67d654b4-b83b-4b8b-b0da-595eaf53fe1b.pdf
ASX announcement
6 JUNE 2016
Drilling to Commence at Crescent Lake Lithium Project
Argonaut Resources NL (ASX: ARE) (Argonaut or the Company) is pleased to announce the commencement of field-based exploration at its Crescent Lake project in Ontario, Canada.
Highlights
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An application to undertake exploration drilling and trenching at the Crescent Lake project has been approved.
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An exploration team commenced preparatory works on site in late May 2016.
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A program of Diamond core drilling will commence within two weeks.
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Drilling will commence at the Falcon Lake West deposit (Figure 1).
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Macquarie Research noted last week that lithium is the 'best demand story among mined commodities'.
410,000m E 415,000m E 420,000m E
Falcon Lake Discovery
Falcon Lake West
DempsterEast Falcon Lake East
Falcon Lake
5,590,000m N
Tebish
Dempster L28
Zigzag
Granitoids Metasediments Metavolcanics Diabase Unmapped area Water bodies/lakes
Recorded Lithium Pegmatites Tracks/trails
Geological boundary
5,585,000m N
0 2
kilometres
Fault
Crescent Lake Project boundary
Crescent Lake 02
Figure 1: Crescent Lake claim locations, spodumene pegmatite occurrences and geology.
Argonaut Resources NL ABN 97 008 084 848
Registered Office
Suite 4, Level 9
341 George Street
Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia T +61 2 9299 9690
F +61 2 9299 9629
E [email protected]
Adelaide Office
Level 1
63 Waymouth Street Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia T +61 8 8231 0381
F +61 8 8231 6092
E [email protected]
Crescent Lake Drilling
Crescent Lake is located 250km NNE of Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada (Figure 2).
On 11 March 2016, Argonaut announced the acquisition of lithium deposits known as Falcon Lake and Zigzag, collectively the Crescent Lake Lithium Project. Pegmatites at Crescent Lake are spodumene bearing. In March 2016, applications for Exploration Permits to allow drilling and trenching at the Zigzag and Falcon Lake claim areas were lodged. The Exploration Permits have now been granted for a period of three years.
Argonaut geologists commenced non-mechanised exploration works in late May 2016 in preparation for a drilling program in June 2016.
Now that permits have been granted, Argonaut will mobilise a drilling rig to site and undertake an initial program of approximately 500m of Diamond drill core. Drilling will commence at the Falcon Lake West deposit (Figure 1).
High grade metamorphic complex Metavolcanic dominant
Granitic dominant Metasedimentary dominant Proterozoic and Phanerozoic cover International border
Provincial boundary Coast/lake
Major city
Geological subprovince boundary Superior Province geological boundary Lithium mine/resource
Lithium occurence
Hudson Bay
Labrador Trough
Thompson Belt
MANITOBA
ONTARIO
Trans Hudson
Sachigo
Pakeagama Lake
CANADA
Greenbush Lake Project
James Bay
James Bay
Opinaca
Rose
Whabouchi
Tanco
Berens
East Pashkokogan
Uchi ER
BR
Crescent Lake Project
Seymour Lake
Moblan
Separation WR
Lake Nipigon
QueticoAbitibi
Grenville Province
Rapids Georgia Lake
Wabigoon
Lacorne/Quebec Lithium
Wawa
Thunder Bay
Lake Superior
QUEBEC ONTARIO
Subprovince names ER English River BR Bird River
WR Winnipeg River
Southern Province
Lake Michigan
Toronto
0 200
kilometres
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Canada 01
Figure 2 Geology of the Superior Province, Canada, showing Greenbush Lake, Crescent Lake and regional lithium occurrences.
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Lithium Market
Lithium was described last week as the 'best demand story among mined commodities' by Macquarie Research. Macquarie forecast a compound annual growth rate of 9% to 2021 on the back of strong growth in 'new energy vehicle' batteries.
This week CRU referenced a lithium 'price curve that has turned almost vertical'.
Background
Argonaut is focused on fast-tracking development of its lithium assets. The Company now has rights to two Canadian projects and one South Australian lithium exploration target.
Argonaut expects to announce a further acquisition in the coming weeks as well as the commencement of drilling at its flagship Crescent Lake project in Ontario, Canada.
WESTERN
NORTHERN TERRITORY
QUEENSLAND
CANADA
Greenbush Lake
ONTARIO
Crescent Lake
AUSTRALIA
Lake Blanche
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
NEW SOUTH WALES
VICTORIA
UNITED STATES of AMERICA
TASMANIA
Figure 3 Argonaut lithium project locations.
Crescent Lake Project, Canada (Argonaut acquiring 100%)
On 4 March 2016, Argonaut released details of the acquisition of the Falcon Lake and Zigzag blocks within the Crescent Lake Lithium Project area in Ontario, Canada (Figure 2).
Highlights of previous drilling at the Crescent Lake Lithium Project, released to the ASX on 11 March 2016, include:
Falcon Lake Area
418,360mE
5,592,000mN 418,360mE
418,360mE 5,591,980mN
418,360mE 418,360mE 5,591,960mN
418,360mE
5,591,940mN 418,360mE
W-1
W-9
NorthWest SouthEast
340mRL
[email protected]% Li2O
[email protected]% Li2O
[email protected]% Li2O
[email protected]% Li2O
[email protected]% Li2O
-300mRL
[email protected]% Li2O
[email protected]% Li2O
Cover
LCT pegmatite Metavolcanic
CANADA
CRESCENT LAKE PROJECT
Falcon Lake Prospect Simplified Geological Section Historic Drilling
Looking northeast
20 metres
Crescent Lake 03
Figure 4: Falcon Lake West geological cross section, Crescent Lake Lithium Project.
Greenbush Lake, Canada (Argonaut 100%)
The Greenbush Lake Project is located approximately 150km north-west of Argonaut's Crescent Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada (Figure 2) and features a large, outcropping spodumene pegmatite with grades of up to 2.46% Li2O within an area confirmed as having the requisite geological components for lithium pegmatite emplacement.
The known lithium pegmatite occurrence is 15m wide by 30m in exposed strike length. The actual strike length of the known pegmatite has not yet been determined as the exposure continues under thin sedimentary cover to the north and under lake waters to the south. The pegmatite has not been drilled.
Argonaut purchased a 100% interest in three mineral claims for CAD100,000. The claims are subject to a 2% net smelter royalty.
Three phases of exploration have been undertaken in the area of the lithium occurrence.
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The Ontario Department of Mines discovered the pegmatite around 1965 and took a chip sample across the full width (50 feet) of the outcrop. Analysis of the chip sample returned 1.25% Li2O.
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Placer Development Ltd explored the area for tantalum in 1980. A magnetic survey attempting to define the extent of the pegmatite was unsuccessful, however an assay of the outcrop returned 2.46% Li2O.
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Canadian Orebodies Inc. undertook an exploration program in 2009. Highlights of a rock-chip sampling program are shown in Table 1.
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