Metals Australia reports spodumene in lepidolite-heavy lithium hit

• Metals Australia (ASX:MLS) has hit lithium at its Manindi project
• The project is located in Western Australia’s Murchison District
• Spodumene mineralisation was detected in metallurgical test work
• It was also mixed with spodumene and petalite
• Shares last traded at 3.4 cents

Metallurgical testing has confirmed the presence of spodumene in at least one ore sample from Metals Australia’s (ASX:MLS) Manindi project.

The company’s Manindi project resides in the Murchison region of Western Australia.

While the company flagged spodumene, it added that petalite and lepidolite were also recorded. Both are other classes of lithium-bearing host minerals.

Management comment

MLS Chairman Mike Scivolo was more interested in the spodumene, describing it as “extremely positive”.

“The company is looking to generate high-value lithium concentrate products from the Manindi pegmatites, which have been drill tested within a 3km corridor in the northern part of the Manindi project,” he said.

At the same time, MLS reported that the sample metallurgical works were conducted on was comprised of “predominantly lepidolite”.

Metallurgical work ongoing

Further metallurgical test work is being conducted on the pegmatite sample from Manindi where a 12-metre intersection grading at 1.38 per cent lithium was previously pulled.

Geotechs are hopeful that spodumene-confirming results will be replicated.

Petalite and spodumene will be recovered but MLS doesn’t want to keep the lepidolite.

Lepidolite is generally harder to process than spodumene and is less desired in international concentrate markets.

Shares last traded at 3.4 cents.