Last checked at 30 Jun 2022 07:00
30 June 2022
Bradda Head Lithium Ltd
("Bradda Head", "Bradda", "BHL" or the "Company")
Wikieup Scout drilling results
Bradda Head Lithium Ltd (AIM:BHL, OTCQB:BHLIF), the North America-focused lithium development group, is pleased to announce receipt of the results of an initial Scout drilling programme at Wikieup ("Wikieup" or the "Project") in Sections 12,13 and Northwest. This represents Bradda's first drill programme at Wikieup, consisting of 18 holes (1,875 metres of sonic drilling). Bradda chose sonic drilling due to reduced water use compared to core drilling.
To see a map of the Wikieup Lithium Clap Project, please see the Exploration Targets at the Wikieup Lithium Clay Project map on the Company website.
Highlights:
· The results demonstrate the presence of lithium bearing clays, opening up a new potential resource area for us and warranting further work on the Project;
· Section 12 encountered several intersections of lithium mineralised clay at 68 metres and 71 metres at 686ppm Li and 519ppm Li respectively, and also 26 metres at 808ppm Li from hole W12-22-07;
· Only three holes were drilled into Northwest Wikieup with promising intersections in the southernmost hole of 55 metres at 621ppm Li, including 16.5 metres at 824ppm Li;
· Lithium mineralised clay was also intercepted in the southern portion of Section 13;
· Additional work to be carried out at Section 13 to improve understanding prior to further drilling;
· Bradda is also in the process of permitting at Basin East Extension and recently received permits to drill at Basin North, which will potentially lead to an increase in resources at the Basin Project later this year. Bradda has a JORC resource of 75.2Mt for 305kt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at Basin East, and an exploration target of up to 6Mt LCE identified by SRK at the Basin Project.
Charles FitzRoy, CEO of Bradda Head Lithium, commented:
"We are pleased to report these results which clearly demonstrate the presence of lithium-bearing clays at our Wikieup claims and have given us a greater understanding of the geology at Wikieup. Further work is required, but these results are positive and will help in the planning our future programmes there.
"It is vital to Bradda Head and the communities in which we operate to minimise water use. Sonic drilling offers an accurate alternative to core drilling whilst using considerably less water when compared to traditional core drilling. With the results of these successful holes returned, the Company now looks to permitting at Basin East Extension, having received permits to drill at Basin North. The Company believes that this will lead to an increase in resources at Bradda's Basin Project later this year.
"The results from this programme demonstrate that our claims at Wikieup show mineralisation over a c.10km distance, from our Northwest claim block down to Section 12 (see map for reference). Follow-up work is now required to understand the next steps. We look forward to providing further updates as the project progresses."
Background
The Wikieup project is located halfway between Phoenix and Las Vegas, in Mohave County or Arizona, and is 20km north-north-west of the Basin Project.
As referenced in a RNS dated 08/11/2021, the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved conditional drilling permits at Wikieup, before awarding final permission following the completion of bond payment adjudication on 09/12/2021.
The permission received refers to 9.8km2 of Bradda's Wikieup project (total 29.3km2) covering Sections 12, 13 and Wikieup NW exploration targets (https://www.braddaheadltd.com/media/image-library/wikieup-2021-drilling-programme/) representing the main area of focus for the Company.
In an RNS dated 29/10/2021 Bradda Head released promising initial results from its 2021 geophysics programme at Wikieup, showing clay thicknesses of up to 90 metres, comparable to Arizona Lithium's Big Sandy deposit (1,850 ppm Lithium grade), which is adjacent to Bradda Head's Wikieup claims.
Bradda Head engaged the highly respected drilling contractor Boart Longyear (RNS dated 04/10/2021) to carry out the sonic drilling programme. The programme was focussed on claims that are approximately 15 of Bradda's sedimentary landholding (total 47km2). Surface samples with grades of up to 1,750 ppm lithium have been identified at Bradda's Wikieup project. With all the data gathered so far, Bradda commenced a Scout drilling programme at Wikieup in December 2021 and completed 18 holes of the permitted 28 hole programme, roughly 1,875mm of drilling. Bradda has the option to still drill 10 more holes at Wikieup and is assessing the best locations for further drill holes.
The Wikieup project area, covers a total area of 27.87km2.
Please see below hole data for W12 (Section 12), W13 (Section 13) and NNW (Wikieup Northwest).
