in 17NOARC03

          – 11m at 1.23% Li2O from 46m in 17NOARC04

  • The Reservatorio, Grandao and NOA deposits remain open along strike and down dip leaving excellent upside potential for all deposits
  • Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for Reservatorio expected by the end of 2017
  • Further mapping at five additional high priority targets, some with significant historical drill intersects, has also commenced to fast track the targets to drilling
  • Phase 2 of the Metallurgical Test Work programme is due to get underway at Nagrom in Perth by the end of November 2017 

Savannah’s CEO, David Archer said: “The drilling results to date continue to underscore the potential of the Mina do Barroso Project to be a strategic upstream feature in the European lithium value chain. From an investment perspective, we see the Project as the closest European analogue to the very successful Australian hard-rock, open cut mine developments which produce highly sought-after lithium spodumene concentrates for international markets.

“Drilling and metallurgical test work is ongoing and will be used to support an early scoping study around a potential mine development.”

Reservatorio

A further 12 drill holes for 1,322m have now been completed at Reservatorio. Assay results from the first six holes have now been received and have confirmed significant extensions to the already identified lithium mineralisation in pegmatite, with mineralisation now defined along a 400m strike length and to at least 150m down dip confirming the potential for good depth extensions of the lithium mineralisation. Drilling in an area of faulting and shearing on the eastern part of the pegmatite has caused the pegmatite to become weathered resulting in some zones of near surface depletion. Further infill drilling is now required to further define these zones.

Grandao

A further 10 drill holes for 860m have been completed targeting the flat lying pegmatite body at Grandao. To date no results have been received for this drilling.

NOA

Initial drilling results from the NOA prospect have been encouraging with 10-15m wide zones of pegmatite being intersected to date at grades above 1.2% Li2O over a strike length of 100m and a down dip depth of around 50m. A further five RC holes are planned to test a further 200m of the strike of the NOA prospect focusing on areas where surface outcrop suggest widths of pegmatite over 20m may be present.

Drilling is continuing at both NOA and Grandao and a Mineral Resource Estimate for Reservatorio is expected to be delivered before the end of 2017.

Savannah has a 75% shareholding in Slipstream Resources Portugal Lda, which is the registered holder of the Mina do Barroso mining licence.