London-listed Premier African Minerals has announced more confirmatory assay results on the integrity of the orebody at its Zulu lithium and tantalum project, in Zimbabwe.
Some of the latest results include 6.2 m of lithium oxide grading 1.15% and tantalum pentoxide grading 32 parts per million (ppm) from 209 m and 6.3 m of lithium oxide grading 1.5% and tantalum pentoxide grading 73 ppm from 268 m.
The assays, coupled with X-ray diffraction analysis, continues to confirm the company’s belief that the main pegmatite orebody is predominantly spodumene.
CEO George Roach explains that when the source of lithium contained in an orebody is 100% spodumene, a grade of 1% lithium oxide would indicate 12.5% pure spodumene and about 16% SC6 at a 100% recovery rate.
While more incoming results will support new resource estimates on the project, the company is focused on bringing a pilot plant into production.
Premier says civil support construction at the plant site and the main masonry arch dam are progressing well despite the wet season.
The company remains on target to produce spodumene in the first quarter of next year.