Wikieup Drilling 2022 Composite Table for Section 12 | ||||
Composite | 300 ppm cutoff | |||
Sonic Hole | From (M) | To (M) | Length (m) | Li PPM |
W12-21-01 | 14.63 | 16.86 | 2.23 | 393.18 |
W12-22-06 | 14.63 | 85.95 | 71.32 | 519.22 |
incl. | 14.63 | 20.73 | 6.1 | 722 |
incl. | 22.56 | 31.09 | 8.53 | 803.93 |
incl. | 53.04 | 62.79 | 9.75 | 643.75 |
incl. | 68.88 | 76.2 | 7.32 | 526.67 |
W12-22-07 | 10.97 | 78.64 | 67.67 | 685.75 |
incl. | 10.97 | 37.19 | 26.22 | 807.67 |
incl. | 61.57 | 66.45 | 4.88 | 1045 |
W12-22-08 | 6.71 | 9.14 | 2.43 | 482 |
W12-22-09 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
W12-22-10 | 6.1 | 53.64 | 47.54 | 444.68 |
incl. | 6.1 | 10.97 | 4.87 | 800.75 |
incl. | 26.21 | 37.19 | 10.98 | 541.17 |
W12-22-11 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
W12-22-12 | 11.58 | 43.89 | 32.31 | 525.44 |
incl. | 11.58 | 29.87 | 18.29 | 699.22 |
W12-22-12 | 53.04 | 92.66 | 39.62 | 440.5 |
W12-22-13 | 8.53 | 68.88 | 60.35 | 592.86 |
incl. | 24.38 | 25.6 | 1.22 | 1270 |
W12-22-14 | 14.63 | 23.16 | 8.53 | 483.57 |
Wikieup Drilling 2022 Composite Table Section 13 | ||||
Composite | 300 ppm cutoff | |||
Sonic Hole | From (M) | To (M) | Length (m) | Li PPM |
W13-21-02 | 33.04 | 61.57 | 28.53 | 454.08 |
incl. | 40.84 | 57.91 | 17.07 | 556.57 |
W13-21-03 | 21.34 | 24.99 | 3.65 | 352.68 |
W13-22-05 | 34.75 | 79.86 | 45.11 | 375.07 |
incl. | 35.97 | 39.62 | 3.65 | 653.33 |
incl. | 45.11 | 48.16 | 3.05 | 628 |
W13-22-16 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
W13-22-17 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Wikieup Drilling 2022 Composite Grade Section NNW | ||||
Composite | 300 ppm cutoff | |||
Sonic Hole | From (M) | To (M) | Length (m) | Li PPM |
NNW-22-04 | 12.19 | 30.48 | 18.29 | 483.20 |
incl. | 23.16 | 28.04 | 4.88 | 692.50 |
NNW-22-04 | 37.19 | 39.62 | 2.43 | 670.00 |
NNW-22-15 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
NNW-22-18 | 46.94 | 101.8 | 54.86 | 621.35 |
incl. | 72.54 | 89 | 16.46 | 824.3 |
Note: Conversion factor of Li metal to lithium carbonate (LCE) = 5.323
Contact:
Bradda Head Lithium Limited | +44 (0) 1624 639 396 |
Charlie FitzRoy, CEO Denham Eke, Finance Director | |
Beaumont Cornish (Nomad) James Biddle/Roland Cornish | +44 20 7220 1666 |
Peterhouse (Joint Broker) | +44 207 469 0930 |
Charles Goodfellow Duncan Vasey Lucy Williams | |
Shard Capital (Joint Broker) | +44 207 186 9927 |
Damon Heath Isabella Pierre | |
Red Cloud (North American Broker) | +1 416 803 3562 |
Joe Fars | |
Tavistock (PR) | + 44 20 7920 3150 |
Nick Elwes Oliver Lamb Adam Baynes | braddahead@tavistock.co.uk |
Qualified Person BHL
The information in this announcement has been reviewed by Jim Guilinger, COO Bradda Head Lithium. Mr. Guilinger is a graduate of the University of Colorado - Boulder with a BA in Geology with more than 40 years' experience in mineral exploration and mining geology and is a qualified person under the AIM Rules. Mr. Guilinger consents to the inclusion of the technical information in this release and context in which they appear.
Notes to Editors
Bradda Head Lithium Ltd. is a North America-focused lithium development group. The Company currently has interests in a variety of projects, the most advanced of which are in Central and Western Arizona: The Basin Project (Basin East Project, and the Basin West Project) and the Wikieup Project.
The Basin East Project has an Indicated Mineral Resource of 17.6Mt at an average grade of 912ppm Li and 3.4%K for a total of 86kt LCE and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 57.6Mt at an average grade of 717ppm Li and 3.3%K for a total of 220kt LCE. In the rest of the Basin Project SRK has estimated an Exploration Target of between 300 and 1,300Mt of material grading between 600 and 850ppm Li which is equivalent to a range of between 1 and 6Mt LCE.
The Group intends to continue to develop its three phase one projects in Arizona, whilst endeavouring to unlock value at its other prospective pegmatite and brine assets in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
All of Bradda Head's licences are held on a 100% equity basis and are in close proximity to the required infrastructure.
Bradda Head is quoted on the AIM of the London Stock Exchange with the ticker of BHL and on the US OTCQB market with a ticker of BHLIF.