Figure 1: Delta Lithium - Yinnetharra Project, in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia
Yinnetharra Lithium Project
The Yinnetharra Lithium Project is in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
Delta Lithium has 1,769km2 of tenure owned outright and as Farm-in Joint Ventures. The recently executed Farm-In Joint Venture Agreements have expanded the prospective stratigraphy to over 80km in length.
Figure 1: Delta Lithium – Yinnetharra Project, in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia
Since purchasing the Project in September 2022, drill programs were focused at the Malinda prospect, where the first assay returned 55.6 metres at 1.12% Li2O from 94.0 metres in the M1 pegmatite. A total of 120,788 metres of RC & Diamond drilling were completed at the prospect since the acquisition of the project until the end of 2023.
In December 2023, the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 25.7Mt @ 1% Li2O for the Malinda Deposit was released.
| Resource category | (% Li2O) | (Mt) | (% Li2O) | (Kt) | (Ta2O5 ppm) |
| Measured | |||||
| Indicated | |||||
| Inferred | |||||
| Total Resource | |||||
Malinda
Lithium resources are largely present in 3 main pegmatites at Malinda from surface to a depth of >300m. Metallurgical test work is ongoing with initial results demonstrating the potential for high recovery of spodumene to high grade low impurity concentrates.
Figure 2: Block models from Malinda with selected recent intercepts
Jameson Prospect
Lithium anomalism at Jameson is present as a coherent soil geochemistry anomaly >150ppm Li2O approximately 600m long. Drilling orientations at Jameson were chosen to intercept the regional trend of stratigraphy in a perpendicular manner.
Drilling at the Jameson Prospect begun in the March Quarter 2024 after Heritage surveys and government approvals were completed. The maiden drill result from the Jameson prospect was released in April 2024 with an intercept of 71m at 1.2% Li2O from 27m, including 45m @ 1.8% Li2O from 41m in JREX002.
Visual logging of the RC chips indicates spodumene is the only Li bearing mineral phase observed to date, with the remainder of the pegmatite composed of quartz, feldspar, and minor apatite and beryl.
Geological interpretation of the area is ongoing with more information becoming available through drilling and mapping. Orientations of mineralised pegmatite are not known at this stage; this drilling intercept reported may be oblique to the dip and dip direction of the mineralised pegmatite and not indicative of the true width of mineralisation.
Image: Drilling is ongoing at Jameson, with further results to be released in due course
Next Steps for the Yinnetharra Lithium Project
The Company continues to actively explore at the Yinnetharra Project with drill rigs currently operating at both the Malinda and Jamesons Projects.
Extensional and exploration drilling at the Malinda Deposit will continue to search for additional material to include in mining studies. Drilling will also aim at infilling the existing MRE at Yinnetharra in a staged approach with the aim of converting potentially economic material into Indicated resource to underpin advanced feasibility studies and a mineable reserve.
Multiple field teams are also undertaking geological mapping and surface sampling to further define target prospects across the extensive strike of prospective stratigraphy.
Extensive heritage and environmental surveys are currently being undertaken which will support further drilling, resource growth, studies and permitting.
In addition to this, engineering, metallurgical and geotechnical studies have commenced in early 2024 to further progress the Yinnetharra Lithium Project towards development.
