Pioneer Lithium’s (ASX:PLN) Benham project is in good company. It’s just 70km from Critical Resources’ (ASX: CRR) Mavis Lake lithium project and wedged between Patriot Lithium’s (ASX:PAT) Dryden project and Canada-listed Beyond Lithium’s Victory and Victory West projects.
Benham is a package of 30 claims across ~1,245ha immediately south of the boundary between the Winnipeg River and Western Wabigoon sub-provinces of the Archaean Superior Craton, and straddle a narrow greenstone belt proximal to the peraluminous, two-mica Ghost Lake batholith and its smaller satellites – areas deemed to be highly prospective for LCT pegmatites.
Ontario is abuzz with projects from mining, right through the supply chain to a plethora of car manufacturers such as Stellantis (the umbrella of Dodge, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Peugot and Citroën brands), Ford and Honda that are pouring billions of dollars into the region.
Assay results from channel sampling have now confirmed visual estimates of spodumene mineralisation at an identified 40m-long pegmatite, north-west corner of the project area with best assay results showing up to 4.61% Li2O.
PLN executive chair Robert Martin says the channel sampling results are a great way to start the year, with lab assays confirming the visual estimates reported by the team late last year.
“The rapid discovery of up to 60 pegmatite outcrops last year in the narrow exploration window in November was a tremendous result in itself,” Martin says.
“The fact that we now have confirmed high-grade spodumene mineralisation in channel samples vindicates our decision to expedite exploration at the project.
“Rock chip sampling has also provided favourable indicators of the right pathfinder elements and geochemical ratios to support the presence of highly fractionated LCT pegmatites in the vicinity of these mineralised outcrops.
“This supports the potential of the Benham project and we look forward to obtaining further data to help us plan the next steps.”
