Anax Metals Limited (ASX: ANX) ('Anax' or 'the Company') is pleased to announce it has completed regional pegmatite mapping and rock chip sampling at Whim Maar and Loudens Patch Prospects, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Whim Maar is the northernmost prospect of the Whim Creek Project, 80% owned and operated by Anax, under a JV with Develop Global (ASX:DVP). Loudens Patch is 100% Anax owned and located adjacent to the east of Whim Creek Project
Geoff Laing, Managing Director of Anax, commented on the work done: 'Pegmatite swarms at Whim Maar and Loudens Patch are far more extensive than were initially identified by historical mapping or recent reconnaissance sampling. Anax's mapping and sampling programme has defined new pegmatite swarms, which have been sampled for geochemical and mineralogical analysis. This work provides further encouragement of potential lithium fertility based on field observations. 'Soil sampling work continues, which will define the extent of lithium geochemical anomalies and may help to identify pegmatites obscured beneath recent alluvial cover.' Following the recent discovery of pegmatites with potential lithium bearing minerals1 , Anax undertook regional geological mapping at 1:5,000 scale at Whim Maar and Loudens Patch Prospects. 219 rock chip samples were collected in parallel with this work and samples have been submitted to LabWest for analysis
Whim Maar Prospect
Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) 1:100,000 mapping, 2020, records the dominant igneous rock types of the Whim Creek Greenstone Belt over elevated ground at Whim Maar, however, pegmatites were not recorded at that scale. In 1976, Texasgulf, searching for new copper-zinc deposits, carried out historical mapping (1:4,800) at Whim Maar (GSWA Report A6759), identifying a northeast trending swarm of quartz pegmatites amid calcrete. Calcrete, which dominates outcrop at Whim Maar, is a weathering product of calcium-rich host rocks (such as komatiitic lava flows) and formed during high-rainfall tropical paleoclimates. Elsewhere on the coastal plain, sheetwash from annual cyclonic events covers large areas meaning outcrop was limited. Anax reconnaissance exploration in June 2023 confirmed that pegmatites were far more extensive than had been historically mapped. Systematic regional mapping and sampling in July and August 2023, extended the known pegmatite swarms. Outcropping pegmatites consist primarily of quartz-feldspar cores, some with entrained wall rock xenoliths. Lithium bearing minerals, such as spodumene, are evident, though rare at surface in the extensively weathered terrain, due to lithium being highly mobile.
Mapping identified two large pegmatite swarms up to 0.6km2 in area, within the northeast quadrant of the Whim Maar Prospect, coinciding with magnetic lows which follow the regional northeasterly. Pegmatites outcrop as low-lying quartz domes and boulders occurring in swarms, typically following the regional northeast trend. Extensive calcrete weathering and/or alluvial sheetwash, make pegmatites difficult to see on the ground. Pegmatite mapping to date is therefore not exhaustive. Lithium bearing pegmatites may be zoned or massive. The quartz pegmatite cores found at Whim Maar suggested zoned pegmatites are likely here. Calcrete traps remnants of surrounding rock types and may prove useful for geochemical sampling where limited outcrop remains. Spodumene and other lithium bearing minerals, were noted in numerous pegmatites during mapping. Striations and a perfect cleavage are distinguishing features of spodumene, which may be cream, light green, or lilac in colour. The mineral is very hard, another characteristic that aids field identification. However, microscopic mineral verification is necessary to confirm the mineral species. Spodumene may be accompanied by other lithium-bearing minerals such as elbaite, lepidolite or petalite micas. Non-lithium bearing pegmatite minerals observed included quartz, feldspar, mica and schorl tourmaline. Samples have been collected for mineralogical analysis, which will follow geochemical analysis, currently underway at LabWest.
While the recent mapping of extensive pegmatite swarms provides further encouragement for potential lithium mineralisation at Whim Maar, and evidence of spodumene minerals is present, lithium is highly mobile and readily weathers at surface. Reconnaissance sampling in June 2023 visually identified spodumene in rock and float samples that generated only low-level lithium anomalism up to 35ppm. These low lithium geochemical anomalies, may be attributed to relict spodumene or pseudomorph minerals, as concluded in consultation with a local mineralogist. Anax is therefore reliant on defining lithium potential from the soil geochemistry and UltraFine+ soil sampling is ongoing at Whim Maar. Trenching or auger drilling may then be warranted to obtain fresh samples below surface
Loudens Patch Project
The 100% Anax owned project lies adjacent to the east of the Whim Creek Project. GSWA 1:100,000 mapping, 2020, at Loudens Patch records Archean Mallina Formation metasediments forming a triangular sub-basin between the Loudens Fault to the west and the Mallina Shear to the south, both regional gold-mineralised structures. Strong foliation and steep to overturned folding within the Mallina Basin follow the regional northeast trend and provide the ideal structural setting for both structurally controlled gold mineralisation and lithium pegmatites. Lithium soil anomalies were defined with UltraFine+ soil sampling in 2021 and 2022, predominantly across the western half of Loudens Patch1 . Recent reconnaissance rock chip sampling verified these anomalies as in situ. As at Whim Maar, sheetwash alluvial cover and calcrete obliterate large areas of outcrop, nevertheless recent mapping defined pegmatite swarms that were far more numerous than previously thought, extending over 600m in length. Microscopic mineralogical analysis for spodumene will follow geochemical analysis of new rock chip samples. In addition to pegmatite sampling, potential gold bearing rock types, such as limonitic quartz veins, conglomerates and breccias, were sampled to follow up gold-in-soil anomalies and rock chips have been submitted to LabWest for analysis
Contact:
Tel: +61 8 6143 1840
Competent Person's Statement
The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results is based on and fairly represents information compiled by Ms Wendy Beets. Ms Beets is a full-time employee and shareholder of Anax Metals Ltd and is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Ms Beets has sufficient experience of relevance to the style of mineralisation and types of deposits under consideration, and to the activities undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Ms Beets consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information in the form and context in which they appear
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