“With such high grades present at the Vega Zone — akin to what we see at the Nova Zone at CV5 — including a standout 9.7-metre intercept grading over 5% Li2O, the new results clearly validate the considerable potential at CV13 as well as that of the larger mineralised system at Corvette,” Smith said. 

“We intend to further delineate this discovery as part of our recently commenced summer-fall drill program.”

Patriot reported other highlights for the final batch of core assay results from the recently completed CV13 winter drill program, including 17.4m at 3.12% Li2O, 19.1m at 3.17% Li2O, and 10.6m at 3.50% Li2O. 

The Vega Zone is reportedly interpreted to be a relatively flat-lying to shallowly dipping and near-surface, covering an area of about 380m by 220m with a true thickness of roughly 8m to 30-plus-m.

It is reportedly hosted within a wider mineralised pegmatite body and remains open in several directions. 

The August resource update is to include both the CV5 and CV13 spodumene pegmatites. 

CV13 lies about 3km west-southwest of CV5, which hosts a mineral resource estimate of 109.2 million tonnes at 1.42% Li2O inferred. 

Currently, Patriot labels Corvette as the largest lithium pegmatite resource in the Americas and one of the top 10 largest in the world based on its contained lithium carbonate equivalent. 

The company is working towards building Corvette into an integrated mine, concentrator, and lithium hydroxide plant, which could be in operation by the end of the decade. 

It aims to be in construction by 2028. 

Based in James Bay, Quebec, Corvette benefits from having the regional and all-weather Trans-Taiga Road and powerline infrastructure about 14km to the south. 

In May, the Ken Brinsden-led company raised almost A$82 million in fresh capital, adding to the $90 million it already had in the bank. 

North American lithium giant Albemarle is a 4.9% shareholder of Patriot, and the two had a nine-month-long active working relationship until earlier this year when Albemarle, amid a sharp fall in revenue, stepped back from Corvette.