Arkle Resources plc has extended its Mine River gold exploration area on the Wicklow-Wexford border by an additional 152.01km2 block.
LEINSTER GRANITE
The Aughrim block comprises four prospecting licences – 415, 3029, 1716, 2053 – for lithium, rare earth elements and other minerals including gold and platinum.
The company must pay a total €3,000 with a minimum exploration spend of €10,000 on each licence over the next 24 months.
The ground is contiguous with International Lithium Corp and Gangfeng Lithium Co. Ltd’s joint venture to the west, where a large zone of lithium bearing pegmatites was discovered associated with the Leinster granite pegmatite belt.
Historic exploration from the 1970s focused on gold, silver and base metals with little or no exploration for lithium despite the proximity to the granites.
Arkle believes that the new ground is “fertile for lithium deposits”.
“It has long been known that the Leinster granites contain lithium in pegmatites, but little serious exploration has been undertaken,” added chairman John Teeling.
“We identified this ground after earlier prospecting by Arkle on our existing licences indicated their prospectivity.
“It is prime ground which has never been explored for lithium. We will be on the ground in the near future.”