Chubb Lithium Project
Burley acquired 100% ownership of the Chubb Lithium Project in Québec, Canada, in February 2023. The Chubb Lithium Project is located 25 km north of the mining community of Val d’Or in the heart of the world-class lithium province of Québec, Canada with a total area of 1,509 hectares. The Chubb Project is centred within the Manneville Deformation Corridor, which hosts Canada’s only operating lithium mine, the North America Lithium Operation (NAL). The NAL is owned by Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) and Piedmont Lithium Inc, with Mineral Resources of 58Mt at 1.23% Li2O[1] reported, plus emerging projects including the Authier Lithium Project, with resources of 17Mt at 1.01% Li2O reported[2]. The recommissioned NAL plant is located 10km north-east of the Chubb Lithium Project, with first production having commenced in the March 2023 Quarter[3].
Since project acquisition in the first quarter of calendar year 2023, Burley completed approximately 14,000 m of diamond drilling, mapping and field XRF analyses, and ambient noise tomography (ANT) geophysics survey. The work has focused on two areas within the Chubb Lithium Project Claims: Chubb Central and Chubb North (see Figure 3).
Chubb Central
Chubb Central drilling assay results demonstrate extension, continuity, and consistency of spodumene mineralised zone over its 600m strike length and extending from surface to below 200m depth. Spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes and drilling locations are illustrated in Figure 4. Drilling results include:
- 6m at 1.70% Li₂O from 250m in hole CLP028
- 6m at 1.37% Li₂O from 221m in hole CLP027
- 4m at 1.42% Li₂O from 6m in hole CLP004
- 3m at 1.99% Li₂O from 168m in hole CLP025
- 0m at 1.57% Li₂O from 108m in hole 21-CH-15
- 8m at 1.28% Li₂O from 83.2m in hole 21-CH-17
- 1m at 1.03% Li₂O from 170m in hole CLP08a
- 9m at 1.34% Li₂O from 92m in hole CLP003
- 0m at 1.26% Li₂O from 69m in hole 21-CH-07
- 2m at 1.31% Li₂O from 130.4m including 4.2m at 1.93% Li₂O in hole CLP010
Chubb North Maiden Drilling
The initial 4 diamond hole maiden drilling programme at Chubb North for 678m was completed prior to a short break due to hunting season in 2023. The core was logged and analysed with portable XRF and LIBS equipment. Pegmatite widths of between 51m and 182m across the 4 diamond holes were recording and are summarised in Table 1. Chubb North drilling locations are illustrated in Figure 4.
Chubb Central Pollucite Intersections
In 2023, assay data from Chubb Central drill core confirmed high value pollucite intersections within the southern extent of the spodumene bearing Main Dyke. Interpretation of results suggests a strike extent of more than 60m of strong caesium pollucite mineralisation, south of the previously identified spodumene mineralisation. The pollucite mineralisation alternates with spodumene mineralisation within the pegmatite intersections.
Pollucite is the premium caesium-bearing mineral, classified as critical by the USA and Canada, and is rarely available in economic deposits. Only three pollucite mines have ever operated and none are mining pollucite currently. The chief use of caesium to-date is as a specialty oil well fluid, caesium formate; however, a range of other high-value caesium compounds are used in high-technology applications. Naturally occurring caesium is not radioactive.
The pegmatite intersections of Holes CLP-038 and CLP-063 were scanned at the Elemission laboratory in Montreal, Canada. Elemission uses calibrated and precise laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) scanning technology to determine minerology and estimate chemical composition of rock core. The results of the LIBS scanning confirmed pollucite mineralisation intersections from holes CLP-038 and CLP-063. In addition, core samples were assayed at SGS Laboratories, and assay results align well with the mineralogical estimates provided by Elemission.
While sporadic and intermittent mineralisation of pollucite in LCT pegmatites is not unusual[4], continuous mineralisation of pollucite over a measurable length is very rare. This occurrence pollucite presents an opportunity to add significant value to the know spodumene-bearing Chubb Central Mineralised Zone. A schematic long section of the Chubb Central Main Dyke is presented in Figure 1, clearly illustrating the continuous distribution of spodumene mineralisation and now the zone of pollucite mineralisation. The presence of both spodumene and pollucite in the same zone reflects a very evolved LCT pegmatite; that is, late-stage crystallisation of original felsic intrusion.
[1] Refer to Sayona Mining’s ASX Release dated 14 April 2023
[2] Refer to Sayona Mining’s ASX Release dated 14 April 2023.
[3] Refer to Sayona Mining’s ASX Release dated 28 April 2023.
[4] See Mark Ivan Jacobson and Donald Doell Jr., The Valor Lithium and Cesium Pegmatite, Lacorne Township, Abitibi RCM, Quebec, Canada (2019), pp.4-6.