Source: Geology.com
Source: Geology.com
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Birimian Gold developed the Bougouni Lithium Project and subsequently sold it to Shandong Mingrui Group. The Bougouni Lithium Project comprises a large land holding (295km2) covering highly prospective lithium pegmatites in the Bougouni Region of southern Mali, approximately 150km by road from Mali’s capital, Bamako. The Project is located in close proximity to road and power infrastructure. The Project hosts the high-grade spodumene (lithium) pegmatite deposit at Goulamina. The Mineral Resource at Goulamina is 27.8Mt at 1.42% Li2O for 393,000 tonnes contained Li2O . Initial processing test work has confirmed the viability of the pegmatite at Goulamina to yield a high quality chemical grade lithium concentrate.
- Kodal Minerals plc (KOD), the mineral exploration and development company focussed on West Africa, announced the results of the diamond core drilling completed at the Ngoualana prospect, located at the Company's Bougouni lithium project in Southern Mali ("Bougouni" or the "Bougouni Project"). The Bougouni Project consists of two concessions, the Kolassokoro and Madina licences, which cover a contiguous area of 500km2. The project area is located approximately 180km south of Bamako, the capital of Mali, with excellent access to the project via sealed road from Bamako. Regional geological studies were undertaken in 2008 to assess the lithium mineralisation of the Bougouni-Sikasso region of southern Mali and identified areas of high potential. The studies were completed by consultants CSA Global (“CSA”) and were commissioned and funded by the World Bank as part of the SYSMIN economic development programme. Kodal commenced a detailed geological study and rock chip sampling programme in September 2016. The results from this work have highlighted the high-grade lithium mineralisation at Bougouni, and identified new zones of pegmatite mineralisation with initial assays including 2.03% Li2O and 1.96% Li2O within Bougouni. The exploration programme completed was a reconnaissance programme which has now identified three new high priority areas with high-grade lithium mineralisation and extensive pegmatite zones that have had no previous exploration or systematic testing. A total of 51 samples are reported in this batch from Bougouni (44 sample locations and 7 QAQC samples). The assay range for the samples varies from a minimum of below detection limit (0.005% Li) to a maximum result of 2.03% Li2O. Samples are reported as Li% and converted to Li2O% by multiplication of a factor of 2.153. Samples were analysed by ALS Laboratories, with sample receipt at ALS Bamako Mali, sample preparation at ALS Ouagoudougou, Burkina Faso with final analysis completed at ALS Vancouver, Canada. Samples analysis was completed with a four acid digest and final detection by ICP-AES method. The Company commenced a 2,000m reverse circulation ("RC") drilling programme in November 2016 targeting high-grade lithium mineralisation within the Bougouni Project. The RC drilling programme consisted of 18 drill holes for 1,323m completed (six holes for 415m at Sogola, eight holes for 712m at Ngoualana and four holes for 196m at Kola) with all geological logging and sampling completed. Drilling has consisted of reverse circulaon ("RC") drilling and diamond drilling, with a total of 76 RC drill holes for 10,260 metres completed and 5 diamond drill holes for 362 metrescompleted. In particular, the Ngoualana prospect within the Bougouni Project looks extremely exciting with the strike length of the mineralised zone currently confirmed at 650 metres. This zone remains open along strike and has yielded multiple high-grade intersections including 28 metres at 1.96% lithium oxide.
- Xantus Inc is a private company focused on acquiring and developing large scale lithium assets in West Africa. Utilising its regional expertise, the Company has assembled a portfolio of prospective permits covering in excess of 1,500 sq km in Mali and Niger. The permits in Mali consist of Dieba North, Dieaba, Soumayer and Nimissila, and border those held by listed companies, Birimian (ASX:BGS) and Kodal (AIM:KOD) both of which have significant known lithium discoveries plus recorded lithium grades of >2% Li2O from pegmatite samples. In particular, the Dieba licence is contiguous to the north of Birimian’s Bougouni lithium project (Goulamina) which has a current JORC Mineral Resource of 15.5Mt at 1.48% Li2O for 229,000 tonnes of contained Li2O. Additionally, pegmatites (lithium bearing rocks) have been encountered at surface across the Malian licences which are on strike from known discoveries in the southern Mali region, which is rapidly emerging as a lithium province. The 4 contiguous permits in Niger, Diblio, Bongou, Namaga 2 and Dingoaba located in south western Niger in the Department of Tera in the Tillabery region, have historical lithium resources. Swarms of spodumene bearing pegmatite veins (lithium bearing mineral) have been encountered across the permit areas. The fact that these are clearly mapped within the granites covering over 70% of the permit areas, provides the Company a positive indication for commercial lithium deposits.
