- Essential Metals (ESS) gears up to drill in the northern part of the Pioneer Dome Project in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields
- The aim of the program at Dome North in the state’s lithium corridor is to expand the existing 11 megatonne mineral resource base
- A planned 74 holes will test six targets for any extensions of identified pegmatites and structural targets
- ESS expects the drilling to be complete by August, with assay results anticipated towards the end of September
- Shares closed flat at 13 cents each at 4:10pm AEST
Essential Metals (ESS) is set to begin drilling in the northern part of the Pioneer Dome Project in Western Australia’s lithium corridor in the Eastern Goldfields.
The aim of the drilling program at Dome North is to expand the existing 11 megatonne mineral resource base to a sufficient size to support a robust, standalone mining operation.
The existing mineral resource is said to centre on three north-north-east to south-south-west striking outcropping pegmatites, which are spaced at
approximately one-kilometre intervals.
Essential Metals Managing Director Tim Spencer said the next phase of drilling would test a number of highly promising locations between and along strike of these pegmatites.
Further, ESS explained that the 5000 metre program would focus on testing for extensions of identified pegmatites and structural targets in the Dome North area as well as following up a geochemical anomalism identified by earlier work.
Comprising 74 holes, drilling is set to test six targets, mainly in the northern extent of the Davy and Heller deposits.
Two previously un-drilled targets known as DN6 and DN21 located two kilometres southwest of Heller will also be tested.
ESS has suggested that drilling will be carried out using air-core blade and hammer drilling to the proposed depth to achieve top-to-tail coverage.
The program is scheduled to start this week, with completion anticipated by mid-August and the first assay results expected towards the end of September.
Field activities continue on site, including soil sampling and mapping.
Shares closed flat at 13 cents each at 4:10pm AEST.