JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Poseidon Nickel has started a 4 000 m drilling programme at its Medusa lithium project, near its Lake Johnston operations, which would fast-track the company's geological understanding and infill drill hole planning at the Western Australian project.
Poseidon contracted Core Drilling Service to complete the reverse circulation (RC) drilling, with a specialised rubber track mounted RC rig having been engaged to reduce the drill rigs' environmental footprint and to navigate the hilly, rocky terrain at Medusa.
"The project lies in a highly prospective area with several ASX-listed companies already exploring for and developing lithium mines in the region. This is a key milestone for the company, following significant works completed to date, leading up to this maiden lithium drilling programme. With the Lake Johnston concentrator and mill located only 6 km from Medusa, Poseidon will be able to fast-track production, should an economic lithium deposit be defined," COO Michael Rodriguez said.
The project is located 190 km south-west of Kalgoorlie and 6 km north of the company's 100%-owned Lake Johnston process plant and infrastructure.
Previous rock chip sampling of outcropping pegmatites returned results of up to 3.85% lithium oxide and evidence of tantalum pentoxide.
Poseidon has completed extensive exploration work to date to define the drill targets and is now progressing to test these pegmatites for lithium/caesium/tantalum bearing minerals.